Jessica Blois, Ph.D.

My research integrates across spatial and temporal scales to provide baseline information about the responses that species and communities have to climate change and novel environments, in California and beyond. I use a ‘conservation paleobiology’ approach to examine how different factors—in particular, climate and biotic interactions—shape patterns of variation in genes, species, and assemblages, focusing primarily on the last 50,000 years of earth history and on small mammals. I blend perspectives from paleo, historic and contemporary systems using a diverse tool kit– original data collection in the field and lab, genomic and isotopic approaches, various modeling approaches, and database syntheses. I also use, contribute to, and help steward different university and museum collections and online data aggregators, and work towards improving the culture and climate of our research environments.