Brent Pease

Dr. Brent Pease serves as an Assistant Professor of Biodiversity Conservation in the Forestry Program at Southern Illinois University. His research addresses applied issues in wildlife conservation and management through observational fieldwork, quantitative modeling, and spatial analysis to inform state and regional management strategies. He actively leads the PEASE Lab, which focuses on wildlife distributions and demographics across multiple taxa including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

Dr. Pease's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from North Carolina State University (2021)
• M.Sc. in Forestry from Southern Illinois University (2017)
• B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University (2014)

His research interests encompass wildlife conservation, species distribution modeling, citizen science applications, applied spatial ecology, and landscape ecology. Dr. Pease's work addresses critical challenges in endangered species recovery, land management practices, and biodiversity conservation. The PEASE Lab maintains a commitment to conducting science that informs responsible natural resource management while fostering a supportive, inclusive research environment.

Analysis of Dr. Pease's publication record reveals strong emphasis on spatial nonstationarity in ecological relationships, camera trap methodology, and integration of citizen science data into conservation frameworks. His research frequently examines endangered species in the Florida Keys and wildlife management issues across Illinois and North Carolina, with particular expertise in monitoring techniques and habitat analysis.

Dr. Pease has mentored numerous graduate students through the PEASE Lab:

• Current students researching wild turkey chronology, opossum survivorship in Key Largo, bobcat demographics, Eastern Whip-poor-will distribution, swamp rabbit ecology, and cerulean warbler habitat
• Recent graduates now employed at Virginia Tech, NY DEC, KY DNR, Audubon Society, and other conservation organizations

As director of the PEASE Lab, Dr. Pease oversees multiple field projects including studies on endangered rodents in Florida Keys, bird responses to eclipses, and the application of AI tools like MegaDetector for invasive species monitoring. His work bridges academic research with practical wildlife management applications, ensuring scientific findings directly inform conservation decision-making.