Wildlife Ecology and Habitat Restoration Team
Active
By Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
September 3, 2026
Our team conducts research on wildlife species ecology, threats to species, causes of population dynamics, and ways to mitigate threats for species recovery. For example, we conduct research on ecological restoration in terrestrial and aquatic environments, and investigate wildlife responses to restoration. We also evaluate standardized methods used to monitor post-restoration outcomes and develop science-based decision support and adaptative management tools to aid natural resource management.
Our work spans several major areas, including restoration, monitoring and evaluation, habitat relationships, invasive species, species life histories, ecosystem processes, and wildfire.
Research Areas
Click to explore science webpages, publications, web tools, and more for each of our research topics.
Species Conservation
Species Conservation
Restoration Effectiveness
Restoration Effectiveness
Decision Support Tools
Decision Support Tools
Principal Investigator
David Pilliod - Supervisory Research Ecologist
Federal Staff
Robert Arkle - Supervisory Biologist
Tyler Castilleja - Biological Science Technician
Morgan Cheyney - Biological Science Technician
Matthew Clark - Biological Science Technician
Michaela Grossklaus - Biologist
Michelle Jeffries - Biologist & Project Manager for Land Treatment Digital Library and Land Treatment Exploration Tool
Kristina Parker - Biologist
John (Gordon) Ross - Ecologist
Katherine (Katie) Rupp - Biological Science Technician
Science Themes of the FRESC Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team are highlighted below.
Filter Total Items: 23
LTDL and LTET Team (FRESC)
The Land Treatment Digital Library (LTDL) and The Land Treatment Exploration Tool (LTET) are practical resources for land managers planning restoration and rehabilitation projects on public lands.
USGS Technical Transfer for Department of War Installations in the Sagebrush Biome
The USGS has initiated a new collaboration effort with Department of War (DoW) in the sagebrush biome. The goal of this effort is to establish a network with DoW resource managers to define pervasive natural resource issues facing DoW installations and to identify existing innovative USGS science and tools that support DoW resource managers. Through this effort, the USGS will provide subject...
Project ROAM
USGS is identifying, testing, and verifying rapid methods for rangeland assessment and restoration monitoring. Our methods complement existing monitoring frameworks, providing land management agencies with timely information that can be used to determine if restoration investments are successful, and why. Standardization, validation, repeatability, data management, and training are at the core of...
Proof of concept airborne eDNA testing to detect invasive species in shipping containers
Shipping containers that are transported by water vessels traveling between islands and the mainland or other islands can act as a vector for invasive species that are accidentally transported with the cargo. If the vessel carries a lot of cargo, or cargo has areas for different species to hide, inspections can be difficult, time consuming, and expensive, or in the case of non-agricultural...
Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin
Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey are developing a strategic framework for assessing and monitoring the impacts of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems of the western U.S. Fuel breaks are increasingly being used to reduce the threat of wildfire, but more information on their efficacy and impacts on wildlife habitat and exotic annual grass invasion is needed.
Systematic Review and Analysis of Seeding and Herbicide Treatment in the Sagebrush Steppe
Seeding and herbicide treatments are a key aspect of the strategy used to break the annual grass-fire cycle in sagebrush steppe. However, past studies report considerable variability in the effectiveness of seeding and herbicide treatments. To generate a more consistent interpretation of post-fire herbicide and seeding effects, we are compiling, reviewing, and synthesizing findings from past...
Using Pollinator Environmental DNA to Assess the Ecological Resilience of America’s Grasslands
Scientists from six USGS science centers are collaborating with USDA, university, and Tribal partners, and Department of the Interior land managers, to assess the status of pollinator communities and the distribution of species of conservation concern using environmental DNA. These methods will be used to improve assessments of habitat quality and pollinator responses to restoration, including...
By
Species Management Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory
Dakota Skipper Surveillance, Monitoring, and Assessment
The Dakota Skipper is a small butterfly that once lived throughout the grasslands of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada but is now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Using Artificial Flowers to Survey for Pollinators
Pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are critical for the success of agriculture and must have suitable habitat to thrive. Planting pollinator-friendly plants under and around solar panels has the potential to benefit pollinators and nearby agriculture while contributing to renewable energy production.
Wildland Fire Trends Tool
The Wildland Fire Trends Tool (WFTT) is a data visualization and analysis tool that calculates and displays wildfire trends and patterns for the western U.S. based on user-defined regions of interest, time periods, and ecosystem types. Users can use the tool to easily generate a variety of maps, graphs, and tabular data products that are informative for all levels of expertise. The WFTT provides...
READI-Net: Providing Tools for the Early Detection and Management of Aquatic Invasive Species
The USGS has developed the Rapid environmental (e)DNA Assessment and Deployment Initiative & Network (READI-Net) to accelerate the implementation of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a best practice for the early detection of aquatic biological threats. READI-Net provides tools and a strategy to collect and deliver early detection data for natural resource managers and public health protection...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory, Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act
GIS Clipping and Summarization Tool for Points, Lines, Polygons, and Rasters
Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses are an essential part of natural resource management and research. Calculating and summarizing data within intersecting GIS layers is common practice for analysts and researchers. However, the various tools and steps required to complete this process are slow and tedious, requiring many tools iterating over hundreds, or even thousands of...
Science Themes of the FRESC Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team are highlighted below.
Filter Total Items: 23
LTDL and LTET Team (FRESC)
The Land Treatment Digital Library (LTDL) and The Land Treatment Exploration Tool (LTET) are practical resources for land managers planning restoration and rehabilitation projects on public lands.
USGS Technical Transfer for Department of War Installations in the Sagebrush Biome
The USGS has initiated a new collaboration effort with Department of War (DoW) in the sagebrush biome. The goal of this effort is to establish a network with DoW resource managers to define pervasive natural resource issues facing DoW installations and to identify existing innovative USGS science and tools that support DoW resource managers. Through this effort, the USGS will provide subject...
Project ROAM
USGS is identifying, testing, and verifying rapid methods for rangeland assessment and restoration monitoring. Our methods complement existing monitoring frameworks, providing land management agencies with timely information that can be used to determine if restoration investments are successful, and why. Standardization, validation, repeatability, data management, and training are at the core of...
Proof of concept airborne eDNA testing to detect invasive species in shipping containers
Shipping containers that are transported by water vessels traveling between islands and the mainland or other islands can act as a vector for invasive species that are accidentally transported with the cargo. If the vessel carries a lot of cargo, or cargo has areas for different species to hide, inspections can be difficult, time consuming, and expensive, or in the case of non-agricultural...
Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin
Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey are developing a strategic framework for assessing and monitoring the impacts of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems of the western U.S. Fuel breaks are increasingly being used to reduce the threat of wildfire, but more information on their efficacy and impacts on wildlife habitat and exotic annual grass invasion is needed.
Systematic Review and Analysis of Seeding and Herbicide Treatment in the Sagebrush Steppe
Seeding and herbicide treatments are a key aspect of the strategy used to break the annual grass-fire cycle in sagebrush steppe. However, past studies report considerable variability in the effectiveness of seeding and herbicide treatments. To generate a more consistent interpretation of post-fire herbicide and seeding effects, we are compiling, reviewing, and synthesizing findings from past...
Using Pollinator Environmental DNA to Assess the Ecological Resilience of America’s Grasslands
Scientists from six USGS science centers are collaborating with USDA, university, and Tribal partners, and Department of the Interior land managers, to assess the status of pollinator communities and the distribution of species of conservation concern using environmental DNA. These methods will be used to improve assessments of habitat quality and pollinator responses to restoration, including...
By
Species Management Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory
Dakota Skipper Surveillance, Monitoring, and Assessment
The Dakota Skipper is a small butterfly that once lived throughout the grasslands of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada but is now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Using Artificial Flowers to Survey for Pollinators
Pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are critical for the success of agriculture and must have suitable habitat to thrive. Planting pollinator-friendly plants under and around solar panels has the potential to benefit pollinators and nearby agriculture while contributing to renewable energy production.
Wildland Fire Trends Tool
The Wildland Fire Trends Tool (WFTT) is a data visualization and analysis tool that calculates and displays wildfire trends and patterns for the western U.S. based on user-defined regions of interest, time periods, and ecosystem types. Users can use the tool to easily generate a variety of maps, graphs, and tabular data products that are informative for all levels of expertise. The WFTT provides...
READI-Net: Providing Tools for the Early Detection and Management of Aquatic Invasive Species
The USGS has developed the Rapid environmental (e)DNA Assessment and Deployment Initiative & Network (READI-Net) to accelerate the implementation of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a best practice for the early detection of aquatic biological threats. READI-Net provides tools and a strategy to collect and deliver early detection data for natural resource managers and public health protection...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory, Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act
GIS Clipping and Summarization Tool for Points, Lines, Polygons, and Rasters
Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses are an essential part of natural resource management and research. Calculating and summarizing data within intersecting GIS layers is common practice for analysts and researchers. However, the various tools and steps required to complete this process are slow and tedious, requiring many tools iterating over hundreds, or even thousands of...