Mélanie Banville
Research Specialist, Central Arizona Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research Project, Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation
Department of Applied Sciences & Mathematics
Arizona State University
PO Box 875402
Tempe, AZ 85287-5402
Titles
- Research Specialist, Central Arizona Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research Project, Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation
Biography
Since she was young, Melanie has had a keen interest for wildlife which led her to pursue a B.S. in Zoology at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Shortly after her graduation, she left Canada to travel and work in the United States. She has been working as a professional wildlife biologist on a wide variety of wildlife-related projects for over a decade, eight of which were in the desert southwest. Among other species, she worked with the Greater Sage Grouse, California Condor, Mount Graham Red Squirrel, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Desert Tortoise, Utah Prairie Dog, Western Burrowing Owl, and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.
Melanie obtained a M.S. in Applied Biological Sciences at ASU in 2011, and her research was partly funded by the Central Arizona–Phoenix Long-term Ecological Research project (CAP LTER). She performed an urban ecological study in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, looking at herpetofauna along the riparian corridor of the Salt River. Melanie joined the CAP LTER team in November 2012 as a research specialist for CAP LTER’s biodiversity projects. She is highly involved in the Long-term Bird Monitoring Project and the Salt River Biodiversity Project, where she performs bird and herpetofauna surveys.
Melanie truly believes that a better understanding of urban ecology is of fundamental importance for the future of all living organisms as our urban boundaries expand and put more pressure on our ecological resources.
Education
- BS, Applied Zoology, McGill University
- MS, Applied Biological Sciences, Arizona State University
Journal Articles
2017
Banville, M. J., H. L. Bateman, S. R. Earl and P. S. Warren. 2017. Decadal declines in bird abundance and diversity in urban riparian zones. Landscape and Urban Planning 159(Mar):48-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.09.026. (link )
2015
Bateman, H. L., J. C. Stromberg, M. J. Banville, E. Makings, B. D. Scott, A. Suchy and D. Wolkis. 2015. Novel water sources restore plant and animal communities along an urban river. Ecohydrology 8(5):792-811. DOI: 10.1002/eco.1560. (link )
2012
Banville, M. J. and H. L. Bateman. 2012. Urban and wildland herpetofauna communities and riparian microhabitats along the Salt River, Arizona. Urban Ecosystems 15:473-488. DOI: 10.1007/s11252-012-0228-5. (link )
Posters
2015
Banville, M. J., H. L. Bateman, S. R. Earl and P. S. Warren. 2015. Urbanization contributes to simplified riparian bird communities. Poster presented at the Seventeenth Annaul CAP LTER All Scientists Meeting and Poster Symposium, 16 January 2015, Skysong, Scottsdale, AZ. (link )
2014
Banville, M. J., H. L. Bateman, S. R. Earl and P. S. Warren. 2014. Long-term changes in urban riparian bird communities. Poster presented at the 16th Annual CAP LTER Poster Symposium and All Scientists Meeting, Jnauary 17, 2014, Skysong, Scottsdale, AZ. (link )
Bateman, H. L., J. C. Stromberg and M. J. Banville. 2014. Living in the city: Bird, herpetofauna, and plant communities along the Salt River in Phoenix, AZ. Poster presented at the 16th Annual CAP LTER Poster Symposium and All Scientists Meeting, January 17, 2014, Skysong, Scottsdale, AZ.
2011
Banville, M. J. and H. L. Bateman. 2011. Herpetofauna and microhabitat characteristics of urban and wildland reaches along the Salt River, Arizona. Poster presented at the 12-13 January 2011 CAP LTER 13th Annual Poster Symposium and All Scientist Meeting, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University. (link )
Banville, M. J. and H. L. Bateman. 2011. Herptofauna and microhabitat characteristics of urban and wildland reaches along the Salt River, Arizona. Poster presented at the 44th Joint Annual AZ/NM Meeting of the Wildlife Soicety and AFS, 4-5 Febrary 2011, Pinetop, AZ.
Presentations
2011
Banville, M. J. and H. L. Bateman. 2011. Herpetofauna and riparian microhabitat of urban and wildland reaches of the Salt River, Arizona. Presentation at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Arizona Riparian Council, 18-19 March 2011, Yuma, AZ.
Thesis (Masters)
2011
Banville, M. J. 2011. Herpetofauna and riparian microhabitat of urban and wildland reaches along the Salt River, Arizona. MS thesis. Arizona State University. (link )