James Nichols, Ph.D.
Dr. Jim Nichols conducts research on animal population dynamics and management
Recent Accomplishments
Education
- B.S. Wake Forest University, Biology, 1971
- M.S. Louisiana State University, Wildlife Management, 1973
- Ph.D. Michigan State University, Wildlife Ecology, 1976
Professional Studies/Experience
- Adaptive management and assessment of habitat changes on migratory birds
- Development of models of mallard population dynamics for adaptive harvest management
- Development of methods to estimate parameters associated with animal population dynamics
- Statistical methods for species richness estimation
- Technical Assistance -Tiger Monitoring and Population Research
- Development of methods for estimating patch occupancy and patch-dynamic parameters from detection-nondetection survey data
- Development of methods to estimate species richness and community-dynamic parameters from species list data
Mentorship/Outreach
Professional societies/affiliations/committees/editorial boardsScientific/Oral Presentations, Abstracts
Honors, awards, recognition, elected offices
- 2005 - U.S. Presidential Rank Award (Meritorious Senior Professional)
- 2004 - U.S. Geological Survey Meritorious Service Award
- 2004 - IFAS Scholar Award, University of Florida
- 1998 - Promoted to Senior Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey
- 1991 - The George W. Snedecor Award of the American Statistical Association
- 1991 - The Wildlife Society's Wildlife Publication Award for Monograph
- 1984 - Southeastern Section of the Wildlife Society, Outstanding Publication Award
Scientific/Oral Presentations, Abstracts
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 409
Testing life history predictions in a long-lived seabird: A population matrix approach with improved parameter estimation
Life history theory and associated empirical generalizations predict that population growth rate (λ) in long-lived animals should be most sensitive to adult survival; the rates to which λ is most sensitive should be those with the smallest temporal variances; and stochastic environmental events should most affect the rates to which λ is least sensitive. To date, most analyses attempting to examine
Authors
P.F. Doherty, E.A. Schreiber, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines, W. A. Link, G.A. Schenk, R.W. Schreiber
Estimation of sex-specific survival from capture-recapture data when sex is not always known
Many animals lack obvious sexual dimorphism, making assignment of sex difficult even for observed or captured animals. For many such species it is possible to assign sex with certainty only at some occasions; for example, when they exhibit certain types of behavior. A common approach to handling this situation in capture-recapture studies has been to group capture histories into those of animals e
Authors
J. D. Nichols, W. L. Kendall, J. E. Hines, J. A. Spendelow
Estimating rates of local extinction and colonization in colonial species and an extension to the metapopulation and community levels
Coloniality has mainly been studied from an evolutionary perspective, but relatively few studies have developed methods for modelling colony dynamics. Changes in number of colonies over time provide a useful tool for predicting and evaluating the responses of colonial species to management and to environmental disturbance. Probabilistic Markov process models have been recently used to estimate col
Authors
C. Barbraud, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines, H. Hafner
Science deficiency in conservation practice: the monitoring of tiger populations in India
Conservation practices are supposed to get refined by advancing scientific knowledge. We study this phenomenon in the context of monitoring tiger populations in India, by evaluating the 'pugmark census method' employed by wildlife managers for three decades. We use an analytical framework of modem animal population sampling to test the efficacy of the pugmark censuses using scientific data on ti
Authors
K. U. Karanth, J. D. Nichols, J. Seidensticker, Eric Dinerstein, J.L.D. Smith, C. McDougal, A.J.T. Johnsingh, Raghunandan S. Chundawat, V. Thapar
Adjusting multistate capture-recapture models for misclassification bias: manatee breeding proportions
Matrix population models are important tools for research and management of populations. Estimating the parameters of these models is an important step in applying them to real populations. Multistate capture-recapture methods have provided a useful means for estimating survival and parameters of transition between locations or life history states but have mostly relied on the assumption that th
Authors
W. L. Kendall, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols
Estimation by capture-recapture of recruitment and dispersal over several sites
Dispersal in animal populations is intimately linked with accession to reproduction, i.e. recruitment, and population regulation. Dispersal processes are thus a key component of population dynamics to the same extent as reproduction or mortality processes. Despite the growing interest in spatial aspects of population dynamics, the methodology for estimating dispersal, in particular in relation wit
Authors
J.D. Lebreton, J. E. Hines, R. Pradel, J. D. Nichols, J. A. Spendelow
Local extinction and turnover rates at the edge and interior of species' ranges
One hypothesis for the maintenance of the edge of a species' range suggests that more central (and abundant) populations are relatively stable and edge populations are less stable with increased local extinction and turnover rates. To date, estimates of such metrics are equivocal due to design and analysis flaws. Apparent increased estimates of extinction and turnover rates at the edge of range,
Authors
P.F. Doherty, T. Boulinier, J. D. Nichols
Spring hunting changes the regional movements of migrating greater snow geese
1. Human-induced disturbance such as hunting may influence the migratory behaviour of long-distance migrants. In 1999 and 2000 a spring hunt of greater snow geese Anser caerulescens atlanticus occurred for the first time in North America since 1916, aimed at stopping population growth to protect natural habitats. 2. We evaluated the impact of this hunt on the staging movements of geese along a 600
Authors
A. Bechet, J.-F. Giroux, G. Gauthier, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines
Estimating natal dispersal movement rates of female European ducks with multistate modelling
1. We used up to 34 years of capture-recapture data from about 22 100 new releases of day-old female ducklings and multistate modelling to test predictions about the influence of environmental, habitat and management factors on natal dispersal probability of three species of ducks within the Engure Marsh, Latvia. 2. The mean natal dispersal distances were very similar (c. 0.6-0.7 km) for all three
Authors
P. Blums, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines, M. S. Lindberg, A. Mednis
Monitoring of biological diversity — A response to Danielsen et al
No abstract available.
Authors
Nigel G. Yoccoz, J. D. Nichols, T. Boulinier
On the use of the robust design with transient capture-recapture models
Capture-mark-recapture studies provide a useful mechanism for estimating the components of the population dynamics of birds, especially survival. In such studies, it is important that the population being captured matches the population of interest. In many studies, transients are captured along with the population of interest (e.g. resident breeders). Ignoring that phenomenon produces negativel
Authors
J. E. Hines, W. L. Kendall, J. D. Nichols
Sexual selection affects local extinction and turnover in bird communities
Predicting extinction risks has become a central goal for conservation and evolutionary biologists interested in population and community dynamics. Several factors have been put forward to explain risks of extinction, including ecological and life history characteristics of individuals. For instance, factors that affect the balance between natality and mortality can have profound effects on popu
Authors
Paul F. Doherty, G. Sorci, J. Andrew Royle, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols, T. Boulinier
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 409
Testing life history predictions in a long-lived seabird: A population matrix approach with improved parameter estimation
Life history theory and associated empirical generalizations predict that population growth rate (λ) in long-lived animals should be most sensitive to adult survival; the rates to which λ is most sensitive should be those with the smallest temporal variances; and stochastic environmental events should most affect the rates to which λ is least sensitive. To date, most analyses attempting to examine
Authors
P.F. Doherty, E.A. Schreiber, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines, W. A. Link, G.A. Schenk, R.W. Schreiber
Estimation of sex-specific survival from capture-recapture data when sex is not always known
Many animals lack obvious sexual dimorphism, making assignment of sex difficult even for observed or captured animals. For many such species it is possible to assign sex with certainty only at some occasions; for example, when they exhibit certain types of behavior. A common approach to handling this situation in capture-recapture studies has been to group capture histories into those of animals e
Authors
J. D. Nichols, W. L. Kendall, J. E. Hines, J. A. Spendelow
Estimating rates of local extinction and colonization in colonial species and an extension to the metapopulation and community levels
Coloniality has mainly been studied from an evolutionary perspective, but relatively few studies have developed methods for modelling colony dynamics. Changes in number of colonies over time provide a useful tool for predicting and evaluating the responses of colonial species to management and to environmental disturbance. Probabilistic Markov process models have been recently used to estimate col
Authors
C. Barbraud, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines, H. Hafner
Science deficiency in conservation practice: the monitoring of tiger populations in India
Conservation practices are supposed to get refined by advancing scientific knowledge. We study this phenomenon in the context of monitoring tiger populations in India, by evaluating the 'pugmark census method' employed by wildlife managers for three decades. We use an analytical framework of modem animal population sampling to test the efficacy of the pugmark censuses using scientific data on ti
Authors
K. U. Karanth, J. D. Nichols, J. Seidensticker, Eric Dinerstein, J.L.D. Smith, C. McDougal, A.J.T. Johnsingh, Raghunandan S. Chundawat, V. Thapar
Adjusting multistate capture-recapture models for misclassification bias: manatee breeding proportions
Matrix population models are important tools for research and management of populations. Estimating the parameters of these models is an important step in applying them to real populations. Multistate capture-recapture methods have provided a useful means for estimating survival and parameters of transition between locations or life history states but have mostly relied on the assumption that th
Authors
W. L. Kendall, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols
Estimation by capture-recapture of recruitment and dispersal over several sites
Dispersal in animal populations is intimately linked with accession to reproduction, i.e. recruitment, and population regulation. Dispersal processes are thus a key component of population dynamics to the same extent as reproduction or mortality processes. Despite the growing interest in spatial aspects of population dynamics, the methodology for estimating dispersal, in particular in relation wit
Authors
J.D. Lebreton, J. E. Hines, R. Pradel, J. D. Nichols, J. A. Spendelow
Local extinction and turnover rates at the edge and interior of species' ranges
One hypothesis for the maintenance of the edge of a species' range suggests that more central (and abundant) populations are relatively stable and edge populations are less stable with increased local extinction and turnover rates. To date, estimates of such metrics are equivocal due to design and analysis flaws. Apparent increased estimates of extinction and turnover rates at the edge of range,
Authors
P.F. Doherty, T. Boulinier, J. D. Nichols
Spring hunting changes the regional movements of migrating greater snow geese
1. Human-induced disturbance such as hunting may influence the migratory behaviour of long-distance migrants. In 1999 and 2000 a spring hunt of greater snow geese Anser caerulescens atlanticus occurred for the first time in North America since 1916, aimed at stopping population growth to protect natural habitats. 2. We evaluated the impact of this hunt on the staging movements of geese along a 600
Authors
A. Bechet, J.-F. Giroux, G. Gauthier, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines
Estimating natal dispersal movement rates of female European ducks with multistate modelling
1. We used up to 34 years of capture-recapture data from about 22 100 new releases of day-old female ducklings and multistate modelling to test predictions about the influence of environmental, habitat and management factors on natal dispersal probability of three species of ducks within the Engure Marsh, Latvia. 2. The mean natal dispersal distances were very similar (c. 0.6-0.7 km) for all three
Authors
P. Blums, J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines, M. S. Lindberg, A. Mednis
Monitoring of biological diversity — A response to Danielsen et al
No abstract available.
Authors
Nigel G. Yoccoz, J. D. Nichols, T. Boulinier
On the use of the robust design with transient capture-recapture models
Capture-mark-recapture studies provide a useful mechanism for estimating the components of the population dynamics of birds, especially survival. In such studies, it is important that the population being captured matches the population of interest. In many studies, transients are captured along with the population of interest (e.g. resident breeders). Ignoring that phenomenon produces negativel
Authors
J. E. Hines, W. L. Kendall, J. D. Nichols
Sexual selection affects local extinction and turnover in bird communities
Predicting extinction risks has become a central goal for conservation and evolutionary biologists interested in population and community dynamics. Several factors have been put forward to explain risks of extinction, including ecological and life history characteristics of individuals. For instance, factors that affect the balance between natality and mortality can have profound effects on popu
Authors
Paul F. Doherty, G. Sorci, J. Andrew Royle, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols, T. Boulinier