Publications
These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.
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Analysis of multinomial models with unknown index using data augmentation
Multinomial models with unknown index ('sample size') arise in many practical settings. In practice, Bayesian analysis of such models has proved difficult because the dimension of the parameter space is not fixed, being in some cases a function of the unknown index. We describe a data augmentation approach to the analysis of this class of models that provides for a generic and efficient Bayesian
Authors
J. Andrew Royle, R.M. Dorazio, W. A. Link
Population influences on tornado reports in the United States
The number of tornadoes reported in the United States is believed to be less than the actual incidence of tornadoes, especially prior to the 1990s, because tornadoes may be undetectable by human witnesses in sparsely populated areas and areas in which obstructions limit the line of sight. A hierarchical Bayesian model is used to simultaneously correct for population-based sampling bias and estima
Authors
C.J. Anderson, C. K. Wikle, Q. Zhou, J. Andrew Royle
Caribbean mangroves adjust to rising sea level through biotic controls on change in soil elevation
Aim The long-term stability of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and salt marshes depends upon the maintenance of soil elevations within the intertidal habitat as sea level changes. We examined the rates and processes of peat formation by mangroves of the Caribbean Region to better understand biological controls on habitat stability. Location Mangrove-dominated islands on the Caribbean coasts o
Authors
K.L. McKee, Donald R. Cahoon, Ilka C. Feller
Calculating background levels for ecological risk parameters in toxic harbor sediment
Establishing background levels for biological parameters is necessary in assessing the ecological risks from harbor sediment contaminated with toxic chemicals. For chemicals in sediment, the term contaminated is defined as having concentrations above background and significant human health or ecological risk levels. For biological parameters, a site could be considered contaminated if levels of
Authors
C.J. Leadon, T.R. McDonnell, J. Lear, D. Barclift
Fourfold polyphyly of the genus formerly known as Upucerthia, with notes on the systematics and evolution of the avian subfamily Furnariinae
The traditional avian subfamily Furnariinae, a group of terrestrial ovenbirds typical of the Andean and Patagonian arid zones, consists of the genera Furnarius, Cinclodes, Geositta, Upucerthia, Chilia, and Eremobius. We investigated phylogenetic relationships within the Furnariinae, with particular attention to the nine species of the genus Upucerthia, using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences
Authors
R.T. Chesser, F.K. Barker, R.T. Brumfield
Comparison of immune responses of brown-headed cowbird and related blackbirds to West Nile and other mosquito-borne encephalitis viruses
The rapid geographic spread of West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) across the United States has stimulated interest in comparative host infection studies to delineate competent avian hosts critical for viral amplification. We compared the host competence of four taxonomically related blackbird species (Icteridae) after experimental infection with WNV and with two endemic,
Authors
W.K. Reisen, D.C. Hahn
Survival of timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) estimated by capture-recapture models in relation to age, sex, color morph, time, and birthplace
Juvenile survival is one of the least known elements of the life history of many species, in particular snakes. We conducted a mark–recapture study of Crotalus horridus from 1978–2002 in northeastern New York near the northern limits of the species' range. We marked 588 neonates and estimated annual age-, sex-, and morph-specific recapture and survival rates using the Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) mod
Authors
W. S. Brown, M. Kery, J. E. Hines
Spatial models of Northern Bobwhite populations for conservation planning
Since 1980, northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) range-wide populations declined 3.9% annually. Within the West Gulf Coastal Plain Bird Conservation Region in the south-central United States, populations of this quail species have declined 6.8% annually. These declines sparked calls for land use change and prompted implementation of various conservation practices. However, to effectively rev
Authors
Daniel J. Twedt, R. Randy Wilson, Amy S. Keister
Influence of observers and stream flow on northern two-lined salamander (Eurycea bislineata bislineata) relative abundance estimates in Acadia and Shenandoah National Parks, USA
We investigated effects of observers and stream flow on Northern Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata bislineata) counts in streams in Acadia (ANP) and Shenandoah National Parks (SNP). We counted salamanders in 22 ANP streams during high flow (May to June 2002) and during low flow (July 2002). We also counted salamanders in SNP in nine streams during high flow (summer 2003) and 11 streams duri
Authors
J.B. Crocker, M.S. Bank, Cynthia S. Loftin, R.E. Jung Brown
Occupancy estimation and modeling with multiple states and state uncertainty
The distribution of a species over space is of central interest in ecology, but species occurrence does not provide all of the information needed to characterize either the well-being of a population or the suitability of occupied habitat. Recent methodological development has focused on drawing inferences about species occurrence in the face of imperfect detection. Here we extend those methods by
Authors
J. D. Nichols, J. E. Hines, D.I. MacKenzie, M.E. Seamans, R. J. Gutierrez
Quantifying the impact of longline fisheries on adult survival in the black-footed albatross
1. Industrial longline fishing has been suspected to impact upon black-footed albatross populations Phoebastria nigripes by increasing mortality, but no precise estimates of bycatch mortality are available to ascertain this statement. We present a general framework for quantifying the relationship between albatross population and longline fishing in absence of reliable estimates of bycatch rate. 2
Authors
S. Veran, O. Gimenez, E. Flint, W. L. Kendall, P.F. Doherty, J.D. Lebreton
Are two methods better than one? Area constrained transects and leaf litterbags for sampling stream salamanders
No abstract available.
Authors
S.D. Mattfeldt, E.H.C. Grant