Ronald Moen

Ron Moen Photo
Professional Title
Associate Professor

 

Education

  • Ph.D., 1995, University of Minnesota, Wildlife Conservation
  • M.S., 1988, University of Minnesota, Wildlife, Plant Physiology Minor
  • B.S., 1984, Cornell University, Division of Biological Sciences

 

Website

Curriculum Vitae

My Google Scholar Page

Dr. Moen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology and a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Water and the Environment, Natural Resources Research Institute. He has held graduate faculty appointments in Integrated Biosciences (IBS), Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth since 2004 and Conservation Biology (CB), Univ. of Minnesota-Twin Cities since 2005.

 

Research

Mammalian ecology is the primary research focus in my laboratory. Research topics include habitat use, movement patterns, physiology, nutrition, and predator-prey interactions, with much of this work involving GPS radiotelemetry.

 

Current and Future Projects

  • Moose. Ongoing research with graduate students is in several areas, including habitat use with LiDAR, parasites and diseases, deer-moose interactions, predation, and forage availability. Many collaborators are involved in this project (Tribal, MN DNR, County, Federal).

  • American Marten. Habitat analysis using LiDAR in collaboration with MN DNR (John Erb).

  • Canada lynx. Habitat use, survival, and reproduction in northeastern Minnesota.

  • Climate Change Adaptation Planning. Projecting changes in plants, mammals, and birds for the National Park Service units in the Upper Midwest. Co-PIs: Lee Frelich and Steve Windels.

  • Wood Turtles. Habitat use and nest predation on wood turtles.

  • Northern Long-eared bat. A new project on distribution, habitat use, and maternity roosts with MN DNR and Superior National Forest.

  • Carnivore monitoring. A new project on techniques to monitor carnivores in Minnesota.

 

Recent Publications (for full publication list download c.v.)

  • VanderWaal, K.L., S.K. Windels, B.T. Olson, T. Vannatta, and R. Moen. 2015. Landscape influence on spatial patterns of meningeal worm and liver fluke infection in white-tailed deer. Parasitology 142:706-718.

  • Robinson, S., D. Neitzel, R. Moen, J. Umber, K. Hamilton, D. Mulla, U. Munderloh, P. Redig, L. Johnson, K. Smith, C. Turner, M. Craft, K. Pelican. 2015. Disease risk in a dynamic environment: the spread of tick-borne diseases in Minnesota, USA. Ecohealth 12:152-163.

  • Cyr, T., S.K. Windels, R. Moen, and J. Warmbold. 2014. Diversity and abundance of terrestrial gastropods in Voyageurs National Park: Implications for risk of individual moose to Parelaphostrongylus tenuis infection. Alces 50:121-132.

  • McGraw, A.M., J. Terry, and R. Moen. 2014. Pre-Parturition Movement Patterns and Birth Site Characteristics of Moose in Northeast Minnesota. Alces 50:93-103.

  • McCann, N., R. Moen, and T. Harris. 2013. Warm-season heat stress in moose (Alces alces). Canadian Journal of Zoology 91(12):893-898.

  • Moen, R.A., S.K. Windels, and B. Hansen. 2012. Lynx habitat in and near Voyageurs National Park. Natural Areas Journal 32:348-355.

  • Moen, R.A., M.E. Nelson, and A. Edwards. 2011. Using cover type composition of home ranges and VHF telemetry locations of moose to interpret aerial survey results in Minnesota. Alces 47:101-112.

  • McCann, N. and R.A. Moen. 2011. Mapping potential core areas for lynx (Lynx canadensis) using snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) pellet counts and satellite imagery. Canadian Journal of Zoology 89:509-516.

  • Moen, R., J.M. Rasmussen, C.L. Burdett, and K.M. Pelican. 2010. Hematology, serum chemistry, and body mass of free-ranging and captive Canada lynx in Minnesota. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 46:13-22.

 

Teaching Now                             Previously Taught

  • BIOL 4764, Mammalogy

  • BIOL 5865, Conservation Biology

  • BIOL 3987, Biology Seminar

  • BIOL 3993, Laboratory Teaching Experiences

  • BIOL 3994, Undergraduate Research

  • BIOL 3996, Internship in Biology

  • BIOL 4802, Evolution

  • BIOL 4891, Animal Behavior

  • IBS 8020, Colloquia (Guest Speaker)

  • IBS 8201, Ecological Processes

  • IBS 8993, IBS Graduate Seminar

  • BIOL 8994, Graduate Research

 

Current Graduate Students

  • Maria Berkeland. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences).
  • Miranda Galey. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences).
  • Valerie Hinojoza-Hood (M.S., Integrated Biosciences).
  • Anne Patterson. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences). Northern Long-eared bat project.
  • Taylor Velander (M.S., Integrated Biosciences).
  • Rachel Voorhorst (M.S., Integrated Biosciences).

Recent Advisees

  • Michael Joyce. (Ph.D., Integrated Biosciences). American marten habitat use.

  • Amanda McGraw. (Ph.D., Integrated Biosciences). Moose-deer interactions and economic impact.

  • Lauren Terwilleger. (Ph.D., Integrated Biosciences). Lynx movements and habitat use within the home range.

  • Rodrigo Aguirre. (Ph.D., Integrated Biosciences). Mountain lions and humans in Chile.

  • Yvette Ibrahim. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences). Wolf scat analysis for diet composition. Degree expected June 2015.

  • Trevor Vanatta. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences). Liver flukes and aquatic snails. Degree expected December 2015.

  • Tessa Tjepkes. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences). Genetics of moose in Minnesota. Co-Advised with J. Stasburg

  • Jessi Rick. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences). Genetics of wolves in Minnesota. Co-Advised with J. Stasburg

  • Maddy Cochrane. (M.S., Integrated Biosciences). Wood turtle population studies.

Undergraduate Research

Dr. Moen has had between 5 to 15 undergraduate students working in his lab every year since 2003. Opportunities include volunteering, employment, internships, formal classes (BIOL 3993, 3994, 3996), BURST Fellowships, and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).