Research

I am interested in understanding the mechanisms and processes that underlie the evolution of life history diversity and the regulation of population sizes. I address this area using two approaches: 1) comparative studies of the evolutionary ecology of birds and 2) using demography to answer applied questions. My dissertation research focuses upon understanding the ecological factors that create and maintain life history variation using a combination of comparative and experimental approaches.

Education

2010 (exp) PhD, Organismal Biology and Ecology, University of Montana
2001 B.S., The Evergreen State College

Professional & Teaching Experience

2005 Research Assistant, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit
2005 Research Associate, Klamath Bird Observatory
2003-2004 Field Biologist, Island Conservation and Ecology Group / UCSC
2003 Biological Science Technician, Alaska Maritime NWR, USFWS
2000-2004 Staff Biologist and Field Biologist, PRBO Conservation Science
2000-2005 Teaching Assistant, Summer Ornithology, The Evergreen State College

Awards

2007-2010 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
2008 Cooper Ornithological Society A. Brazier Howell Award for Best Presentation
2007 University of Montana Bertha Morton Fellowship
2006 Cooper Orntihological Society Student Membership Award
2005-2007 NSF EPSCoR Fellowship
2005 American Ornithologists’ Union Student Membership Award

Professional Service

2008-2009 Provisional Chair, COS Student Committee (start-up year)
2007-2009 AOU Student Affairs Committee
2007 COS Award Committee
2003-2008 Ad Hoc Reviewer for American Naturalist, Auk, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Conservation Biology, Ibis, Journal of Avian Biology, Journal of Evolutionary Biology, and Proceedings of the Royal Society Series B

Publications

Barton, D. C, P. Lloyd, and T. E. Martin. Causes of worldwide variation in parental feeding behavior relative to offspring number. Submitted to Science, 2009.

Barton, D. C., and A. L. Holmes. 2007. Off-highway vehicle trail impacts on breeding songbirds in northeastern California. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1617-1620.

Magnolia, L. M. L ., Barton, D. C., Lindquist, K. E., and R. W Henry. 2005. The history and future conservation of the avifauna of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico in Isla Guadalupe, Restoration and Conservation, del Prado, K. S. & E. Peters (eds.). SEMARNAT, Ensenada, MX.

Barton, D. C., K. E. Lindquist, R.W. Henry, L. M. Luna Mendoza. 2004. Landbird and Waterbird Notes from Guadalupe Island, Mexico. Western Birds 35:186-196. [PDF]

Gardali, T., D. C. Barton, J. D. White, and G. R. Geupel. 2003. Juvenile and Adult Survival of Swainson's Thrush in Coastal California: Annual Estimates Using Capture-Recapture Analyses. Auk 120:1188-1194. [PDF]

L. M. Luna Mendoza, D. C. Barton, K. E. Lindquist, and R. W. Henry. The history of the avifauna of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico, and current conservation opportunities. Proceedings of the Restoration of Guadalupe Island Symposium, Dec 2003, Ensenada, Mexico. In press.

Barton, D. C., and A. L. Holmes. Habitat use on the Blitzen River,Oregon: Managing for trout has potential benefits for songbirds. In revision.

Alexander, J. D., D. C. Barton, and N. E. Seavy. Local and regional trends in breeding and migratory bird populations in the Klamath and Rogue River Valleys, 1993-2003. In review.

Barton, D.C., J. D. Alexander, and N. E. Seavy. Demographic mechanisms of population trends in 9 bird species breeding in the Klamath and Rogue River Valleys, 1993-2003. In prep.

Barton, D. C., A. L. Holmes, and G. R. Geupel. Nestling weight, brood size, and first-year survival in Nuttall's White-crowned Sparrow. In prep.