The USGS Alaska Science Center Ecosystems Analytics program is a group of quantitative biologists and research statisticians who provide analytical support to USGS scientists to answer challenging ecological topics and management questions for USGS partners.
Jeffrey Bromaghin, Ph.D.
My research broadly encompasses the development and application of statistical methods and models to improve our understanding of ecological processes that influence the survival, behavior, and reproduction of individual animals, and how individual-animal outcomes ultimately scale upward to shape the dynamics and demographics of entire populations and communities through time and space.
My research involves the development and application of new analytical methods and models to improve our understanding of wildlife population ecology, with a current emphasis on polar bears and other DOI trust species residing in Arctic and sub-Arctic ecosystems. Past work has included nest survival models, applications of genetics in wildlife models, size selectivity and the effects of selective exploitation, animal response to capture and handling, and mark-recapture methodology. Most current research involves the development of mark-recapture and integrated population models to improve our understanding of polar bear population dynamics in a warming Arctic and the use of biotracers (e.g. fatty acids, stable isotopes) to estimate predator diet composition and animal origins and movements. Research products provide valuable information to the public and management authorities from local to international levels, and many have broad applicability that advance the discipline of statistical ecology.
Professional Experience
2009 - Present Research Statistician, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center
2000 - 2009 Statistician, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fisheries and Ecological Services, Alaska Region
1990 - 2000 Regional Biometrician, Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Commercial Fisheries Division
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 1991 University of Wyoming Statistics
M.S. 1988 University of Wyoming Statistics
B.S. 1985 University of Alaska Wildlife Management
Affiliations and Memberships*
The International Biometric Society
The Wildlife Society
Ecological Society of America
Honors and Awards
2014 U. S. Geological Survey, Quality step increase for exceptional performance
2014 U. S. Geological Survey, STAR award for special achievement
2012 U. S. Geological Survey, STAR award for special achievement
2012 Stevan Phelps Award, American Fisheries Society (Bromaghin et al., 2011, TAFS 140:235-249)
2011 U. S. Geological Survey, STAR award for special achievement
2010 U. S. Geological Survey, STAR award for special achievement
2007 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, STAR award for exceptional performance
2007 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Regional Director’s award for Science Excellence
2004 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, quality step increase for sustained exceptional performance
2001 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, STAR award for outstanding performance
1993 Letter of commendation, Alaska Dept. Fish and Game
1992 Deming Award for distinguished graduate program. Dept. of Statistics, University of Wyoming
Science and Products
Polar Bear Research
Polar Bear Population Dynamics
Ecosystems Analytics
Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Fatty Acid Data, Spring Samples 2004-2016
Diet Composition of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears Sampled in Spring from 2004 to 2016 Estimated with Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis
Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017
Multistate capture and search data from the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population in Alaska, 2001-2016
Fatty acid signature data of potential yellow-billed loon prey in the Arctic coastal plain of Alaska, 2009-2011
Assessing the robustness of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations (Supplementary data)
U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010
![USGS Alaska Science Center Ecosystems Analytics Program Aerial survey for Black Brant at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/Aerialgoosepic.png?itok=ownWyPr4)
The USGS Alaska Science Center Ecosystems Analytics program is a group of quantitative biologists and research statisticians who provide analytical support to USGS scientists to answer challenging ecological topics and management questions for USGS partners.
![Graphical abstract showing role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics in southern Beaufort Sea.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/Rode%20polar%20bear%20graphic%20final.jpg?itok=PIE4m9fg)
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic
Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics
Summer/fall diet and macronutrient assimilation in an Arctic predator
Long-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment
Survival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016
Diet composition and body condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in relation to sea ice habitat in the Canadian High Arctic
Seal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea
Analyses on subpopulation abundance and annual number of maternal dens for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea, Alaska
Drivers and consequences of apex predator diet composition in the Canadian Beaufort Sea
Dietary fat concentrations influence fatty acid assimilation patterns in Atlantic pollock (Pollachius virens)
Energy-rich mesopelagic fishes revealed as a critical prey resource for a deep-diving predator using quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
QFASAR: Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis with R
Tests of multistate CJS models to estimate survival conditioned on a partially-observed latent state
QFASA Robustness to Assumption Violations: Computer Code
qfasar: Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis in R
Science and Products
Polar Bear Research
Polar Bear Population Dynamics
Ecosystems Analytics
Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bear Fatty Acid Data, Spring Samples 2004-2016
Diet Composition of Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears Sampled in Spring from 2004 to 2016 Estimated with Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis
Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017
Multistate capture and search data from the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population in Alaska, 2001-2016
Fatty acid signature data of potential yellow-billed loon prey in the Arctic coastal plain of Alaska, 2009-2011
Assessing the robustness of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations (Supplementary data)
U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010
![USGS Alaska Science Center Ecosystems Analytics Program Aerial survey for Black Brant at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/Aerialgoosepic.png?itok=ownWyPr4)
The USGS Alaska Science Center Ecosystems Analytics program is a group of quantitative biologists and research statisticians who provide analytical support to USGS scientists to answer challenging ecological topics and management questions for USGS partners.
The USGS Alaska Science Center Ecosystems Analytics program is a group of quantitative biologists and research statisticians who provide analytical support to USGS scientists to answer challenging ecological topics and management questions for USGS partners.
![Graphical abstract showing role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics in southern Beaufort Sea.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/Rode%20polar%20bear%20graphic%20final.jpg?itok=PIE4m9fg)
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS and collaborators that examines the role of diet and food intake affecting polar bear population dynamics. Polar bears consume diets consisting of high proportions of marine mammal blubber that they access from the sea ice.
Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic
Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics
Summer/fall diet and macronutrient assimilation in an Arctic predator
Long-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment
Survival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016
Diet composition and body condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in relation to sea ice habitat in the Canadian High Arctic
Seal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea
Analyses on subpopulation abundance and annual number of maternal dens for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea, Alaska
Drivers and consequences of apex predator diet composition in the Canadian Beaufort Sea
Dietary fat concentrations influence fatty acid assimilation patterns in Atlantic pollock (Pollachius virens)
Energy-rich mesopelagic fishes revealed as a critical prey resource for a deep-diving predator using quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
QFASAR: Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis with R
Tests of multistate CJS models to estimate survival conditioned on a partially-observed latent state
QFASA Robustness to Assumption Violations: Computer Code
qfasar: Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis in R
*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