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
Simultaneous estimation of diet composition and calibration coefficients with fatty acid signature data
Detect and exploit hidden structure in fatty acid signature data
Habitat degradation affects the summer activity of polar bears
Forecasting the relative influence of environmental and anthropogenic stressors on polar bears
Should fatty acid signature proportions sum to 1 for diet estimation?
Validation of mercury tip-switch and accelerometer activity sensors for identifying resting and active behavior in bears
Simulating realistic predator signatures in quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
Assessing the robustness of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations
Diet of yellow-billed loons (Gavia adamsii) in Arctic lakes during the nesting season inferred from fatty acid analysis
Polar bear population dynamics in the southern Beaufort Sea during a period of sea ice decline
Distance measures and optimization spaces in quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
Evaluating and ranking threats to the long-term persistence of polar bears
Science and Products
Simultaneous estimation of diet composition and calibration coefficients with fatty acid signature data
Detect and exploit hidden structure in fatty acid signature data
Habitat degradation affects the summer activity of polar bears
Forecasting the relative influence of environmental and anthropogenic stressors on polar bears
Should fatty acid signature proportions sum to 1 for diet estimation?
Validation of mercury tip-switch and accelerometer activity sensors for identifying resting and active behavior in bears
Simulating realistic predator signatures in quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
Assessing the robustness of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations
Diet of yellow-billed loons (Gavia adamsii) in Arctic lakes during the nesting season inferred from fatty acid analysis
Polar bear population dynamics in the southern Beaufort Sea during a period of sea ice decline
Distance measures and optimization spaces in quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
Evaluating and ranking threats to the long-term persistence of polar bears
*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