Melissa Grigione

Faculty Bio

My primary research interest is mammalian spatial ecology -- understanding how ecological and manmade elements influence home range size and location for particular species. In my lab, tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing technology, and molecular genetic techniques are employed to better understand these questions. My research emphasizes conservation biology because I work with species whose populations have been seriously altered as a consequence of habitat degradation and fragmentation. In addition to wildlife biology, conserving these species requires an intimate knowledge of political and legislative systems, and community-level human dimension practices. I have worked with a range of species, including mountain lions, Florida panthers, bobcats, coyotes, and Florida burrowing owls. My international research includes conservation projects for the puma, guanaco, and vicuna in South America and conservation of neotropical cats (ocelots, jaguars, jaguarundis) along the U.S.-Mexico border.

PhD, University of California Davis Graduate Group in Ecology, 1998
Ecology

MA, Yale University School of Forestry & Env. Studies, New Haven, CT, 1990
Environmental Studies, Wildlife Ecology

BA, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1987
Biogeography and Environmental Science

Past Courses

BIO 101: General Biology I
BIO 102: General Biology II
BIO 123: Biology & Contemporary Society
BIO 210: Ecology
BIO 220: Human Biology & Cntmpry Scty
BIO 395: Independent Study in Biology
BIO 396: Guided Study in Biology
BIO 399: Tpc: Resrch Methds Ecologcl Fl
BIO 399: Wildlife Ecology & Consrvation
BIO 480: Research in Biology
BIO 490: Intro to Rsrch in Biolgcl Sci
BIO 491: Internship in Biology
ENS 505: Conservation Biology
ENS 506: Wildlife Ecology
ENS 651: Rsrch Mthds for Eclgcl Fld Std
ENS 696: Graduate Ecology
ENS 696: Urban Ecology
ENS 772: Thesis Preparation
ENS 790: Environmental Science Seminar
ENS 790: Integrative Seminar
ENS 792: Rsrch in Envrnmntl Sci I
ENS 793: Rsrch in Envrnmntl Sci II
ENS 798: Special Topics in ENS
ENS 798: Tpc: Environmental Science
ENV 380: Junior Year Research Seminar
ENV 498: Mentoring Seminar
ESP 772: Thesis Preparation

Professional Memberships

• The Explorer’s Club [National Fellow]
• Round River Conservation Studies [Research Associate and Field Advisor]
• IUCN/Species Survival Commission [Invited member]
• American Society of Mammalogists
• The Wildlife Society
• Society For Conservation Biology