劳拉·麦克伦

Laura is an expert in aquatic ecology with over 10 years of experience assisting clients with freshwater ecosystem evaluations. 她和当地的, 状态, and 联邦 clients to assist with watershed restoration planning, 鲑鱼复苏, and incorporating freshwater mussels into restoration and construction planning. She is also involved in 的 evaluation of 的 effects of flow regimes on river ecosystems and support for aquatic resources portions of environmental impact 状态ments.

Laura’s work encompasses a wide array of aquatic project support, 尤其是在太平洋西北部. This includes environmental DNA (eDNA) and snorkel surveys, assisting clients with 联邦 and 状态 funding strategy and grant application support, supporting environmental and historic preservation reviews, 以及生态系统建模和指标支持.

Laura is an expert in salmonid habitat modeling and creative quantitative data analysis and modeling solutions to freshwater resources problems. She directed and managed watershed-level modeling projects using our proprietary salmonid habitat model, 的 生态系统诊断 & 治疗^SM (美国东部时间), 为切哈利人准备的, Puyallup, and Lewis river basins in Washington; 的 Johnson and Tryon Creek and Umatilla and Willamette river basins in Oregon; and 的 San Joaquin River in California. EDT建模解决了客户的需求, 包括多坝系统管理, 环境影响报表建模支持, 鲑鱼安全认证支持, 鲑鱼恢复计划, 涵洞拆除的优先顺序, watershed-wide restoration planning under climate change, 以及对大坝拆除方案的评估.

最近, Laura worked with local nonprofit partners writing successful grant applications that received funding to start a multiyear native freshwater mussel monitoring and habitat evaluation project in 的 Willamette Basin of Oregon. She managed 的 project team and conducted rigorous eDNA surveys for floater mussels (Anodonta spp.), 西方珍珠贝(Margaritifera falcata), 和西脊贻贝(Gonidea angulata), which are under evaluation for a potential Endangered Species Act listing. The work included surveying “hot spots” identified from 的 eDNA analysis to gain a greater understanding of 的 habitat needs that can inform land owners, 恢复从业者, and freshwater system managers in protecting mussels and improving 的ir habitat.

Laura’s work in rivers and her expertise in ecosystem-level effects of flow regimes began in graduate school when she was part of an interdisciplinary team studying 的 effects of experimental floods on a Sustainable Rivers Program project. The team contributed to an adaptive flow management plan while also conducting novel before-and-after control-impact studies at a watershed scale. Laura’s work focused on 的 invertebrate population and community responses to flood releases.

在她职业生涯的早期, Laura was a member of a National Center for Ecological Analysis and Syn的sis (NCEAS) working group on environmental flows and experimental flood science and practice.

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas A&米大学 and earned her doctorate in zoology from Oregon State University.