Current Research

My research can broadly be divided into two areas: one is exploring new genetic tools and technologies and their applicability to questions of species distribution and population dynamics. The other is applying existing genetic techniques to our and our partners' wildlife studies. Much of the research I am involved in aides managers and other researchers by using genetic tools to help detect and monitor rare/elusive species. Our work spans many different species, but among them are lynx, wolverine, fisher, cougar, Italian wolves, mountain beaver and several ungulate species.

Research Interests

I am interested in using genetics to help monitor rare and often elusive species. I am particularly interested in the work we do using non-invasive samples to gain information and insight into many of the small populations we work with. I am very interested in issues of hybridization, and the ability to help determine where dispersing individuals (especially for large-ranging species such as cougar and wolverine) originate from.

Past Research

Our laboratory has many long-term genetic data sets that allow population monitoring at the broad scale, but also in several cases we are able to aide managers by helping determine relationships of individuals in these sometimes very small populations. Our datasets on lynx have also been used in law enforcement cases.

Why This Research is Important

In the past, my research has involved many different species (including bighorn sheep, pink salmon, wolves) looking at questions of population dynamics, evolutionary history and hybridization.

Education

• University of Montana, B.S. Cell and Molecular Biology 1996
• University of Montana, M.S. Organismal Biology & Ecology 1999

Featured Publications & Products

• Moriarty, Katie M.; Zielinski, William J.; Gonzales, Armand G; Dawson, Todd E.; Boatner, Kristie M.; Wilson, Craig A; Schlexer, Frederick V.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2009. Wolverine confirmation in California after nearly a century: native or long-distance immigrant.
• Homyack, Jessica A.; Vashon, Jennifer H.; Libby, Cade; Lindquist, Edward L.; Loch, Steve; McAlpine, Donald F.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2008. Canada lynx-bobcat (Lynx canadensis x L. rufus) hybrids at the southern periphery of lynx range in Maine, Minnesota and New Brunswick.
• Schwartz, Michael K.; Aubry, Keith B.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Squires, John R.; Inman, Robert M.; Wisely, Samantha M.; Ruggiero, Leonard F. 2007. Inferring geographic isolation of wolverines in California using historical DNA.
• Schwartz, Michael K.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Rivera, Pilar T.; Ruggiero, Leonard F. 2007. DNA markers for identifying individual snowshoe hares using field-collected pellets.
• Vinkey, Ray S.; Schwartz, Michael K.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Foresman, Kerry R.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Giddings, Brian J.; Lofroth, Eric C. 2006. When reintroductions are augmentations: the genetic legacy of the fisher (Martes pennanti) in Montana.

Publications

• McKelvey, Kevin S.; Kallstrom, Corey ; Ledbetter, Jeri ; Sada, Donald W.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2020. An inventory of springsnails (Pyrgulopsis spp.) in and adjacent to the Spring Mountains, Nevada.
• Thompson, Daniel B.; McKelvey, Kevin ; van Els, Paul ; Andrew, Gretchen ; Jacoby‑Garrett, Paula ; Glenn, Matt ; Kallstrom, Corey ; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Opler, Paul A. 2020. Conserve the eco-evolutionary dynamic, not the subspecies: Phenological divergence and gene flow between temporal cohorts of Euphilotes ancilla endemic to southern Nevada.
• Happe, Patricia J.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Mccaffery, Rebecca M.; Lewis, Jeffrey C.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2020. Occupancy patterns in a reintroduced fisher population during reestablishment.
• DeCesare, Nicholas J.; Weckworth, Byron V; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Walker, Andrew B. D.; Bergman, Eric J.; Colson, Kassidy E.; Corrigan, Rob ; Harris, Richard B.; Hebblewhite, Mark ; Jesmer, Brett R.; Newby, Jesse R.; Smith, Jason R.; Tether, Rob B.; Thomas, Timothy P.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2020. Phylogeography of moose in western North America.
• Schwartz, Michael K.; Walters, Ashley D.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Moriarty, Katie M.; Slauson, Keith M.; Zielinski, William J.; Aubry, Keith B.; Sacks, Benjamin N.; Zarn, Katherine E.; Quinn, Cate B.; Young, Michael K. 2020. Pliocene-early Pleistocene geological events structure Pacific martens (Martes caurina).
• Roffler, Gretchen H.; Waite, Jason N.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Zarn, Katherine E.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2019. Estimating abundance of a cryptic social carnivore using spatially explicit capture-recapture.
• Young, Michael K.; Smith, Rebecca J.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Fairchild, Matthew P.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2019. Integrative taxonomy refutes a species hypothesis: The asymmetric hybrid origin of Arsapnia arapahoe (Plecoptera, Capniidae).
• Moriarty, Katie M.; Aubry, Keith B.; Morozumi, Connor N.; Howell, Betsy L.; Happe, Patricia J.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2019. Status of Pacific Martens (Martes caurina) on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington.
• Franklin, Thomas W.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Golding, Jessie D.; Mason, Daniel H.; Dysthe, Joseph C.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Squires, John R.; Aubry, Keith B.; Long, Robert A.; Greaves, Samuel E.; Raley, Catherine M.; Jackson, Scott ; MacKay, Paula ; Lisbon, Joshua ; Sauder, Joel D.; Pruss, Michael T.; Heffington, Don ; Schwartz, Michael K. 2019. Using environmental DNA methods to improve winter surveys for rare carnivores: DNA from snow and improved noninvasive techniques.
• Young, Michael K.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Jennings, Tara ; Carter, Katie ; Cronn, Richard ; Keeley, Ernest R.; Loxterman, Janet L.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2018. The phylogeography of westslope cutthroat trout.
• Kirol, Christopher P.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Sutphin, Andrew L.; Maechtle, Thomas L. 2018. Using DNA from hairs left at depredated greater sage-grouse nests to detect mammalian nest predators.
• Juarez, Rebeca L.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Thompson, Daniel J.; Tucker, Stephanie A.; Smith, Joshua B.; Jenks, Jonathan A. 2016. Assessing temporal genetic variation in a cougar population: Influence of harvest and neighboring populations.
• Young, Michael K.; Isaak, Daniel J.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Wilcox, Taylor M.; Bingham, Daniel M.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Carim, Kellie J.; Campbell, Matthew R.; Corsi, Matthew P.; Horan, Dona L.; Nagel, David E.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2016. Climate, demography, and zoogeography predict introgression thresholds in salmonid hybrid zones in Rocky Mountain streams.
• Roffler, Gretchen H.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Pilgrim, Kristine; Talbot, Sandra L.; Sage, George K.; Adams, Layne G.; Luikart, Gordon. 2016. Identification of landscape features influencing gene flow: How useful are habitat selection models.
• Hawley, Jason E.; Rego, Paul W.; Wydeven, Adrian P.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Viner, Tabitha C.; Kays, Roland; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Jenks, Jonathan A. 2016. Long-distance dispersal of a subadult male cougar from South Dakota to Connecticut documented with DNA evidence.
• McKelvey, Kevin S.; Young, Michael K.; Wilcox, Taylor M.; Bingham, Daniel M.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2016. Patterns of hybridization among cutthroat trout and rainbow trout in northern Rocky Mountain streams.
• Kretser, Heidi; Glennon, Michale; Whitelaw, Alice; Hurt, Aimee; Pilgrim, Kristine; Schwartz, Michael. 2016. Scat-detection dogs survey low density moose in New York.
• Proffitt, K. M.; Goldberg, J. F.; Hebblewhite, M.; Russell, R.; Jimenez, B. S.; Robinson, H. S.; Pilgrim, Kristine; Schwartz, Michael. 2015. Integrating resource selection into spatial capture-recapture models for large carnivores.
• Lemoine, Michael; Young, Michael K.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Eby, Lisa; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2014. Cottus schitsuumsh, a new species of sculpin (Scorpaeniformes: Cottidae) in the Columbia River basin, Idaho-Montana, USA.
• Roffler, Gretchen H.; Talbot, Sandra L.; Luikart, Gordon; Sage, George K.; Pilgrim, Kristy L.; Adams, Layne G.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2014. Lack of sex-biased dispersal promotes fine-scale genetic structure in alpine ungulates.
• McKelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Anderson, Neil J.; Clevenger, Anthony P.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Heinemeyer, Kimberley S.; Inman, Robert M.; Squires, John R.; Waller, John S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2014. Recovery of wolverines in the western United States: Recent extirpation and recolonization or range retraction and expansion.
• McKelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Anderson, Neil J.; Clevenger, Anthony P.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Heinemeyer, Kimberley S.; Inman, Robert M.; Squires, John R.; Waller, John S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2014. Recovery of wolverines in the western United States: recent extirpation and recolonization or range retraction and expansion.
• Young, Michael K.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2013. DNA barcoding at riverscape scales: Assessing biodiversity among fishes of the genus Cottus (Teleostei) in northern Rocky Mountain streams.
• Zielinski, William J.; Schlexer, Fredrick V.; George, T. Luke; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2013. Estimating abundance and survival in the endangered Point Arena Mountain beaver using noninvasive genetic methods.
• Schwartz, Michael; Saunder, Joel; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Vinkey, Ray; Lucid, Michael K.; Parks, Sean; Albrecht, Nathan. 2013. Fisher population and landscape genetics.
• McKelvey, Kevin S.; Ramirez, Jennifer E.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Cushman, Samuel A.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2013. Genetic sampling of Palmer's chipmunks in the Spring Mountains, Nevada.
• Lucid, Michael; Robinson, L.; Cushman, S.; Allen, L.; Schwartz, M.; Pilgrim, K. 2013. Status of fisher in the northern Idaho panhandle and adjacent mountain ranges.
• Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Zielinski, William J.; Schlexer, Fredrick V.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2012. Development of a reliable method for determining sex for a primitive rodent, the Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra).
• Tucker, Jody M.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Truex, Richard L.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Allendorf, Fred W. 2012. Historical and contemporary DNA indicate fisher decline and isolation occurred prior to the European settlement of California.
• Zielinski, William J.; Schlexer, Fredrick V.; Parks, Sean A.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2012. Small geographic range but not panmictic: how forests structure the endangered Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra).
• Magoun, Audrey J.; Long, Clinton D.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Lowell, Richard E.; Valkenburg, Patrick. 2011. Integrating motion-detection cameras and hair snags for wolverine identification.
• Knaus, Brian J.; Cronn, Richard; Liston, Aaron; Pilgrim, Kristine; Schwartz, Michael K. 2011. Mitochondrial genome sequences illuminate maternal lineages of conservation concern in a rare carnivore.
• Brinkman, Todd J.; Person, David K.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Colson, Kevin E.; Hundertmark, Kris J. 2010. Individual identification of Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) using DNA from fecal pellets.
• Brinkman, Todd J.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Person, David K.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Hundertmark, Kris J. 2009. Effects of time and rainfall on PCR success using DNA extracted from deer fecal pellets.
• Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Zielinski, William J.; Mazurek, Mary J.; Schlexer, Frederick V.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2006. Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the Point Arena mountain beaver Aplodontia rufa nigra.
• Zielinski, William J.; Schlexer, Fredrick V.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K. 2006. The efficacy of wire and glue hair snares in identifying mesocarnivores.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
RMRS-2016-186	Headwater Streams are Resistant to Trout Hybridization Hybridization between native and introduced species is noted as an important player in the decline of native species. The potential for hybridiz ...	2016
RMRS-2019-7	Rare Carnivore Detections from Environmental DNA in Snow A USDA Forest Service study showed that animal footprints in snow contain enough DNA for species identification, even when the snow was many mon ...	2019