Alyssa Tomb

Bio

Advisor and Program

Douglas Osborne
Forest Resources, University of Arkansas at Monticello

About

I am honored to be selected as a research fellow, where I will pursue my passion for studying the effects of anthropogenic change on wildlife and ecosystems. Growing up in a world increasingly shaped by climate change, I knew I wanted to be a wildlife biologist when I was nine years old. My interest in studying the impacts of climate change sparked during high school, guiding my academic path ever since. I have a strong background in wildlife management and geographic information systems, which are skills I am eager to contribute to the Global Change Research Fellows program. I am excited for the opportunity to foster collaboration with individuals from interdisciplinary fields to broaden my knowledge of global environmental issues and help develop solutions to protect ecosystems in a changing world.

Research Interests

My research as part of the Osborne Lab examines the significance of bottomland hardwood forests for wintering mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) within Arkansas. These seasonally flooded hardwood forests are among the ecosystems most heavily altered due to agriculture and hydrologic changes. Bottomland hardwood forests provide critical resources for wintering waterfowl, including food, thermoregulation, and protection from aerial predators. To assess how mallards are responding to landscape-level changes, my project utilizes GPS transmitters to track mallard movement patterns throughout the winter. Species distribution modelling will evaluate how habitat availability influences mallard habitat selection in Arkansas.