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: 401
On the estimation of dispersal and movement of birds
The estimation of dispersal and movement is important to evolutionary and population ecologists, as well as to wildlife managers. We review statistical methodology available to estimate movement probabilities. We begin with cases where individual birds can be marked and their movements estimated with the use of multisite capture-recapture methods. Movements can be monitored either directly, usi
Authors
W. L. Kendall, J. D. Nichols
Comparative dynamics of small mammal populations in treefall gaps and surrounding understorey within Amazonian rainforest
Variation in food resource availability can have profound effects on habitat selection and dynamics of populations. Previous studies reported higher food resource availability and fruit removal in treefall gaps than in the understorey. Therefore, gaps have been considered 'keystone habitat' for Neotropical frugivore birds. Here we test if this prediction would also hold for terrestrial small mamma
Authors
H. Beck, M.S. Gaines, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols
On the use of attractor dimension as a feature in structural health monitoring
Recent works in the vibration-based structural health monitoring community have emphasised the use of correlation dimension as a discriminating statistic in seperating a damaged from undamaged response. This paper explores the utility of attractor dimension as a 'feature' and offers some comparisons between different metrics reflecting dimension. This focus is on evaluating the performance of tw
Authors
J.M. Nichols, L.N. Virgin, M.D. Todd, J. D. Nichols
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
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
Monitoring of biological diversity — A response to Danielsen et al
No abstract available.
Authors
Nigel G. Yoccoz, J. D. Nichols, T. Boulinier
Temporal variability of local abundance, sex ratio and activity in the Sardinian chalk hill blue butterfly
When capturing and marking of individuals is possible, the application of newly developed capture-recapture models can remove several sources of bias in the estimation of population parameters such as local abundance and sex ratio. For example, observation of distorted sex ratios in counts or captures can reflect either different abundances of the sexes or different sex-specific capture probabili
Authors
P. Casula, 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
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
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
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
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
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 401
On the estimation of dispersal and movement of birds
The estimation of dispersal and movement is important to evolutionary and population ecologists, as well as to wildlife managers. We review statistical methodology available to estimate movement probabilities. We begin with cases where individual birds can be marked and their movements estimated with the use of multisite capture-recapture methods. Movements can be monitored either directly, usi
Authors
W. L. Kendall, J. D. Nichols
Comparative dynamics of small mammal populations in treefall gaps and surrounding understorey within Amazonian rainforest
Variation in food resource availability can have profound effects on habitat selection and dynamics of populations. Previous studies reported higher food resource availability and fruit removal in treefall gaps than in the understorey. Therefore, gaps have been considered 'keystone habitat' for Neotropical frugivore birds. Here we test if this prediction would also hold for terrestrial small mamma
Authors
H. Beck, M.S. Gaines, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols
On the use of attractor dimension as a feature in structural health monitoring
Recent works in the vibration-based structural health monitoring community have emphasised the use of correlation dimension as a discriminating statistic in seperating a damaged from undamaged response. This paper explores the utility of attractor dimension as a 'feature' and offers some comparisons between different metrics reflecting dimension. This focus is on evaluating the performance of tw
Authors
J.M. Nichols, L.N. Virgin, M.D. Todd, J. D. Nichols
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
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
Monitoring of biological diversity — A response to Danielsen et al
No abstract available.
Authors
Nigel G. Yoccoz, J. D. Nichols, T. Boulinier
Temporal variability of local abundance, sex ratio and activity in the Sardinian chalk hill blue butterfly
When capturing and marking of individuals is possible, the application of newly developed capture-recapture models can remove several sources of bias in the estimation of population parameters such as local abundance and sex ratio. For example, observation of distorted sex ratios in counts or captures can reflect either different abundances of the sexes or different sex-specific capture probabili
Authors
P. Casula, 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
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
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
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
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