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Before I came to the Conservancy, I was a wildlife biologist
for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While there, I worked as a principal
investigator following the Exxon Valdez oil spill for a study that identified
factors limiting the recovery of a suite of near-shore vertebrate predators.
My research has focused on parental investment strategies
of long-lived species.
I received a B.S. in biology from Bates College in 1987,
an M.S. in marine sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz
(UCSC) in 1994, and a Ph.D. in biology from UCSC in 1999.
Current research passion
I’m building a research program to study how restoration efforts
are impacting the ecosystem of a large, highly regulated lowland river.
My specific goal is to learn what habitat characteristics and natural
river processes are most important to a suite of important native plant
and animal species inhabiting the floodplains of the Sacramento River.
By unlocking the secrets of what good habitat means to native insects,
fish, and birds, we can develop more effective restoration strategies.
Ecological musings
I dream of knowing enough about the complex life history requirements
of the species inhabiting the Sacramento River ecosystem that I will be
able to represent their needs adequately in discussions of resource management.
In the field
I struggle through dense underbrush as I try to follow line transects
through the rapidly developing streamside habitats of our restoration
sites, some of which are almost jungles. In this field work we’re gathering
data in an effort to understand better how local site conditions and landscape-scale
factors affect the development of biological communities.
Most exciting discovery
While conducting research in Alaska, I found that certain birds,
such as kittiwakes and guillemots, are willing to trade some of their
own survival for that of their chicks. But these birds adjust their reproductive
effort according to foraging conditions to keep their survival costs from
increasing beyond a certain threshold. I’m fascinated by how finely tuned
the behavioral responses of organisms are, particularly those of long-lived
species, allowing them elegantly to balance the competing demands of reproduction
and survival under varying environmental conditions.
Favorite animal
One of my favorite natural moments came high on the face of El
Capitan in Yosemite at sunset. As the sun disappeared, I heard bats chirping
deep within the crack of the cliff. As dusk fell, they came shooting out,
traveling very fast. One brushed against my face. Yet it wasn’t at all
scary. I felt privileged to be a visitor on their remote ledge.
Publications
Golet, G. H., D. B. Irons, and J. A. Estes. 1998. Survival costs of
chick rearing in Black-legged Kittiwakes. Journal of Animal Ecology
67:827-841.
Golet, G. H. and D. B. Irons. 1999. Raising young reduces body condition
and fat stores in Black-legged Kittiwakes. Oecologia 120:530-538.
Golet, G. H., K. J. Kuletz, D. D. Roby, D. B. Irons. 2000. Adult prey
choice affects chick growth and reproductive success of Pigeon Guillemots.
The Auk 117:82-91.
Golet, G. H., D. B. Irons, and D. P. Costa. 2000. Energy costs of chick
rearing in Black-legged Kittiwakes. Canadian Journal of Zoology
78:982-991.
Golet, G. H., P. E. Seiser, A. D. McGuire, D. D. Roby, J. B. Fischer,
K. J. Kuletz, D. B. Irons, T. A. Dean, S. C. Jewett, S. H. Newman. 2001.
Long-term direct and indirect effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill
on Pigeon Guillemots in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Marine Ecology
Progress Series. In press.
Golet, G. H., and 16 others. 2001. Using science to evaluate restoration
efforts and ecosystem health on the Sacramento River Project, California.
In P.M. Faber (Editor), Proceedings of the Riparian Habitat and Floodplains
Conference. In press.
Presentations
“The Pigeon Guillemot in Prince William Sound: Evidence of injury,
status of recovery, and factors limiting populations following the Exxon
Valdez oil spill.” Legacy of an oil spill: 10 years after Exxon Valdez.
Anchorage, AK. Golet, G. H. 1999.
“Adult prey choice affects chick growth and reproductive success of
Pigeon Guillemots.” Pacific Seabird Group meeting. Blaine, WA.
Golet, G. H. 1999.
“Variable costs of reproduction in a long-lived seabird, the Black-legged
Kittiwake.” University of California Evolution and Ecology Series
Seminar. Santa Cruz, CA. Golet, G. H. 1999.
“Measuring success of large landscape-scale projects: A case study
of the Sacrament River Project.” The Nature Conservancy's Conservation
Strategies Conference. Colorado Spings, CO. Golet, G. H. 2000.
“Using science to evaluate restoration efforts and ecosystem health
on the Sacramento River Project, California.” Riparian Habitat and
Floodplains Conference. Sacramento, CA. Golet, G. H. 2001
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