Cara V Applestein
I am a quantitative ecologist using Bayesian methods to understand landscape recovery after fire in sagebrush-steppe ecosystems.
Throughout my career, I've sought to bridge the gap between restoration practitioners and scientists by working closely with land managers to provide science and predictive models useful for understanding the efficacy of restoration practices. Before working for USGS, I was a conservation project manager for the Center for Natural Land Management where I worked closely with land managers to research the efficacy of different seeding methods and prescribed fire regimes for restoring wet prairie in western Washington. My current research focuses on understanding weather effects on post-fire vegetation recovery, understanding mechanisms of invasion, and determining the utility of remote sensing products for land management decision.
Professional Experience
2013-2016: Center for Natural Land Management, Conservation Project Manager, Temecula, CA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Boise State University (2023)
M.S., Conservation Biology, University of Maryland (2012)
B.S., Environmental Science, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA (2011)
Science and Products
Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory (FRESC)
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Weather affects post‐fire recovery of sagebrush‐steppe communities and model transferability among sites
Weather and distance to fire refugia limit landscape‐level occurrence of fungal disease in an exotic annual grass
Detecting shrub recovery in sagebrush steppe: Comparing Landsat-derived maps with field data on historical wildfires
Impact of unburned remnant sagebrush versus outplants on post-fire landscape rehabilitation
Bunchgrass root abundances and their relationship to resistance and resilience of a burned shrub-steppe landscape
Can’t see the random forest for the decision trees: Selecting predictive models for restoration ecology
Appropriate sample sizes for monitoring burned pastures in sagebrush steppe: How many plots are enough, and can one size fit all?
Vegetative community response to landscape-scale post-fire herbicide (imazapic) application
Thresholds and hotspots for shrub restoration following a heterogeneous megafire
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Science and Products
Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory (FRESC)
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Weather affects post‐fire recovery of sagebrush‐steppe communities and model transferability among sites
Weather and distance to fire refugia limit landscape‐level occurrence of fungal disease in an exotic annual grass
Detecting shrub recovery in sagebrush steppe: Comparing Landsat-derived maps with field data on historical wildfires
Impact of unburned remnant sagebrush versus outplants on post-fire landscape rehabilitation
Bunchgrass root abundances and their relationship to resistance and resilience of a burned shrub-steppe landscape
Can’t see the random forest for the decision trees: Selecting predictive models for restoration ecology
Appropriate sample sizes for monitoring burned pastures in sagebrush steppe: How many plots are enough, and can one size fit all?
Vegetative community response to landscape-scale post-fire herbicide (imazapic) application
Thresholds and hotspots for shrub restoration following a heterogeneous megafire
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.