Science Resume
Howard J. Bruner
hbrunerh@hotmail.com
Employment
7/2010-Current Field Biologist, Dynamac Corp., EPA Contractor, Corvallis, OR
Measure stream discharge and biota in waters across the PNW
5/2010-7/2010 Field Ornithologist, Institute for Computational Earth System Science, UC, Santa Barbara, CA
Surveyed fifteen canyons in 4 mountain ranges in central Nevada for bird species presence and abundance.
9/2008–4/2010 Wetland Scientist, Dynamac Corp., EPA Contractor, Corvallis, OR
Research wetland ecological condition indicators in preparation for national wetland condition accessment (NWCA). Contribute to field operations manual for NWCA.
11/98–6/2008 Senior Faculty Research Assistant, Department Forest Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Manage long-term program of forest vegetation studies. Responsible for the coordination of all aspects of fieldwork including: Hire, train and supervise field data collection crew; perform permanent plot establishment, vegetation sampling and field mapping. Compile, assure data quality and maintain archival storage of data; plant identification; GPS and GIS mapping; and interaction with collaborating scientists and land management agency personnel.
4/98–11/98 Eastern Oregon Stewardship Coordinator. The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, Portland, OR.
Assisted in management and improvements on 7 Preserves throughout eastern OR. Surveyed and mapped a new preserve in central OR, including development of species list, establishment of permanent vegetation sampling plots, and produced a vegetation community map for 10,000 acres. Wrote establishment report and draft site management plan.
11/96–3/98 Assistant Ecologist. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ecological Analysis Center, Corvallis, OR.
Research and development of landscape scale, ecological models to be applied to management of habitat and land use. Developed wetland habitat model for forecasting the effects of hydrological changes on vegetation and wildlife. Devised and implemented accuracy assessment procedures for remote sensed thematic maps.
4/94–1/97 Graduate Research Assistant. Master of Wildlife Science project: Productivity and nesting habitat of harlequin ducks in the Oregon Cascades. Major Professor: Robert L. Jarvis, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR.
Trapped, marked and tracked ducks in telemetry study of breeding ecology of harlequin ducks in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Located nest sites and measured habitat characteristics. Collected duck movement data, stream habitat use and survival rates for harlequin ducks. Analyzed data and wrote annual reports on project for cooperators: OSU, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U. S. Forest Service, U. S. Bureau of Land Management, and Delta Wetlands and Waterfowl Research Station. Thesis presented.
4/93–12/93 Field Crew Leader for band-tailed pigeon research. Cooperative graduate project: OSU, state and federal agencies.
Radio mark adult birds to locate nests and habitat used in the Oregon Coast Range. Measured pigeon nesting and feeding habitat. Set up database and entered data. Designed and tested apparatus used for remote sensing of feeding habitat.
9/92–4/93 Lab Technician in Nematology laboratory. Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, OSU.
Extracted nematodes from soil samples and prepared vegetation samples for analysis.
4/92–9/92 Field Botanist. W. L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, OR.; Salmon River Estuary, Otis, OR.
Performed vegetation surveys and entered data for fire ecology study located on Research Natural Area. Cooperative research project: OSU and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Associated project: Vegetation surveys on the Salmon River Estuary Restoration Project, Salmon River Estuary, Oregon Coast. Cooperative research project: OSU, Environment Protection Agency, and U. S. Forest Service.
7/89–12/89 Researcher for Bald Eagle Mitigation Project, Columbia River. Tongue Point, OR.
Monitored resident and transient bald eagles in conjunction with bay dredge project. Conducted supplemental feeding collected and analyzed behavorial data and reported on project. Cooperative project: Oregon Eagle Foundation, Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
4/78–9/91 Owner/Operator Bruner Construction. Astoria, OR.
General contractor, supervised work crews, bid jobs and assured job quality for diverse building projects in residential and commercial sectors. Proficient in concrete, roofing, framing, finish work, painting, plumbing and cabinet making.
Peer-reviewed Publications
Acker, S. A., Kertis, J., Bruner, H., O'Connell, K., and J. Sexton. 2013. Dynamics of coarse woody debris following wildfire in a mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 302, 231-239.
O’Neil, T. A., P. Bettinger, B. G. Marcot, B. W. Luscombe, G. T. Koeln, H. J. Bruner, C. Barrett, J. A. Pollock, and S. Bernatus. 2012. Application of Spatial Technologies in Wildlife Biology. In Wildlife Techniques Manual, Seventh Edition. Nova J.Silvy, Editor. Baltimore, MD.
Stephenson, Nathan L., Phillip J. van Mantgem, Andrew G. Bunn, Howard Bruner, Mark E. Harmon, Kari B. O'Connell, Dean L. Urban, and Jerry F. Franklin. 2011. Causes and implications of the correlation between forest productivity and tree mortality rates. Ecological Monographs 81:527–555. [doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/10-1077.1]
Bond, J. C., S. A. Iverson, N. B. MacCallum, C. M. Smith, H. J. Bruner, and D. Esler. 2009. Variation in breeding season survival of adult female harlequin ducks. J. Wildl. Manage. 73(6):965-972.
Shaw, D.C. M. Huso, and H. Bruner. 2008. Growth impacts of western hemlock dwarf mistletoe on western hemlock in an old-growth Douglas-fir western hemlock forest. Can. J. For. Res. 38: 576-583.
Wright K. K., H. Bruner, J. L. Li, R. Jarvis, and S. Dowlan. 2000. The distribution, phenology, and prey of harlequin ducks, Histrionicus histrionicus, in a Cascade Mountain stream, Oregon. Can. F. Naturalist 114:187–195.
Poster/ Presentations
Bruner H., K. B. O’Connell, S. Acker, and J. Kertis. 2003. The effects of wildfire on vegetation dynamics of a mountain hemlock forest in the High Cascade Range of Oregon. 4th North American Forest Ecology Workshop, Corvallis, OR.
O’Connell, K.B., H.J. Bruner, S. Acker, and J. Kertis. 2003. Early successional vegetation dynamics following a severe wildfire in a mountain hemlock forest in the high Oregon Cascades. Long-Term Ecological Research All Scientists Meeting. Sep.18–21, Seattle, WA.
Bruner H., and R. L. Jarvis. 1995. Habitat use and productivity of harlequin ducks in the central Cascade Range, OR. National Wildlife Society annual meeting, Portland, OR.
Volunteer Projects
Trails End Mitigation Project, Seaside OR. Participant in team design and implementation of avian survey for restored wetland. EPA project 1988–89.
Airport Mitigation Bank Project, Warrenton, OR. Participant in team design and implementation of bird use survey for restored salt marsh habitat, Oregon Department of State Lands project. 1987–89.
Mapped and surveyed vegetation and vertebrates for the Astoria, OR urban forests. Co-authored Astoria Urban Forest Park Proposal , citizen project. 1990.
Operator of Mighty River wildlife rehabilitation center, Astoria, OR. State and Federal handling permits. 1987–1991.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Botany, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. 1993.
Master of Science, Wildlife Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. 1997.