Seminar: The History, Ecology, and Conservation of Breeding Birds in Minnesota
Dr. Gerald J. Niemie
Department of Biological Sciences and Graduate Program in Integrated Biological Sciences
University of Minnesota, Duluth and TC
Topic: The History, Ecology, and Conservation of Breeding Birds in Minnesota
Talk Description: Minnesota’s first Breeding Bird Atlas was completed from 2009-2013. Data gathering was designed to cover all 2,443 townships in the state; a substantial number of which are roadless. I will summarize the journey from 2008 to 2024 with an emphasis on the population changes and future conservation concerns for Minnesota’s breeding birds.
Speaker Background: Gerald "Jerry" Niemi is a retired Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UM-D). He was formerly Professor of Biology and Director of the Center for Water and the Environment at the Natural Resources Research Institute at UM-D. He received his Ph.D. in Biology at Florida State University in 1983 and was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Helsinki in Finland. He has published over 165 peer-reviewed papers and over 130 technical reports and popular articles. He is a fellow of the American Ornithological Society, recipient of the TS Roberts Memorial Award from the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union, Outstanding Scientist of the Great Lakes by the International Joint Commission, and the outstanding achievement award by a graduate from the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida State University. His research has focused on birds, Great Lakes ecosystems, conservation, climate change, ecotoxicology, and sustainability in the use of natural resources.