Roland is a population and community ecologist and has spent the past 24 years studying the lakes of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. As part of the Mountain Lakes Research Group, his early research in this system focused on surveys of thousands of water bodies in Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks to describe their faunal composition, distribution of sensitive amphibian species, and impacts of introduced trout on lake ecosystems. In collaboration with his colleagues, his current research focuses largely on the conservation and recovery of mountain yellow-legged frogs, a formerly abundant inhabitant of Sierran lakes that has declined precipitously during the past century. That research effort is providing the tools necessary for the design and implementation of effective recovery actions that he hopes will allow this iconic frog to regain its place as an important component of Sierran lake ecosystems. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and backpacking in the Sierra Nevada (sans frog survey gear!) and eating all the fresh food he isn’t able to eat during the summer field season.
- Curriculum Vitae [PDF]
- Google Scholar
roland.knapp@ucsb.edu