Kristina A. Ernest, Professor Science Building, Room 236J 400 E. University Way Ellensburg, WA 98926-7537 (509) 963-2805 email: ernestk@cwu.edu

Education

Ph. D. University of New Mexico (Biology), 1993.

M.S.  University of Oklahoma (Zoology), 1985.

Teaching

Basic Biology, General Ecology, Wildlife & Fisheries Ecology, Conservation Biology, Community Ecology, Graduate Seminar. Special interest in integrating writing and mathematical skills into science courses.

Research

Population and community ecology.  I am particularly interested in community structure, plant-herbivore interactions, and tropical biology.  Recent studies have focused on on forest-level measures of herbivory in Washington State and Australia.

Recent Publications

• Shaw, D.C., K. A. Ernest, H. B. Rinker, and M.D. Lowman. 2006. Stand-level herbivory in an old-growth conifer forest canopy. Western North American Naturalist 66(4):473-481.
• Rinker, H. B., M.D. Lowman, D. C. Shaw, and K. A. Ernest. 2006. Development of a novel method for assessing stand-level herbivory in forests. What's Up? (Newsletter of the International Canopy Network) 12:4-5.
• Ernest, K. A. 2005. Testing hypotheses on plant-herbivore interactions using sawfly galls on willows. Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology, Vol. 3: Experiment #2 [online]. http://tiee.ecoed.net/vol/v3/experiments/sawfly/abstract.html
• Ernest, K. A. 2004. Measuring forest herbivory levels using canopy cranes. Pages 365-366, In Forest Canopies, 2nd ed. (M. D. Lowman and H. B. Rinker, eds.), Elsevier Scientific.
• Ernest, K. A. and R. K. Fry. 2001. Effects of simulated rodent herbivory on balsamroot (Balsamorhiza careyana): compensatory leaf growth. Northwest Science 75:236-243.