Vijay P Patil, Ph.D.
Population Ecology, Ecosystem Modeling, Arctic Climate Change, Ecohydrology, Trophic mismatch
I study Arctic wildlife and ecosystems with collaborators at the Alaska Science Center, Department of Interior agencies, and other state and local partners. My research focuses on four components: Vital rate estimation and demographic modeling, GIS spatial analyses to test hypotheses about wildlife movement patterns and habitat associations, ecosystems research, and analytical software development. I have used field and remote sensing data to model the distribution and abundance of polar bear dens, measure goose forage availability in Arctic wetlands, and design habitat protection scenarios to help mitigate potential impacts of oil and gas development on Alaskan waterfowl. I also recently developed an R package for working with phytoplankton taxonomic and functional trait data, as part of a collaborative effort to understand how climate change and extreme weather events affect lake ecosystems and phytoplankton communities. Current projects include development of a Bayesian hierarchical integrated population model (IPM) to evaluate the effects of phenology mismatch and density dependence on Arctic-breeding goose populations.
Professional Experience
December 2015 – Present Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK
2012 – 2015 Graduate Research Assistant, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
2010 – 2012 Field Crew Leader, Lab Supervisor, USGS Yukon River Basin Project
2010 Research Technician, USFWS BSEIRP Project, St. George AK
2007 – 2010 Teaching Assistant, Biology Department, University of Alberta
2006 Research Technician, various projects, USFWS/USGS, AK and Greenland
2005 – 2006 Intern, PRBO Conservation Science, Cape Crozier, Antarctica
2005 Biological Science Technician, USNPS, King's Canyon Natl. Park, CA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2018 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK Biology and Wildlife
M.Sc. 2010 University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Biological Sciences
B.S. 2005 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY Natural Resources
Affiliations and Memberships*
GLEON (Global Lake Ecology Observation Network)
Co-PI, GEISHA (Global Evaluation of the Impacts of Storms on Freshwater Habitat and Structure of Phytoplankton Assemblages), USGS Powell Center Working Group
Science and Products
Storm impacts on phytoplankton community dynamics in lakes
Visualizing populations of North American sea ducks: Maps to guide research and management planning
Factors promoting the recolonization of Oahu, Hawaii, by Bristle-thighed Curlews
Survival of Bristle-thighed Curlews equipped with externally mounted transmitters
Normalized difference vegetation index as an estimator for abundance and quality of avian herbivore forage in arctic Alaska
Consequences of gas flux model choice on the interpretation of metabolic balance across 15 lakes
Science and Products
Storm impacts on phytoplankton community dynamics in lakes
Visualizing populations of North American sea ducks: Maps to guide research and management planning
Factors promoting the recolonization of Oahu, Hawaii, by Bristle-thighed Curlews
Survival of Bristle-thighed Curlews equipped with externally mounted transmitters
Normalized difference vegetation index as an estimator for abundance and quality of avian herbivore forage in arctic Alaska
Consequences of gas flux model choice on the interpretation of metabolic balance across 15 lakes
*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