A5063911728- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Economic and Environmental Valuation
- Marine animal studies overview
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Satellite Image Processing and Photogrammetry
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Marine and fisheries research
- Data Analysis with R
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
2014-2024
Oregon State University
2011-2016
Northern Arizona University
1993
Abstract Estimates of species' vital rates and an understanding the factors affecting those parameters over time space can provide crucial information for management conservation. We used mark–recapture, reproductive output, territory occupancy data collected during 1985–2013 to evaluate population processes Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) in 11 study areas Washington, Oregon, northern California, USA. estimated apparent survival, fecundity, recruitment, rate change, local...
Abstract With the accelerating pace of global change, it is imperative that we obtain rapid inventories status and distribution wildlife for ecological inferences conservation planning. To address this challenge, launched SNAPSHOT USA project, a collaborative survey terrestrial populations using camera traps across United States. For our first annual survey, compiled data all 50 states during 14‐week period (17 August–24 November 2019). We sampled at 1,509 trap sites from 110 arrays covering...
Significance An incomplete understanding of the total influence competitively dominant predators exert on subordinate species hinders our ability to anticipate effects that changing carnivore populations will have ecological communities. Here, we show cougars are architects a complex behavioral game risk and reward, because or cooccurring carnivores both provisioned preyed by predators. Each considered here employed different strategy approach risk–reward tradeoff, suggesting there multiple...
Abstract The northern spotted owl ( Strix occidentalis caurina ) is one of the most intensively studied raptors in world; however, little known about impacts wildfire on subspecies and how they use recently burned areas. Three large‐scale wildfires southwest Oregon provided an opportunity to investigate short‐term salvage logging site occupancy owls. We used Program MARK develop single‐species, multiple‐season models using data collected during demographic surveys territories. In our first...
Estimating densities of cougar (Puma concolor) is important for managing cougars and their prey but remains challenging because cougar's elusive solitary behavior. To evaluate a non-invasive, genetic capture–recapture method to estimate population size density, we surveyed 220-km2 area using conservation detection dogs trained locate scat over 4-week sampling period in northeast Oregon. We collected 272 samples conducted DNA analysis on 249 from which determined individual identification 73...
In heterogeneous landscapes, large herbivores employ plastic behavioral strategies to buffer themselves against negative effects of environmental variation on fitness. Yet, the mechanisms by which individual responses such scale up influence population performance remain uncertain. Analyses space-use behaviors exemplify this knowledge gap, because are often assumed, but rarely demonstrated, have direct fitness consequences. We combined fine-scale data forage biomass and quality with movement...
Abstract Recurrent environmental changes often prompt animals to alter their behavior leading predictable patterns across a range of temporal scales. The nested nature circadian and seasonal complicates tests for effects rarer disturbance events like fire. Fire can dramatically plant community structure, with important knock‐on at higher trophic levels, but the strength timing fire's on herbivores remain unclear. We combined prescribed fire treatments fine‐scale location data quantify...
Cougars (Puma concolor) are a primary predator of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and elk (Cervus elaphus) throughout western North America. Effective management predator-prey systems requires solid understanding kill rates, prey use, selection. We implemented 3-year study in northeast Oregon to investigate cougar diet, selection multiple-prey system assess the degree which patterns predation may be generalizable across identify selective cougars that affect ungulate populations. marked 25...
Abstract The life‐and‐death stakes of predator–prey encounters justify the high price many anti‐predator behaviors. In adopting these behaviors, prey incur substantial non‐consumptive costs that can have population‐level consequences. Because knowledge risk is imperfect, individuals may even adopt costly behaviors in absence a real threat. For example, rather than only avoid hunters, species categorically all anthropogenic activity. Although hunting seasons increase for specific (e.g.,...
Abstract Consistent with a warming climate, the timing of key phenological phases (i.e. phenophases) for many plant species is shifting, but direction and extent these shifts remain unclear. For large herbivores such as ungulates, altered phenology can have important nutritional demographic consequences. We used two multi-year datasets collected during 1992–1996 2015–2019 understory in semi-arid forested rangelands northeastern Oregon, United States, to test whether duration phenophases...
We estimated annual survival rates (S) of 23 radio-marked Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) at the Quartz and Timbered Rock burns adjacent areas in southwest Oregon. used known-fate models program MARK to test for differences among three groups (owls dwelling inside burned areas, owls displaced by wildfire, outside areas) investigate potential effects fire severity cover type on survival. found that maintained a territory within burn perimeter (Ŝ = 0.69 ± 0.12) or had been...
ABSTRACT Understanding bottom‐up, top‐down, and abiotic factors along with interactions that may influence additive or compensatory effects of predation on ungulate population growth has become increasingly important as carnivore assemblages, land management policies, climate variability change across western North America. Recruitment trends elk ( Cervus canadensis ) have been downward in the last 4 decades northern Rocky Mountains Pacific Northwest, USA. In Oregon, changes vegetation...
ABSTRACT Mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) are widely hunted throughout western North America and experiencing population declines across much of their range. Consequently, understanding the direct indirect effects hunting is important for management mule populations. Managers can influence mortality rates through changes in season length or authorized tag numbers. Little known, however, about how affect site fidelity patterns subsequent habitat use movement deer. Understanding these...
We tested the effect of predation by rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss on behavior and spatial distribution Little Colorado spinedace Lepidomeda vittata, a native cyprinid that occurs in disjunct populations northern Arizona. Field experiments demonstrated high even presence natural refuges abundant macroinvertebrate prey. showed almost no predator avoidance trout, which implies limited interaction with large nonnative predators through evolutionary time. Results suggest may have significant...
ABSTRACT Mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) populations have experienced widespread declines in much of western North America and alteration or loss habitat could be contributing to these declines. Consequently, understanding features that are important mule is necessary for effective management the species their habitat. From 2005–2012 we radio‐marked 452 with global positioning system collars across 9 distinct winter ranges evaluate use along east slope Cascade Range south‐central Oregon,...
Abstract Variation among demographic rates for a population reflects the allocation of available energy by individuals to competing life‐history strategies. Species exhibiting slow‐paced life histories often prioritize adult survival over any single reproductive event, therefore maximizing future potential. Survival female ungulates is generally high with little variability, whereas young lower and highly variable. When low juvenile may have proportionally greater effect on growth or...
Abstract Spatial capture–recapture (SCR) models have become the preferred tool for estimating densities of carnivores. Within this family are variants requiring identification all individuals in each encounter (SCR), a subset only (generalized spatial mark–resight, gSMR), or no individual (spatial count presence–absence). Although technique has been shown through simulation to yield unbiased results, consistency and relative precision estimates across methods real‐world settings seldom...
ABSTRACT Sport hunting of ungulates is a predominant recreational pursuit and the primary tool for managing their populations in North America beyond, given its influence on ungulate distributions, social organization, population performance. Similarly, land management, such as motorized vehicle access, influences distributions during outside seasons. Although research responses to use widespread, knowledge gaps persist about space hunters what landscape features discriminate among hunt...
Abstract Prey respond to predation risk with a range of behavioral tactics that can vary based on space use and hunting mode the predator. Unlike other predators, human hunters are often more spatially temporally restricted, which creates period short‐duration, high‐intensity for prey. Consequently, identifying roles different modes (i.e., archery rifle), hunts targeted non‐targeted species, landscape features play in altering spatial temporal responses prey by humans is important effective...
ABSTRACT To reverse observed range-wide population declines, managers of mule and black- tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) require information on the vital rates life stages that are most influential to growth for which target management actions. We conducted a literature review used hierarchical models provide biological descriptions black-tailed rates, their variability, how they correlate with one another. then matrix life-stage simulation analysis determine individual contributed...
Abstract In multi-carnivore systems individuals must forage and reproduce while also competing with other carnivores avoiding intraguild predation. These interactions may vary by strength scales across different ecosystems. We used occupancy analyses attraction–avoidance indices to assess large- fine-scale interactions, respectively, between Cougars (Puma concolor), Bobcats (Lynx rufus), Coyotes (Canis latrans) in northeast Oregon based on data from camera traps set during the summer fall of...
ABSTRACT Mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) populations have been declining throughout their range and loss or deterioration of habitat has associated with observed trends. An understanding the relative importance landscape characteristics in affecting mule distribution will allow wildlife managers that alter to make predictions regarding future use by deer, which is likely influence population size recruitment. We radio‐marked 376 adult female global positioning system‐collars from 2006–2012...
ABSTRACT Cougar ( Puma concolor ) management in Oregon is unique because hunting cougars with dogs was allowed through the 1994 season, but thereafter Ballot Initiative Measure 18 prohibited use of to pursue cougars. Since 1995, seasons have become increasingly longer more tags sold. The effects changing structure on survival rates and causes mortality are not well understood. We investigated documented radiocollared at 3 study areas from 1989 2011 under contrasting strategies. Catherine...