Education:
Ph.D., Wildlife Ecology/Zoology/Veterinary Science, 1985, University of Wisconsin
M.S., Wildlife Ecology, 1977, University of Washington
B.S., Wildlife Biology, 1974, North Carolina State Univeristy

Other Work:
U.S. Marine Corps, platoon commander, company commander, 1967-1971
Biologist and nongame wildlife team leader, 1977-1981, Washington Department of Game

Research and Outreach Interests:
The ecological effects of land use conversion in the American West on biological diversity (please see curriculum vitae).

Research Philosophy:
Research within the discipline of wildlife science can play an important part in finding ways for humans to enhance and restore the integrity of ecosystems. Wildlife science is an applied field and wildlife management an applied discipline. Both, however, are enriched and done properly when they are fueled by the creative power of ecological theory. Accordingly, the research of my graduate students has always attempted to focus on a need defined by society at large but based within ecological theory. This approach captures the best of both applied and basic sciences, relevant research generated by theory.

Teaching:
When done right, teaching is a reinforcing experience for both student and professor; when done wrong it is a lost opportunity to learn, by both student and instructor. Courses I instruct on an annual basis are NR300 (conservation biology) and NR420 (ecosystem management). I also chair the Interdisciplinary Studies Program in Conservation Biology, an undergraduate minor.

Selected Publications:
Sayre, N. F., & R. L. Knight. 2010. Potential effects of United States-Mexico border hardening on ecological and human communities in the Malpai Borderlands. Conservation Biology 24:345-348.

Leinwand, I. I. F., D. M. Theobald, J. Mitchell, & R. L. Knight. 2010. Landscape dynamics at the public-private interface: A case study in Colorado. Landscape and Urban Planning 97:182-193.

Goldstein, J. H., Presnall, C., L. Lopez-Hoffman, G. P. Nabhan, , R. L. Knight, G. Ruyle, and T. P. Toombs. 2011. Beef and beyond: Paying for ecosystem services on Western US rangelands. Rangelands 33:4-12.

Knight, R. L., J. Thorpe, and L. Hidinger. 2011. Rangelands and ecosystem services: Economic wealth from land health? Rangelands 33:2-3.

Miller, S. G., R. L. Knight, and C. K. Miller. 2001. Wildlife responses to pedestrians and dogs. Wildlife Society Bulletin.

Odell, E. A., and R. L. Knight. 2001. Songbird and medium-sized mammal communities associated with exurban development in Pitkin County, Colorado. Conservation Biology.

Mitchell, J. F., R. L. Knight, and R. J. Camp. 2002. Landscape attributes of subdivided ranches. Rangelands.

Tisdale, R., and R. L. Knight. 2003. Densities of brown-headed cowbirds on grazed and ungrazed riparian areas along the middle Rio Grande River, New Mexico. Studies in Avian Biology.

Graham, L., and R. L. Knight. 2003. Cliff plant communities of the Colorado Front Range. Plant Ecology.

Odell, E. A., D. M. Theobald, and R. L. Knight. 2003. Incorporating ecology into land use planning: the songbird's case for clustered development. Journal of the American Planning Association.

Maestas, J. D., R. L. Knight, and W. C. Gilgert. 2003. Biodiversity across a rural land-use gradient. Consrvation Biology.

Taylor, A. R., and R. L. Knight. 2003. Wildlife responses to recreation and associated visitor perceptions. Ecological Applications.

Hansen, A. J., R. L. Knight, J. Marzluff, S. Powell, K. Brown, P. Hernandez, and K. Jones.  2005.  Effects of exurban development on biodiversity: patterns, mechanisms, and research needs.  Ecological Applications.

Knight, R. L. 2007. Ranchers as a keystone species in a West that works. Rangelands 29:1-7

Knight, R. L. 2007. To save the earth or to save a watershed: Optimism versus hope. Conservation Biology 21:1397-1398

Lenth, B. E., R. L. Knight, & M. E. Brennan. 2008. The effects of dogs on wildlife communities. Natural Areas Journal 28:218-227

Books:
Knight, R. L., and K. J. Gutzwiller, eds. 1995. Wildlife and recreationists: coexistence through management and research. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

Knight, R. L., and S. F. Bates, eds. 1995. A new century for natural resources management. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

Knight, R. L., and P. B. Landres, eds. 1998. Stewardship across boundaries. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

Meine, C., and R. L. Knight, eds. 1999. The essential Aldo Leopold. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison.

Knight, R. L., F. W. Smith, S. W. Buskirk, W. H. Romme, and W. L. Baker. 2000. Forest fragmentation in the Southern Rocky Mountains. University Press of Colorado, Niwot.

Knight, R. L., W. C. Gilgert, and E. Marston, eds. 2002. Ranching west of the 100th meridian. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

Knight, R. L., and S. Riedel, eds. 2002. Aldo Leopold and the ecological conscience. Oxford University Press, New York.

Meffe, G. K., L. A. Nielson, R. L. Knight, and D. A. Schenborn. 2002. Ecosystem management: adaptive, community-based conservation. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

Pritchett, L., R. L. Knight, and J. Lee. 2007. Home land: ranching and a West that works. Johnson Press, Boulder, Colorado.

Knight, R.L., and C. White, eds. 2008. Conservation for a new generation. Island Press, Washington, DC.

Knight, R.L., and C. White, eds. 2008. Conservation for a new generation: Redefining natural resources management. Island Press, Washington, DC.