Faculty
Professors | Lecturers | Affiliate | Postdocs | Emeritus
Professors
Colden V. Baxter, Ph.D.
Professor
Ecology of Freshwater Organisms
Ecosystems & Social-Ecological Systems
Office: Life Sciences 310
Research
Lab: Life Sciences 310
208-282-2139
Research conducted by Dr. Baxter and his group of students and collaborators focuses on rivers and streams, but more generally on the ecological linkages between water and land. The group’s studies are aimed at improving understanding of the basic nature of reciprocal connections between streams, floodplains, and riparian forests, the consequences of their disruption by human activities, but also contributing to better-informed conservation and stewardship. Recently, they have begun investigating watersheds as social-ecological systems, asking, for instance, how human perceptions and behaviors influence, but are also influenced by, rivers.
Teaching
BIOL 2209/2209L - General Ecology
BIOL 4462/5562 - Freshwater Ecology
BIOL 6604 - Advanced Ecology of Streams and Rivers
BIOL 5599 - History & Philosophy of Biology
BIOL 1192 - Introduction to Ecology
BIOL 489/589 - Field Ecology
Biol 4491 - Analysis of Complex Systems
Biol 6651 - Advanced Ecology of Communities & Food Webs
Biol 6690 - Careers in Life Sciences
Biographical Sketch
Colden Baxter is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Idaho State University. He grew up ranching, principally in northwest Montana, and received training in biology and geology (BA, Univ. Oregon), ecology (MSc, Univ. Montana), fisheries science and philosophy of science (Ph.D., Oregon State Univ.), and food web studies (postdoctoral fellowship, Colorado State Univ. & Hokkaido Univ., Japan). He leads the ISU Stream Ecology Center, directs the Center for Ecological Research and Education (CERE), is director of ISU's graduate programs in biology, and recently served as president of the Society for Freshwater Science.
Education
2002, Ph.D. Fisheries Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
1997, M.S. Organismal Biology and Ecology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
1993, B.A. Biology and Geology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2002-2004, Postdoctoral fellow, Stream-forest food webs, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Selected Publications
Castro, A.J., C. Quintas-Soriano, J. Brandt, C. Atkinson, C.V. Baxter, M. Burnham, B. Egoh, M. Garcia-Llorente, J. Julian, B. Martin-Lopez, F.H. Liao, K. Running, C. Vaughn, and A. Norström. 2018. Applying place-based social-ecological research to address water scarcity: Insights for future research. Sustainability 10:1516.
Kennedy, T.A., J.D. Muehlbauer, C.B. Yackulic, D.A. Lytle, S.W. Miller, K. L. Dibble, E.W. Kortenhoeven, A.N. Metcalfe and C.V. Baxter. 2016. Flow management for hydropower extirpates aquatic insects, undermining river food webs. BioScience 66: 561-575
Collins, S.F., C.V. Baxter, A.M. Marcarelli and M.S. Wipfli. 2016. Effects of experimentally added salmon subsidies on resident fishes via direct and indirect pathways. Ecosphere 7(3).
Bellmore, J. R., C.V. Baxter, and P.J. Connolly. 2015. Spatial complexity reduces interaction strengths in the meta-food web of a river floodplain mosaic. Ecology 96:274–283.
Cross, W. F., C. V. Baxter, E. J. Rosi-Marshall, R. O. Hall, Jr., T. A. Kennedy, K. C. Donner, S.E.Z. Seegert, H. A. W. Kelly, M.D. Yard, and K.E. Behn. 2013. Foodweb dynamics in a large river discontinuum. Ecological Monographs 83:311–337.
Marcarelli, A.M., C.V. Baxter, M.M. Mineau, R.O. Hall Jr. 2011. Quantity and quality: unifying food web and ecosystem perspectives on the role of resource subsidies in freshwaters. Ecology 92: 1215-1225.