Current Research

My work focuses on climate change effects on salmonid habitats in watersheds draining the Oregon Coast Range; analysis of dendritic stream systems; communicating science to non-experts and working with grass-roots watershed councils; and modeling salmon habitat and fire probabilities under different land management scenarios using Bayesian networks.

Research Interests

I am interested in research that broadens our understanding of natural processes. I seek to be involved in projects and develop research questions that are integrative throughout the range of environmental conditions experienced by the species of interest. My research focuses on increasing our understanding of natural processes, thereby expanding our ability to conserve native species.

Past Research

My past work has focused on large-scale, long-term monitoring programs, writing rules for salmon protection for the State of Oregon, and historical reconstruction of dunes and vegetation on the north coast of Oregon.

Why This Research is Important

Research that expands our understanding of natural processes complements and enhances the effectiveness of land management. Alternative management approaches that work with natural processes offer land managers additional tools when making decisions about topics such as species conservation, natural resource use, and habitat restoration or enhancement.

Education

• Oregon State University, Ph.D. Fisheries and Wildlife 2008
• Oregon State University, M.S. Natural Resource Economics 1999
• Willamette University, B.S. Environmental Science and Economics 1994

Featured Publications & Products

• Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Dedrick, Dana C.; Smith, Courtland L.; Thieman, Cynthia A.; Bolte, John P. 2009. Social infrastructure to integrate science and practice: the experience of the Long Tom Watershed Council.
• Steel, E. Ashley; Muldoon, Ariel; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Firman, Julie C.; Anlauf-Dunn, Kara J.; Burnett, Kelly M.; Danehy, Robert J. 2017. Current landscapes and legacies of land-use past: understanding the distribution of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and their habitats along the Oregon Coast, USA.
• Kirkland, John; Flitcroft, Rebecca; Reeves, Gordon; Hessburg, Paul. 2017. Adaptation to wildfire: A fish story.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Falke, Jeffrey A.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Hessburg, Paul F.; McNyset, Kris M.; Benda, Lee E. 2016. Wildfire may increase habitat quality for spring Chinook salmon in the Wenatchee River subbasin, WA, USA.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Lewis, Sarah L.; Arismendi, Ivan; LovellFord, Rachel; Santelmann, Mary V.; Safeeq, Mohammad; Grant, Gordon; Young, Kyle A. 2016. Linking hydroclimate to fish phenology and habitat use with ichthyographs.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Bottom, Daniel L.; Haberman, Karen L.; Bierly, Ken F.; Jones, Kim K.; Simenstad, Charles A.; Gray, Ayesha; Ellingson, Kami S.; Baumgartner, Erin; Cornwell, Trevan J.; Campbell, Lance A. 2016. Expect the unexpected: place-based protections can lead to unforeseen benefits.
• Falke, Jeffrey A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Dunham, Jason B.; McNyset, Kristina M.; Hessburg, Paul F.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Marshall, C. Tara. 2015. Climate change and vulnerability of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus ) in a fire-prone landscape.
• Flitcroft, R.; Burnett, K.; Snyder, J.; Reeves, G.; Ganio, L. 2014. Riverscape patterns among years of juvenile coho salmon in midcoastal Oregon: implications for conservation.
• Flitcroft, R.; Burnett, K.; Snyder, J.; Reeves, G.; Ganio, L. 2014. Riverscape patterns among years of juvenile coho salmon in midcoastal Oregon: implications for conservation.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca; Burnett, Kelly; Christiansen, Kelly. 2013. A simple model that identifies potential effects of sea-level rise on estuarine and estuary-ecotone habitat locations for salmonids in Oregon, USA.

Publications

• Kirkland, John ; Flitcroft, Rebecca . 2020. Location, location, location: For coho salmon, it s all about the neighborhood.
• LovellFord, Rachel M.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Lewis, Sarah L.; Santelmann, Mary V; Grant, Gordon E. 2020. Patterns of river discharge and temperature differentially influence migration and spawn timing for Coho Salmon in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon.
• Hessburg, Paul F.; Charnley, Susan ; Wendel, Kendra L.; White, Eric M.; Singleton, Peter H.; Peterson, David W.; Halofsky, Jessica E.; Gray, Andrew N.; Spies, Thomas A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; White, Rachel . 2020. The 1994 Eastside Screens large-tree harvest limit: review of science relevant to forest planning 25 years later.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Arismendi, Ivan ; Santelmann, Mary V. 2019. A review of habitat connectivity research for Pacific salmon in marine, estuary, and freshwater environments.
• Boisjolie, Brett A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Santelmann, Mary V. 2019. Patterns of riparian policy standards in riverscapes of the Oregon Coast Range.
• Santelmann, Mary V; Boisjolie, Brett A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Gomez, Megan . 2019. Relationships between salt marsh vegetation and surface elevation in Coos Bay estuary, Oregon.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Cooperman, Michael S.; Harrison, Ian J.; Juffe‐Bignoli, Diego ; Boon, Philip J. 2019. Theory and practice to conserve freshwater biodiversity in the Anthropocene.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Lewis, Sarah ; Arismendi, Ivan ; Davis, Chante ; Giannico, Guillermo ; Penaluna, Brooke ; Santelmann, Mary ; Safeeq, Mohammad ; Snyder, Jeff . 2019. Using expressed behaviour of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) to evaluate the vulnerability of upriver migrants under future hydrological regimes: Management implications and conservation planning.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Clinton, Patrick ; Christiansen, Kelly . 2018. Adding to the toolbox for tidal-inundation mapping in estuarine areas.
• Beeson, Helen W.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Fonstad, Mark A.; Roering, Joshua J. 2018. Deep-Seated landslides drive variability in valley width and increase connectivity of salmon habitat in the Oregon Coast Range.
• Davis, Chanté D.; Epps, Clinton W.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Banks, Michael A. 2018. Refining and defining riverscape genetics: How rivers influence population genetic structure.
• Penaluna, Brooke E.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Barnett, Zanethia ; Bisson, Peter A.; Buffington, John M.; Dolloff, Andy ; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Luce, Charles H.; Nislow, Keith ; Rothlisberger, John ; Warren, Mel.  . 2018. Using natural disturbance and portfolio concepts to guide aquatic-riparian ecosystem management.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca . 2018. Vignette: Rebecca Flitcroft, Research Fish Biologist, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR.
• Penaluna, Brooke E.; Olson, Deanna H.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Weber, Matthew A.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Wondzell, Steven M.; Dunham, Jason B.; Johnson, Sherri L.; Reeves, Gordon H. 2017. Aquatic biodiversity in forests: a weak link in ecosystem services resilience.
• Boisjolie, Brett A.; Santelmann, Mary V.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Duncan, Sally L. 2017. Legal ecotones: A comparative analysis of riparian policy protection in the Oregon Coast Range, USA.
• Juffe-Bignoli, Diego; Harrison, Ian; Butchart, Stuart HM; Flitcroft, Rebecca; Hermoso, Virgilio; Jonas, Harry; Lukasiewicz, Anna; Thieme, Michele; Turak, Eren; Bingham, Heather; Dalton, James; Darwall, William; Deguignet, Marine; Dudley, Nigel; Gardner, Royal; Higgins, Jonathan; Kumar, Ritesh; Linke, Simon; Milton, G Randy; Pittock, Jamie; Smith, Kevin G; van Soesbergen, Arnout. 2016. Achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 to improve the performance of protected areas and conserve freshwater biodiversity.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca; Guannico, Guillermo. 2013. Keeping pace with future environmental conditions in coastal Oregon, USA.
• Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Burnett, Kelly M.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Ganio, Lisa M. 2012. Do network relationships matter Comparing network and instream habitat variables to explain densities of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in mid-coastal Oregon, USA.
• Oliver, Marie; Flitcroft, Rebecca. 2011. Watershed councils: it takes a community to restore a watershed.
• Fullerton, A.H.; Burnett, Kelly; Steel, Ashley; Flitcroft, Rebecca; Pess, G.R.; Feist, B.E.; Torgersen, C.E.; Miller, D.J.; Sanderson, B.L. 2010. Hydrological connectivity for riverine fish: measurement challenges and research opportunities.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
PNW-2019-51	A New Tool Manages Salmonid Response to Climate Change Salmonids, like endangered Coho salmon in Washington and Oregon, have a complex life history that is tied to environmental cues such as river te ...	2019
PNW-2014-095	Keeping Pace with Sea-level Rise: Insights for Oregon Estuaries Scientists mapped the margin of current mean high tide, and contour intervals associated with different potential increases. They found that som ...	2014