Headshot of Paul Hapeman.
Professor
Biology
Contact
(860) 832-2671
hapeman@ccsu.edu
Office
Nicolaus Copernicus Hall
343
Biography

I am a interested in all aspects of small carnivore conservation. I use both field and molecular methods to address applied questions related to the ecology, genetics, and conservation of members of the family Mustelidae. Some topics of interest include; monitoring methods for carnivores, occupancy modeling, distributions, and landscape genetics.

My current projects include; 1) Subspecies status of the Everglades mink (Neogale vison evergladensis); 2) Occupancy modeling of American marten (Martes americana) and fisher (Pekania pennanti) in southern Vermont; 3) Distribution and occupancy of fisher on public and private lands in Connecticut; 4) Multi-method approaches to detect American mink (Neogale vison) in Connecticut. 
 

Current Master's Students

John Correia: 'Multi-method Approach to Determining the Distribution, Occupancy, and Density of American Mink (Neogale vison) in Suitable Habitat in Connecticut'

Katerina Hutchins: 'Differences in Occupancy and Detectability of Fisher (Pekania pennanti) in Forested Habitats East and West of the Connecticut River'

 

Education
Biology with an emphasis in Wildlife Genetics
University of Vermont
2006
Areas of Expertise

Spatial modeling, Monitoring methods, Distributions, Conservation genetics, Small carnivores

Publications, Research & Presentations

Representative Publications

  • Burgar J, et al. (2025) A path towards the conservation and recovery of Guloninae species worldwide. Stacks journal, 25007.
  • Hapeman P and Smith LM (2024) Genetics, geography, and subspecies status of American mink in Florida, with an emphasis on Neogale vison evergladensis. Systematics and Biodiversity, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2024.2330371.
  • Jachowski D, et al. (2024) Non-invasive methods for monitoring weasels: emerging technologies and priorities for future research. Mammal Review https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12344.
  • Ashbrook S and Hapeman P (2024) Occupancy and activity patterns of American marten (Martes americana) at the southern extent of their range in New England. Ecology and Evolution, 14: e10904.
  • Testerman K and Hapeman P (2022) Carnivore occupancy within the early successional habitat of New England cottontails. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 13: 192-204.
  • Hapeman P, Smith L, Kosciolek A, Winchester C, Gore J (2021) A predictive model of habitat use for Atlantic saltmarsh mink (Neovison vison lutensis) in northeastern Florida. Mammal Research 66: 541–551.
  • Ahmadpour M, Moradi HV, Rezaei HR, Oshaghi MA, Hapeman P, Colagar AH (2020) Genetic and population diversity of the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) in the Iranian Plateau. Zoology in the Middle East, DOI: 1080/09397140.2020.1711625).
  • Billerman S, Jesmer B, Watts A, Schlichting P, Micheletti S, Bergamini, R, Fortin M-J, Funk C, Hapeman P, Muths E, and Murphy M (2019) Testing metapopulation conditions with genotypic data: a case study using boreal chorus frogs. Canadian Journal of Zoology 97: 1042-1053.
  • Hapeman P, Latch EK, Rhodes OE, Jr., Swanson B, and Kilpatrick CW (2017) Genetic population structure of fishers (Pekania pennanti) in the Great Lakes region: Remnants and reintroductions. Canadian Journal of Zoology 95: 869-876.
  • O'Brien P, Bernier C, and Hapeman P (2018) A new record of an American marten (Martes americana) population in southern Vermont. Small Carnivore Conservation 56: 68-75.
  • Watts AG, Schlichting PE, Billerman SM, Jesmer BR, Micheletti S, Fortin M-J, Funk WC, Hapeman P, Muths E, and Murphy MA (2015) How spatio-temporal habitat connectivity affects amphibian genetic structure. Frontiers of Genetics 6: 275. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00275
  • Hapeman PS, Latch EK, Rhodes, OE, Jr., and Kilpatrick CW (2014) When recent and evolutionary histories meet: Deciphering temporal events from contemporary patterns of mtDNA from fishers (Martes pennanti) in northeastern North America. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 52: 331-337.
  • Hapeman PS, Latch EK, Fike JA, Rhodes, OE, Jr., and Kilpatrick CW (2011) Landscape genetics of fishers (Martes pennanti) in the Northeast: Dispersal barriers and historical influences. Journal of Heredity 102: 251-259.
Memberships & Affiliations

IUCN Small Carnivore Specialist Group

International Martes Working Group

The Wildlife Society

Courses Taught
  • Conservation Biology
  • Conservation Genetics
  • Mammalogy
  • Ecology, Systematics, and Conservation of Small Carnivores
  • Wildlife Ecology and Management
  • Wildlife Issues
  • Wildlife Techniques