Publications
These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.
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General methods for sensitivity analysis of equilibrium dynamics in patch occupancy models
Sensitivity analysis is a useful tool for the study of ecological models that has many potential applications for patch occupancy modeling. Drawing from the rich foundation of existing methods for Markov chain models, I demonstrate new methods for sensitivity analysis of the equilibrium state dynamics of occupancy models. Estimates from three previous studies are used to illustrate the utility of
Authors
David A.W. Miller
Likelihood analysis of species occurrence probability from presence-only data for modelling species distributions
1. Understanding the factors affecting species occurrence is a pre-eminent focus of applied ecological research. However, direct information about species occurrence is lacking for many species. Instead, researchers sometimes have to rely on so-called presence-only data (i.e. when no direct information about absences is available), which often results from opportunistic, unstructured sampling. MAX
Authors
J. Andrew Royle, Richard B. Chandler, Charles Yackulic, James D. Nichols
Taxonomic status and relationships of Sorex obscurus parvidens Jackson, 1921, from California
The San Bernardino shrew, Sorex obscurus parvidens Jackson, 1921, is a population inhabiting the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains of southern California. For the past 9 decades, this population has been considered either a subspecies of S. obscurus Merriam, 1895, S. vagrans Baird, 1857, or S. monticola Merriam, 1890; or an undifferentiated population of S. ornatus Merriam, 1895. Aside from
Authors
Neal Woodman
Assessment of bias in US waterfowl harvest estimates
Context. North American waterfowl managers have long suspected that waterfowl harvest estimates derived from national harvest surveys in the USA are biased high. Survey bias can be evaluated by comparing survey results with like estimates from independent sources. Aims. We used band-recovery data to assess the magnitude of apparent bias in duck and goose harvest estimates, using mallards (Anas pla
Authors
Paul I. Padding, J. Andrew Royle
Estimating the Cumulative Ecological Effect of Local Scale Landscape Changes in South Florida
Ecosystem restoration in south Florida is a state and national priority centered on the Everglades wetlands. However, urban development pressures affect the restoration potential and remaining habitat functions of the natural undeveloped areas. Land use (LU) planning often focuses at the local level, but a better understanding of the cumulative effects of small projects at the landscape level is n
Authors
Dianna M. Hogan, William Labiosa, Leonard Pearlstine, David Hallac, David Strong, Paul Hearn, Richard Bernknopf
Interlaboratory comparison of three microbial source tracking quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays from fecal-source and environmental samples
During summer and early fall 2010, 15 river samples and 6 fecal-source samples were collected in West Virginia. These samples were analyzed by three laboratories for three microbial source tracking (MST) markers: AllBac, a general fecal indicator; BacHum, a human-associated fecal indicator; and BoBac, a ruminant-associated fecal indicator. MST markers were analyzed by means of the quantitative pol
Authors
Erin A. Stelzer, Kriston M. Strickler, William B. Schill
Dealing with incomplete and variable detectability in multi-year, multi-site monitoring of ecological populations
An ecological monitoring program should be viewed as a component of a larger framework designed to advance science and/or management, rather than as a stand-alone activity. Monitoring targets (the ecological variables of interest; e.g. abundance or occurrence of a species) should be set based on the needs of that framework (Nichols and Williams 2006; e.g. Chapters 2–4). Once such monitoring target
Authors
Sarah J. Converse, J. Andrew Royle
Radar analysis of fall bird migration stopover sites in the Northeastern U.S.
The national network of weather surveillance radars (WSR-88D/NEXRAD) detects birds in flight, and has proven to be a useful remote-sensing tool for ornithological study. We used data collected during Fall 2008 and 2009 by 16 WSR-88D and 3 terminal Doppler weather radars in the northeastern U.S. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5) to study the spatial distribution of landbirds shortly after t
Authors
Jeffrey J. Butler, Deanna K. Dawson
Documentation of the U.S. Geological Survey sea floor stress and sediment mobility database
The U.S. Geological Survey Sea Floor Stress and Sediment Mobility Database contains estimates of bottom stress and sediment mobility for the U.S. continental shelf. This U.S. Geological Survey database provides information that is needed to characterize sea floor ecosystems and evaluate areas for human use. The estimates contained in the database are designed to spatially and seasonally resolve th
Authors
P. Soupy Dalyander, Bradford Butman, Christopher R. Sherwood, Richard P. Signell
Chesapeake Bay Watershed - Protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers through science, restoration, and partnership
The Chesapeake Bay, the Nation's largest estuary, has been degraded due to the impact of human-population increase, which has doubled since 1950, resulting in degraded water quality, loss of habitat, and declines in populations of biological communities. Since the mid-1980s, the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP), a multi-agency partnership which includes the Department of Interior (DOI), has worked to
Authors
Nutrient and suspended-sediment trends, loads, and yields and development of an indicator of streamwater quality at nontidal sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, 1985-2010
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) updates information on loads of, and trends in, nutrients and sediment annually to help the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) investigators assess progress toward improving water-quality conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. CBP scientists and managers have worked since 1983 to improve water quality in the bay. In 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection A
Authors
Michael Langland, Joel Blomquist, Douglas Moyer, Kenneth Hyer
Magnitude of flood flows for selected annual exceedance probabilities in Rhode Island through 2010
Heavy persistent rains from late February through March 2010 caused severe widespread flooding in Rhode Island that set or nearly set record flows and water levels at many long-term streamgages in the State. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, conducted a study to update estimates of flood magnitudes at streamgages and regional equa
Authors
Phillip J. Zarriello, Elizabeth A. Ahearn, Sara B. Levin