Melia Nafus, Ph.D.
Melia Nafus is a Research Ecologist at the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center.
Melia leads the USGS Brown Treesnake Project based in the Marianas where her research is focused on improving detection and capture of cryptic reptiles at low densities, potential ecological effects of snake control, and development and implementation of control measures to enact population suppression on Guam and prevent their spread to other Pacific Islands. She also develops and collaborates on research designed to inform ecology and species recovery needs in the Pacific and elsewhere, as well as invasive reptile ecology. Broadly speaking, Melia is interested in factors that affect persistence of herpetofaunal populations including behavior, habitat selection, population dynamics, and spatial use.
Professional Experience
2016 to Present, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey
2014 to 2016, Researcher, San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido California
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Ecology, Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California Davis, 2014
B.S. Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, 2007
Science and Products
Data associated with toxicant applications for brown treesnake control
Brown Treesnake visual survey and radiotelemetry data, Guam 2015
Habitat characterization around standard brown treesnake traps on Guam, 2004 - 2017
Dataset: Passive restoration following ungulate removal in a highly disturbed tropical wet forest devoid of native seed dispersers
Brown treesnake mortality after aerial application of toxic baits
Surface material and snout-vent length predict vertical scaling ability in brown treesnakes:an evaluation of multispecies barriers for invasive species control on Guam
Using enclosed Y-mazes to assess chemosensory behavior in reptiles
Evaluating lethal toxicant doses for the largest individuals of an invasive vertebrate predator with indeterminate growth
Evidence for an established population of tegu lizards Salvator merianae in southeastern Georgia, USA
Hemidactylus tenkatei (Spotted house gecko)
Hemidactylus cf. platyurus (Asian flat-tailed house gecko)
Behavior, size, and body condition predict susceptibility to management and reflect post-treatment frequency shifts in an invasive snake
Landscape dominance of introduced herpetofauna on an oceanic island
Estimating detection probability for Burmese Pythons with few detections and zero recapture events
Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities
Using incidental mark-encounter data to improve survival estimation
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Data associated with toxicant applications for brown treesnake control
Brown Treesnake visual survey and radiotelemetry data, Guam 2015
Habitat characterization around standard brown treesnake traps on Guam, 2004 - 2017
Dataset: Passive restoration following ungulate removal in a highly disturbed tropical wet forest devoid of native seed dispersers
Brown treesnake mortality after aerial application of toxic baits
Surface material and snout-vent length predict vertical scaling ability in brown treesnakes:an evaluation of multispecies barriers for invasive species control on Guam
Using enclosed Y-mazes to assess chemosensory behavior in reptiles
Evaluating lethal toxicant doses for the largest individuals of an invasive vertebrate predator with indeterminate growth
Evidence for an established population of tegu lizards Salvator merianae in southeastern Georgia, USA
Hemidactylus tenkatei (Spotted house gecko)
Hemidactylus cf. platyurus (Asian flat-tailed house gecko)
Behavior, size, and body condition predict susceptibility to management and reflect post-treatment frequency shifts in an invasive snake
Landscape dominance of introduced herpetofauna on an oceanic island
Estimating detection probability for Burmese Pythons with few detections and zero recapture events
Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities
Using incidental mark-encounter data to improve survival estimation
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.