Emma Regnier, a master’s student in Raptor Biology, received the Bergstrom Grant from the Association of Field Ornithologists in March for her research on how Golden Eagles influence cliff biodiversity.
Regnier’s work is significant because it explores how large nests built by Golden Eagles create special microhabitats and bring nutrients to cliffs that usually have few resources. This can affect not only the eagles but also other organisms living nearby.
Her proposed project, titled “How Golden Eagles shape cliff biodiversity: using eDNA to measure the effects of nest building and ectoparasite treatment on arthropods,” will use environmental DNA sampling to identify insects present in eagle nests. The study aims to understand how eagle nesting behaviors and parasite treatments might impact other species that inhabit cliffs.
The Association of Field Ornithologists said, “Bergstrom Grants promote question-driven research and other projects that add to our knowledge of the natural history, ecology, and/or conservation of birds living under natural conditions.”
Regnier is preparing for another field season in Southern Idaho this month as part of Professor Julie Heath’s Global Change Ecology of Birds Lab at the Raptor Research Center.
