David Douglas
Satellite remote sensing of landscape features that possess high-frequency dynamics, such as sea ice distribution and vegetation phenology, and spatial analyses of how wildlife migrations are influenced by habitat and weather dynamics.
My projects aim to pioneer new analytical avenues in applied wildlife research by combining remote sensing with traditional wildlife studies to answer questions about habitat use and animal movements at landscape scales. The studies I engage align with Department of Interior priorities in the Arctic by addressing a growing need to understand how changes in climate or land use practices affect wildlife migrations, habitat availability, habitat quality, and population dynamics. Climate is the overarching force that controls wildlife habitat resources in the Arctic, so understanding linkages between the physical and biological environment is critical for making informed management decisions in the face of accelerating warming and expanding human activities. My expertise includes tracking wildlife by satellite, monitoring sea ice and vegetation changes by satellite, and the implications of future climate change on Arctic wildlife in general.
Professional Experience
1986 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1985 - 1986 Biological Technician Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks, Alaska
1980 - 1984 Biological Technician US Forest Service, Region 4, Ogden, Utah
Education and Certifications
M.S. 1986 Washington State University, Pullman, WA Wildlife Biology
B.A. 1982 Utah State University, Logan, UT Biology
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Science and Products
The porcupine caribou herd
Land cover
Introduction
Polar Bears
Seasonal comparisons of sea ice concentration estimates derived from SSM/I, OKEAN, and RADARSAT data
Forage quantity and quality
Predators
Arctic Refuge coastal plain terrestrial wildlife research summaries
Use of satellite telemetry to identify common loon migration routes, staging areas and wintering range
Effects of recent climate warming on caribou habitat and calf survival
Performance of implantable satellite transmitters in diving seabirds
Tracking the spring migration of a bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) across the Himalaya with satellite telemetry
Science and Products
The porcupine caribou herd
Land cover
Introduction
Polar Bears
Seasonal comparisons of sea ice concentration estimates derived from SSM/I, OKEAN, and RADARSAT data
Forage quantity and quality
Predators
Arctic Refuge coastal plain terrestrial wildlife research summaries
Use of satellite telemetry to identify common loon migration routes, staging areas and wintering range
Effects of recent climate warming on caribou habitat and calf survival
Performance of implantable satellite transmitters in diving seabirds
Tracking the spring migration of a bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) across the Himalaya with satellite telemetry
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government