Graduate Students
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Jade Ortiz
Advisor: Dr. Colden Baxter
Degree: Ph.D. Biology
Office: Life Sciences 310
Education
2015, B.S. Biology, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
Biographical Sketch
Jade joined the Stream Ecology Center in 2015 and is pursuing her Ph.D. degree with Dr. Colden Baxter. Prior to her move to Idaho, Jade studied biology and environmental science at Michigan Technological University located in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. In her time at Michigan Tech, she spent 3 years working as both a field and lab technician in Dr. Amy Marcarelli’s Aquatic Ecosystem Ecology lab. She conducted a study of the impacts of invasive Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and nutrient loading on algal assemblages of the Portage waterway. Jade's doctoral research is a social-ecological investigation of habitat complexity in river-floodplain ecosystems, its effect on emergence of adult aquatic insects and terrestrial insectivores like bats and spiders, and how the public perceives and values this complexity. The combination of her results is aimed at informing river restoration for the Portneuf and Snake River systems and is supported by the NSF-EPSCoR MILES (Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystem Services) program and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. In her spare time Jade enjoys hiking, camping, and (of course) spending time in and around the water.
Teaching
BIOL 4462 - Freshwater Ecology (Supervised Teaching Intern)
Current Research
208-282-2139
Jade's research interests focus around understanding how habitat complexity in river-floodplain ecosystems influences linked aquatic-terrestrial food webs. Her doctoral work seeks to inform management of local rivers and floodplains of southeastern Idaho.