Jade Ortiz
Advisor: Colden Baxter
Degree: Ph.D. Biology
Office: Life Sciences 310
Education
2015, B.S. Biology, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
Biographical Sketch
Jade began pursuing her doctoral degree in the Stream Ecology Center with Colden Baxter in 2015. Her research interests converge at the interface of landscape and food-web ecology. In particular, Jade’s doctoral work investigates the ways in which habitat complexity in river-floodplains may mediate patterns of insect emergence and subsequent consequences for terrestrial insectivores including spiders, beetles, birds, and bats. As part of the NSF-EPSCoR MILES (Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystem Services) program, Jade conducted a study of habitat complexity on the Portneuf River with the aim of informing local river restoration efforts. Jade has played an active role in the Biology Department at ISU through service as president of the Biology Graduate Student Association and participation in a search committee for the Dean of the College of Science and Engineering. Prior to moving to Pocatello, she worked as a lab and field technician with Amy Marcarelli at Michigan Tech from 2011-2015 on a suite of projects, several of which focused on furthering understanding of algal and macrophyte interactions. In her free time, Jade enjoys sipping coffee, petting cats, and floatin’ down rivers.
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.