Brett Jesmer

Brett completed his Ph.D. in ecology at the University of Wyoming in 2018, moving on to a post-doctoral position at Yale University. His PhD research on cultural transmission of migration behavior in bighorn sheep and moose provided the first empirical evidence that ungulates learn how to migrate over time, and pass that information on to subsequent generations. The research was published in the journal Science, and received the 2019 George Mercer Award from the Ecological Society of America.

Jesmer grew up in the St. Lawrence River valley of northern New York State and attended the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University (SUNY ESF). During his undergraduate work at SUNY ESF and post baccalaureate research at the University of California, Davis he developed a great breadth of research interests that span the broad ecological sub-disciplines of behavior, nutrition, and demography. While investigating the demographic responses of small mammals to a variety of forest management practices, Brett became interested in the relationship between precipitation, mast cycles, and body condition in predicting rodent population dynamics. These interests carried over into his Ph.D. work where he used non-invasive genetic techniques and vegetation monitoring to study the foraging and nutritional ecology of several moose populations exhibiting different demographic trends across Wyoming and Colorado.

When Brett is not thinking about moose or other interesting critters he enjoys all things adventurous, such as backpacking, climbing, snowboarding, skiing, hunting and fishing, Brett also has a passion for cooking and traveling both domestic and abroad.

Brett was co-advised by Dr. Jacob Goheen. See his webpage here.

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Professional Preparation and Appointments

2012, 2015         T.A., Mammalogy, Dept. Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming

2015                   T.A., General Ecology, Dept. Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming

2014                   Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium Fellow

2007-2011         Research Associate, Dept. Wildlife Biology, University of California, Davis

2006-2007        Research Associate, Dept. Biology, SUNY, Environmental Science and Forestry

Publications

Jesmer, B. R., J. A. Merkle, J. R. Goheen, E. O. Aikens, J. L. Beck, A. B. Courtemanch, M. A. Hurley, D. E. McWhirter, H. M. Miyasaki, K. L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2018. Is ungulate migration culturally transmitted? Evidence of social learning from translocated animals. Science. doi: 10.1126/science.aat0985

Jesmer, B. R., J. R. Goheen, K. L. Monteith, and M. J. Kauffman. In Review. State-dependent foraging alters endocrine-energy relationships in a large herbivore. Functional Ecology.

Watts, A. G., P. Schlichting, S. Billerman, B. R. Jesmer, S. Micheletti, M.-J. Fortin, C. Funk, P. Hapeman, E. L. Muths, and M. A. Murphy. 2015. How spatio-temporal habitat connectivity affects amphibian genetic structure. Frontiers in Genetics 6:275.

Kelt, D. A., D. H. Van Vuren, M. L. Johnson, J. A. Wilson, R. J. Innes, B. R. Jesmer, K. P. Ingram, J. R. Smith, S. W. Bigelow, and R. D. Burnett. 2013. Small mammals exhibit limited spatiotemporal structure in sierra nevada forests. Journal of Mammalogy 94:1197-1213.

Jesmer, B. R., D. H. Van Vuren, J. A. Wilson, D. A. Kelt, and M. L. Johnson. 2011. Spatial organization in female golden-mantled ground squirrels. The American Midland Naturalist 165:162-168.

 

Research Gate

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Selected Presentations

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2015. State-Dependent Foraging Alters Endocrine-Energy Relationships in a Large Herbivore. Oral presentation to The American Society of Mamalogists, Jacksonville, FL.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2015. Can State-Dependent Foraging Alter Endocrine-Energy Relationships in Moose?. Oral presentation at the North American Moose Conference and Workshop, Middle Park, CO.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2014. Linking Habitat and Climate with Nutrition and Recruitment in Shiras Moose. Poster presentation at The America Society of Mammalogists Conference, Oklahoma City, OK.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2014. Linking Habitat and Climate with Nutrition and Recruitment in Shiras Moose. Oral presentation at the North American Moose Conference and Workshop, Girdwood, AK.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2014. Linking Habitat and Climate with Nutrition and Recruitment in Shiras Moose. Oral presentation to the Wyoming Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Annual Meeting, Rock Springs, WY.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith,M. J. Kauffman. 2013. Linking Habitat and Climate with Nutrition and Recruitment in Shiras Moose. Oral presentation to the Wyoming Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Annual Meeting, Rock Springs, WY.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2012. Linking Habitat and Nutrition with Recruitment in Shiras Moose. Poster presentation to the Wyoming Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Annual Meeting, Laramie, WY.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, K.L. Monteith, M. J. Kauffman. 2012. Shiras Moose Declines: Linking Habitat with Population Performance. Poster presentation to The Wildlife Society, National Meeting, Portland, OR.

Jesmer B. R., J. R. Goheen, M. J. Kauffman. 2011. Linking Habitat with Population Performance in Shiras Moose. Poster presentation to the Wyoming Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Annual Meeting, Jackson, WY.

Scholarships & Fellowships

Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium Fellow
A. W. Franzmann and Distinguished Colleagues Award

Projects