Holly B. Ernest
Asst Professor in Residence, Genetics for Wildlife Population Health
hbernest@ucdavis.edu

Vet Med - Population Health and Reproduction

Office
258 CCAH building, Veterinary Medicine Complex
(530)754-8245


Picture of Holly Ernest
 
Degrees:
2001 PhD University of California, Davis Ecology with emphasis on genetics for ecology and wildlife
1986 DVM Ohio State University Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
1982 MS Ohio State University Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology
1980 BS Cornell University Biology/Animal Science
Research Interests:

Chair, Animal Genomics Focus Group for Genetics Graduate Group; Wildlife geneticist and veterinarian with research interests in the application of genomic tools to study animal ecology & wildlife diseases and improve wildlife health, conservation, and management. She directs the Wildlife and Ecological Genetics Unit of the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory.
Department and Center Affiliations:
Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (School of Veterinary Medicine)
Wildlife Health Center (School of Veterinary Medicine)
Department of Population Health and Reproduction (School of Veterinary Medicine)
Genome Center
Center for Vectorborne Diseases
John Muir Center for the Environment
Professional Societies:
American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
Wildlife Disease Association
The Wildlife Society
Raptor Research Foundation
Society for Conservation Biology
California Veterinary Medical Association
CBS Graduate Group Affiliations:
Genetics  
Graduate Groups not Housed in CBS:
Animal Biology, Avian Science, Ecology, Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine,  
Publications:
  • See publication list for most recent updates at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vgl/wildlife/publications.html
  • Ernest HB, Well JA, and J. Kurushima. 2007, Development of nine microsatellite loci for Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli) and corvid ecology and West Nile virus studies. Molecular Ecology Notes (OnlineEarly Articles).
  • Scott P. Crosbie, Walter D. Koenig, William K. Reisen, Vicki L. Kramer, Lauren Marcus, Ryan Carney, Edward Pandolfino, Ginger M. Bolen, Lizette R. Crosbie, Douglas A. Bell, Holly B. Ernest. Early Impact of West Nile virus on the Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli). In press 2008. Auk- Journal of the American Ornithologists' Union.
  • Hull JM, R Anderson, M Bradbury, J Estep, HB Ernest. 2007. Population structure and genetic diversity in Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni), implications for conservation. Conservation Genetics.
  • Hull J.M., D. Tufts, J.R. Topinka, B.P. May, H.B. Ernest. 2007. Development of 19 microsatellite loci for Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) and other Buteos. Molecular Ecology Notes.
  • Hull J.M., W. Savage, J.P. Smith, N. Murphy, L. Cullen, A.D. Hutchins, H.B. Ernest. 2007. Hybridization among Buteos: Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) × Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis). The Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
  • Kurushima J., J. Well, J. Collins, H.B.Ernest. 2006. Development of 21 microsatellite loci for puma (Puma concolor) ecology and forensics. Molecular Ecology
  • Hull J., A. Hull, H.B. Ernest. 2006. West Nile Virus Antibody Prevalence in Free-ranging California Raptors. Condor. Volume 108:435-439
  • Population Genetic Structure of Mountain Lions in California. Holly Ernest, Vernon Bleich, Bernie May, San Stiver, Steven Torres, Walter Boyce. 2003. Conservation Genetics. 4:353-366.
  • Fecal DNA analysis and risk assessment of mountain lion predation of bighorn sheep. 2002. Holly Ernest, Esther Rubin, and Walter Boyce. Journal of Wildlife Management 66(1) 75-85.
  • Molecular tracking of mountain lions in the Yosemite Valley region in California: genetic analysis using microsatellites and fecal DNA. 2000. Ernest, H.B., Penedo, M.C.T., May, B.P., Syvanen, M., and W.M. Boyce. Molecular Ecology 9:433-441.
Laboratory Personnel:
Wildlife and Ecology Unit of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory
http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/wildlife/
Teaching Interests:
Wildlife genomics; population genetics; ecological and landscape genetics; wildlife health & diseases.
Courses:
PHR 298 Ecological Genetics (see website at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vgl/wildlife/teaching.html) Winter