2021 Kaufman Award - Katherine Biardi

Katherine Biardi is an MS student in the Biological Science Department at California State University, Fullerton. Her research focuses on the effects of herbivore-induced vegetation changes on rodent populations and their interactions with songbirds in shortgrass steppe. Katherine began her research career by studying the acoustic stressors of captive giant anteaters and harmful algal blooms trends in Lake Lillinonah while getting her Bachelor’s at Fairfield University. She is currently working on her Master’s research in the Stapp lab at California State University, Fullerton. Her thesis looks at how increased shrub cover caused by large- and medium-sized herbivore exclusions affects the diversity and population size of shortgrass steppe rodents. She also studies how these changes in rodent populations affect their role as potential nest predators on songbirds.