Adrienne I. Kovach
Research
My research focuses on the genetic analysis of wildlife populations: their behavior, population ecology, and conservation. When possible, I employ an interdisciplinary approach to my research, incorporating field data with laboratory work in molecular genetics. Using techniques, such as microsatellite, SNP, and RFLP analysis, I pursue both basic and applied questions in molecular ecology on a variety of vertebrates, including, black bears, New England cottontails, spotted salamanders, wood frogs and codfish. I frequently have opportunities for undergraduates to help either in the field or lab.
Current & Recent Research Projects:
- Genetic analysis of dispersal and population structure of vernal pool-breeding amphibians (wood frogs and spotted salamanders)
- Genetic identification of Atlantic cod stocks in the Gulf of Maine
- Population censusing of black bears using genetic tagging
- Mating behavior and variance in reproductive success of male black bears
- Fecal mtDNA analysis to noninvasively monitor populations of endangered New England cottontails
Undergraduates interested in participating in these projects, please contact me via email.
Teaching Responsibilities
- BIOL 420: Introduction to Forensic Sciences
Selected Publications
- Litvaitis, J.A., M.S. Barbour, A.L. Brown, A.I. Kovach, J.D. Oehler, B.L. Probert, D.F. Smith, J.P. Tash, R.Villafuerte, and M.K. Litvaitis. 2005. Testing multiple hypotheses to identify the causes of the range-wide decline of New England cottontails. In press. Part of the forthcoming book, Biology of lagomorphs - evolution, ecology and conservation. P. Alves and K. Hackländer, editors.
- Kovach, A.I. and P.J. Pekins. 2004. An Assessment of Black Bear Abundance in Northern New Hampshire Through the Use of Remote Genetic Tagging. Final Report to the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, Concord, NH.
- Kovach, A.I. and D.L. Berlinsky. 2004. Genetic analysis of temporally differentiated spawning populations of Atlantic cod. (abstract) Gadoid Mariculture: Development & Future Challenges, ICES Symposium, Bergen, Norway.
- Kovach, A.I., M.K. Litvaitis, and J.A. Litvaitis. 2003. Evaluation of fecal mtDNA analysis as a method to determine the geographic range of a rare lagomorph. Wildllife Society Bulletin. 31(4): 1061-1065.
- Kovach, A.I. and R.A. Powell. 2003. Influence of body size on mating tactics and paternity in male black bears, Ursus americanus. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 81:1257-1268.
- Kovach, A. 1998. Dominance and reproduction in male black bears. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.
- Armitage, K.B., C.S. Salisbury, E.L. Barthelmess, R.C. Gray, and A. Kovach. 1996. Population time budget for the yellow-bellied marmot. Ethology Ecology & Evolution. 8:67-95.
- Kovach A. and M.S. Gaines. 1991 . The influence of sex ratio on dispersal in the prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Sciences. 94(3-4):142-152.
Education
- 1998 Ph.D. Zoology, North Carolina State University
- 2000 B.S. Organismal Biology, University of Kansas
