Publications
FORT scientists have produced more than 2000 peer reviewed publications that are registered in the USGS Publications Warehouse, along with many others prior to their work at the USGS or in conjunction with other government agencies.
Filter Total Items: 2408
Visitors count! Guidance for protected areas on the economic analysis of visitation Visitors count! Guidance for protected areas on the economic analysis of visitation
The value of protected areas is often hidden from direct view. Once managers understand the number and behaviour of visitors they host, and the revenues and costs they generate, informed decisions on management plans and tourism strategies can be made. Demonstrating the positive impact of protected areas on the local economy can lead to greater buy-in and ownership of conservation...
Authors
Anna Spenceley, Jan Philipp Schagner, Barbara Engels, Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Mauel Engelbauer, Joel Erkkonen, Hubert Job, Liisa Kajala, Lisa Majewski, Daniel Metzler, Marius Mayer, Andrew Rylance, Manuel Woltering, Niklas Scheder, Cecile Smith-Christensen, Thiago Beraldo Souza
Insect pathogenic fungi for biocontrol of plague vector fleas: A review Insect pathogenic fungi for biocontrol of plague vector fleas: A review
Bubonic plague is a lethal bacterial disease of great historical importance. The plague organism, Yersinia pestis, is primarily transmitted by fleas (Siphonaptera). In natural settings, where its range expands, Y. pestis resides in association with wild rodents and their fleas (sylvatic plague). While chemical insecticides are used against plague vector fleas, biological approaches have...
Authors
David A. Eads, Stefan Jaronski, Dean E. Biggins, Jeffrey Wimsatt
Trade-offs in initial and long-term handling efficiency of PIT-tag and photographic identification methods Trade-offs in initial and long-term handling efficiency of PIT-tag and photographic identification methods
Individual identification is required for long-term investigations that examine population-level changes in survival or abundance, and mechanisms associated with these changes in wild populations. Such identification generally requires the application of a unique mark, or the documentation of characteristics distinctive to each individual animal. To minimize impacts to often declining...
Authors
Lindsey Roberts, Abigail B. Fueka, Erin L. Muths, Bennett Hardy, Larissa L. Bailey
Is there tree senescence? The fecundity evidence Is there tree senescence? The fecundity evidence
Despite its importance for forest regeneration, food webs, and human economies, changes in tree fecundity with tree size and age remain largely unknown. The allometric increase with tree diameter assumed in ecological models would substantially overestimate seed contributions from large trees if fecundity eventually declines with size. Current estimates are dominated by...
Authors
Tong Qiu, Marie-Claire Aavena Acuna, Robert A. Andrus, Davide Ascoli, Yves Bergeron, Roberta Berretti, Michal Bogdziewicz, Thomas Boivin, Raul Bonal, Thomas Caignard, Rafael Calama, Julio Camarero, Connie Clark, Benoit Courbaud, Sylvain Delzon, Sergio Donoso Calderon, William Farfan-Rios, Catherine A. Gehring, Gregory S. Gilbert, Cathryn H. Greenberg, Qinfeng Guo, Janneke Hille Ris Lambers, Hoshi Hoshizaki, Ines Ibanez, Valentin Journé, Christopher L. Kilner, Richard Kobe, WD Koenig, Georges Kunstler, Jalene M. LaMontagne, Mateusz Ledwon, James A. Lutz, Renzo Motta, Jonathan A. Myers, Thomas A. Nagel, Kyotaro Noguchi, Chase Nunez, Ian S. Pearse, Carlos Perez-Izquierdo, Lukasz Piechnik, John Poulson, Renata Poulton-Kamakura, Miranda D. Redmond, Chantal D. Reid, Kyle C. Rodman, C. Lane Scher, Harald Schmidt Van Marle, Barbara Seget, Shubhi Sharma, Miles Silman, Jennifer J. Swenson, Margaret Swift, Maria Uriarte, Giorgio Vacchiano, Renato Valencia, Andrew Vander Yacht, Thomas T. Veblen, Amy V. Whipple, Thomas G. Whitham, Andreas Wion, Joseph Wright, Kai Zhu, Jess K. Zimmerman, Magdalena Zywiec, James S. Clark
Amphibian population responses to mitigation: Relative importance of wetland age and design Amphibian population responses to mitigation: Relative importance of wetland age and design
Wetland creation is a common practice to mitigate for the loss of natural wetlands. However, there is still uncertainty about how effectively created wetlands replace habitat provided by natural wetlands. This uncertainty is due in part because post-construction monitoring of biological communities, and vertebrates especially, is rare and typically short-term (
Authors
Emily Bea Oja, Leah S Swartz, Erin L. Muths, Blake R. Hossack
PS3: The Pheno-Synthesis software suite for integration and analysis of multi-scale, multi-platform phenological data PS3: The Pheno-Synthesis software suite for integration and analysis of multi-scale, multi-platform phenological data
Phenology is the study of recurring plant and animal life-cycle stages which can be observed across spatial and temporal scales that span orders of magnitude (e.g., organisms to landscapes). The variety of scales at which phenological processes operate is reflected in the range of methods for collecting phenologically relevant data, and the programs focused on these collections...
Authors
Jeffrey Morisette, Katharyn A Duffy, Jake Weltzin, Dawn M Browning, Lee R Marsh, Aaron Friesz, Luke J Zachmann, Kyle Enns, Vincent A. Landau, Katharine L. Gerst, Theresa M. Crimmins, Katherine D. Jones, Tony Chang, Brian W. Miller, Tom Maiersperger, Andrew D. Richardson
Invaders from islands: Thermal matching, potential or flexibility? Invaders from islands: Thermal matching, potential or flexibility?
Native-range thermal constraints may not reflect the geographical distributions of species introduced from native island ranges in part due to rapid physiological adaptation in species introduced to new environments. Correlative ecological niche models may thus underestimate potential invasive distributions of species from islands. The northern curly-tailed lizard (Leiocephalus carinatus...
Authors
Natalie M. Claunch, Colin Goodman, Robert Reed, Robert P. Guralnick, Christina M. Romagosa, Emily N. Taylor
Improving evaluation of nonlethal tools for carnivore management and conservation: Evaluating fladry to protect an endangered species from a generalist mesocarnivore Improving evaluation of nonlethal tools for carnivore management and conservation: Evaluating fladry to protect an endangered species from a generalist mesocarnivore
Carnivore conservation and management are global research priorities focused on reversing population declines of imperiled species and identifying more effective and humane management of generalist carnivores with thriving populations. Nonlethal methods to mitigate conflict are increasingly used to advance conservation objectives; however, there is limited knowledge about the...
Authors
Rebecca Windell, Larissa L. Bailey, Julie K. Young, Travis M. Livieri, David A. Eads, Stewart Breck
Brown treesnake mortality after aerial application of toxic baits Brown treesnake mortality after aerial application of toxic baits
Quantitative evaluation of control tools for managing invasive species is necessary to assess overall effectiveness and individual variation in treatment susceptibility. Invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) on Guam have caused severe ecological and economic effects, pose a risk of accidental introduction to other islands, and are the greatest impediment to the reestablishment of
Authors
Scott Michael Goetz, Eric T. Hileman, Melia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Amanda R Bryant, Robert Reed, Shane R. Siers
A typology of drought decision making: Synthesizing across cases to understand drought preparedness and response actions A typology of drought decision making: Synthesizing across cases to understand drought preparedness and response actions
Drought is an inescapable reality in many regions, including much of the western United States. With climate change, droughts are predicted to intensify and occur more frequently, making the imperative for drought management even greater. Many diverse actors – including private landowners, business owners, scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and managers and policymakers...
Authors
Amanda E. Cravens, Jennifer Henderson, Jack R. Friedman, Nina Burkardt, Ashley E. Cooper, Tonya Haigh, Michael Hayes, Jamie McEvoy, Stephanie Paladino, Adam Wilke, Hailey Wilmer
Energetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator Energetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator
Studies of predator feeding ecology commonly focus on energy intake. However, captive predators have been documented to selectively feed to optimize macronutrient intake. As many apex predators experience environmental changes that affect prey availability, limitations on selective feeding can affect energetics and health. We estimated the protein:fat ratio of diets consumed by wild...
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Charles T. Robbins, Craig A. Stricker, Brian D. Taras, Troy N Tollefson
Comparison of aerial thermal infrared imagery and helicopter surveys of bison (Bison bison) in Grand Canyon National Park, USA Comparison of aerial thermal infrared imagery and helicopter surveys of bison (Bison bison) in Grand Canyon National Park, USA
Aerial thermal infrared (TIR) surveys are an attractive option for estimating abundances of large mammals inhabiting extensive and heterogenous terrain. Compared to standard helicopter or fixed-wing aerial surveys, TIR flights can be conducted at higher altitudes translating into greater spatial coverage and increased observer safety; however, monetary costs are much greater. Further...
Authors
Jacob Daniel Hennig, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Miranda Terwilliger, Gregory W Holm, Jeffrey L. Laake