Assistant Professor of Vertebrate Ecology
University of Nebraska School of Natural Resources
As a La Kretz postdoc, I worked with the National Park Service and modeled dynamics of a small mountain lion population isolated by freeways and habitat fragmentation in the Santa Monica Mountains (SMMs) in greater Los Angeles, California. The population exhibited strong survival and reproduction; however, our model predicted a rapid decline in genetic diversity that warrants concern regarding extinction due to demographic consequences of inbreeding. Importantly, our model predicted a much higher (100%) probability of extinction due to inbreeding depression than from demographic stochasticity alone (15-22%). Simulating increased immigration of mountain lions with novel genes into the SMMs from surrounding areas maintained genetic diversity and reduced extinction probability in our model. Our work highlights the importance of restoring and maintaining connectivity in human-altered landscapes to prevent extinctions of isolated wildlife populations.
I am now an Assistant Professor of Vertebrate Ecology with the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska. My research program will involve tackling applied and basic questions in ecology – mostly with populations of carnivores and ungulates across North America and around the world.
Related Articles
The National Park Service (NPS) manages the most pristine, biologically intact parklands in the country, making it one of the La Kretz Center’s key partners. Surrounded by Los Angeles and its suburbs, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is a vast, 160,000 acre open space that is overseen by the NPS and serves...
La Kretz Postdoc John Benson's work suggests that a new immigrant lion every two to four years is necessary for the Santa Monica Mountains population to remain viable
J. Benson, J. Sikich, S. Riley
Published Work | 2019 | Biological Conservation
Benson, J. F., P. J. Mahoney, T. W. Vickers, J. A. Sikich, P. Beier, S. P. D. Riley, H. B. Ernest, and W. M. Boyce
Published Work | 2019 | Ecological Applications 00(00):e02029
JF Benson, PJ Mahoney, JA Sikich, LEK Serieys, JP Pollinge , HB Ernest, SPD Riley
Published Work | 2016 | Proc. R. Soc. B 283 : 20160957
J. Benson, J. Sikich, S. Riley
Published Work | 2016 | PLOS ONE
