Ann-Marie K. Osterback

Education
University of California, Santa Cruz, 2008-present
M.A. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Western Washington University, 1998-2002
B.S. in Biology
Minor in East Asian Studies

I am interested in freshwater ecology and research focused on the recovery of impacted aquatic ecosystems along the Pacific Coast. Specifically, my research focuses on listed salmonid species such as steelhead and coho salmon and how anthropogenic disturbances have affected their populations and community interactions within their native ecosystems.

 

Ongoing Research

The effects of seabird predation on listed salmonids

In collaboration with the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NMFS SWFSC) and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, I am quantifying the impact of seabird predation on listed salmonid species native to central California coast streams. This research is aimed to determine 1) if Western gulls are subsidizing their diet by opportunistically feeding on imperiled salmonid species, and 2) the impact of these predators on the survival of juvenile salmonids.

Processes influencing stream temperature and habitat suitability for southern steelhead

High stream temperatures may limit the availability of summer rearing habitat of steelhead, especially in their southern range. I am working on examining steelhead thermal tolerance and stream temperature dynamics in Santa Paula Creek. Preliminary data highlights the importance of riparian shading and hyporheic-surface flow exchange for maintaining suitable summer rearing habitat.