Research Interests

Research Field

Quantitative Biology. Integration of empirical, statistical, and computational approaches through design of surveys and experiments and the development of data defined simulation models. Ecological impacts of global climate change, understanding complex population dynamics, ecological relevance of biodiversity, and scaling from individuals to populations to ecosystems.

Applied Statistics. Design of sampling surveys and monitoring programs for species and ecosystems. Design and analysis of clinical trials focused on predicting coronary artery disease.

Recent Professional Activities

Development and Analysis of Empirically Defined Simulation Models:  The advent of high-speed computing has facilitated a rapid change in the way that ecological systems are modeled. Models can now explicitly represent the complex, localized interplay between the heterogeneous environment and the individual. This complexity is also the major liability of these models because parameter estimation, error propagation, and even model interpretation become difficult. I am involved in several projects to develop and analyze individually based, data defined models of population and community dynamics. The projects span a variety of organisms and systems including modeling the restoration of native shrublands, predicting the fate of southern California’s chaparral, and population dynamics of endangered passerines.

Ecosystem Function and Biodiversity:  I am involved in a new, NSF funded collaborative project to investigate the importance of biodiversity. The field component of this research is being conducted at the Silwood Park (Imperial College) field station in London. This project is examining the role of diversity in an experimentally disturbed grassland ecosystem. Ecosystem functioning, in terms of processes such as primary productivity and soil nutrient retention, will monitored for the next several years.

Monitoring for Biodiversity:  Monitoring the status of natural ecosystems is extremely difficult. I am working on several projects aimed at bridging the gap between statistical sampling theory and the design of ecological monitoring programs. In 2000, I received funding from the US Forest Service to help develop a monitoring strategy for the 11 national forests in the Sierra Nevadas. My role is to bring mathematical ecology and modeling expertise to bear on reducing the uncertainties regarding experimental design and sampling approaches to answer priority monitoring questions.

Evaluation of a Serum Marker for the Prediction of Cardiac Ischemia:  Coronary artery disease, which has been diagnosed in 13.5 million Americans, results in reduced blood supply to the heart, often leading to heart attack. I am working with Dr. Roger Sabbadini and Medlyte Diagnostics on a revolutionary platform technology for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. I have analyzed the results of their first clinical trial as well as designed several additional clinical trials. The first results from this collaboration will be presented at the American Heart Association in November, 2000.

Recent Publications and Presentations

Refereed Publications

·        Peterson, B.L., B.E. Kus and D.H. Deutschman. 2004 Determining nest predators of the Least Bell’s Vireo through point counts, tracking stations, and video photography: Journal of Field Ornithology 75(1)89-95.

·        Deutschman, D.H., J. Carstens, R. Klepper, W. Smith, M.T. Page, T. Young, L. Gleason, N. Nakajima, and R.. Sabbadini. Predicting Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease Using Serum Sphingosine-1-Phosphate. 2003: American Heart Journal. 46(1)62-68.

·        Desmond, J. S., D. H. Deutschman, and J. B. Zedler. 2002. Spatial and temporal variation in estuarine fish and invertebrate assemblages. analysis of an 11-year dataset. Estuaries. 25:552-569.

·        Deutschman, D. H. 2001. The Design and analysis of biodiversity field experiments. Ecological Research. 16(5)833-843.

·        Archibald, J. D. and D. H. Deutschman. 2001. Quantitative Analysis of the Timing of the Origin and Diversification of Extant Placental Orders. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 8(2)107-124.

• Franklin, J., R. P. Martin, D. J. Mladenoff, H. S. He, D.K. Simons, R. P. Martin, D. H. Deutschman and J. F. O’Leary. 2001. Simulating the effects of different fire regimes on plant functional groups in southern California: Ecological Modelling 142:261-283.
• Deutschman, D. H., C. Devine, and L. A. Buttel. 2000. The role of visualization in understanding a complex forest simulation model. Computer Graphics 34(1)51-55.
• Deutschman, D. H., S. A. Levin, and S. W. Pacala. 1999. Error propagation in forest succession models: the role of fine-scale heterogeneity in light. Ecology 80(6):1927-1943
• Deutschman, D. H., S. A. Levin, C. Devine and L. A. Buttel. 1997. Scaling from trees to forests: analysis of a complex simulation model. Science 277:1688.
• Deutschman, D. H., S. A. Levin, C. Devine and L. A. Buttel. 1997. Scaling from trees to forests: analysis of a complex simulation model. Science Online http://www.sciencemag.org/
  feature/data/deutschman/index.htm.
• Bolker, B. M., D. H. Deutschman, G. Hartvigsen and D. L. Smith. 1997. Individual-based modelling: what is the difference? TREE 12(3):111.
• Pacala, S. W. and D. H. Deutschman. 1995. Details that matter: The spatial distribution of individual trees maintains forest ecosystem function. Oikos 74(3):357-365.

Invited Symposium Presentations and Published Abstracts (2000-2004):

Deutschman, D.H. 2002. The importance of right skew in ecological data analysis. 87^th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America.
(http://199.245.200.45/pweb/document/?SOCIETY=esa&YEAR=2002&ID=17781)

Principe, Z.A., D. H. Deutschman, and P.H. Zedler, 2002. Effects of fire on the demography of a savanna oak tree, Quercus engelmannii. 87^th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America.
(http://199.245.200.45/pweb/document/?SOCIETY=esa&YEAR=2002&ID=16955)

Chalekian, J.S. and D.H. Deutschman, 2002. Local-scale pattern in a California sage scrub community: The importance of local interactions. 87^th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America.
(http://199.245.200.45/pweb/document/?SOCIETY=esa&YEAR=2002&ID=17781)

D.H. Deutschman. 2001. Spatial interactions in plant ecology: data collection, data analysis, and mathematical modeling. Southern California Academy of Sciences – Symposium on Spatially Explicit Ecology.

D. H. Deutschman, J. Carstens,  M. T. Page, R. Klepper, and R.Sabbadini. 2001. The MIRF Trial: Sphingosine-1-Phosphate (S1P) as a novel marker for Myocardial Ischemia. Circulation 104(17 Supplement). October 23, 2001. II.485.

Carstens Jeffrey S., Deutschman D. H. Page M Trevor. Klepper Robert E. Sabbadini Roger A. 2001. Sphingosine-1-phosphate is an early serum marker for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 37(2 Supplement A).354A.

Deutschman, D. H. 2001. Grabbing a whale by its tail: The influence of the extreme right-tail of the distribution on population estimates of the Alaskan bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). 86^th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America.
(http://199.245.200.45/pweb/document/?SOCIETY=esa&YEAR=2001&ID=26513)

Sabbadini Roger A. Deutschman Douglas H. Carstens Jeffrey S. Klepper Robert L. Smith W., Chastain H., D., Page T., Nakajima N., and Young, T. 2000. The MIRF Trial: Predicting the incidence and severity of CAD using serum sphingolipids. Circulation. 102(18 Supplement).699.

[ Home - CV - Research - Teaching - Graduate Students - Statistics - Personal ]

Douglas H. Deutschman
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/dhd/public/
Last Updated - 1/28/2004