I lead the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) and the Herpetological Research Team at the Forest and Rangeland Science Center in Corvallis, Oregon
Research in my lab focuses on amphibian conservation issues. We are currently addressing issues such as invasive species, disease, land use change, and long-term monitoring design for amphibians in North America. We use a combination of comparative surveys and manipulative experiments to understand the factors affecting amphibian distribution and abundance.
Professional Experience
1997 - Present: USGS, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Supervisory Research Ecologist, Corvallis, OR
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Wildlife Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (1997)
B.S., Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (1992)
Science and Products
Herpetological Research Team (FRESC)
Acoustic Surveys to Inform Invasive American Bullfrog Removal Efforts
Invader Removal and Recovery of a Threatened Amphibian
American Bullfrog Invasion and Impacts on Native Species in the Pacific Northwest
Advancing Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for High Elevation and Endangered Lowland Coquí Frogs in the U.S. Caribbean
The Influence of Climate Change on the Vulnerability of At-Risk Amphibians to Disease and Invasive Species in the Northwest
Disease
Quantitative and Other Methods
Oregon Spotted Frog
Aquatic Habitats and Communities
Declining Amphibians
Aquatic Invasive Species
Herpetological Research Team (FRESC)
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) captures before and after drought mitigation at Jack Creek, Oregon 2009-2021
Mercury concentrations in amphibian tissues across the United States, 2016-2021
Larval headwater stream amphibian captures from the Trask River Watershed Experimental Study of forest harvest impacts, 2008-2016
Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) surveys in Oregon and Washington 2022
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Crane Prairie Reservoir in Oregon, USA
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) observations in Oregon (ver. 5.0, January 2023)
Annotated bibliography of grazing effects on amphibians and their habitats (ver. 2.0, February 2022)
Capture-mark-recapture data for Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) along the Deschutes River, Oregon, 2016-2019
North Coast and Cascades Network consolidated amphibian database (1984-2005)
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) monitoring data for metademographic analysis 2010-2018, Oregon
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, USA
Nutrients, estrogenicity, and fecal indicators in surface water collected from wetlands in the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, 2017-2018
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Broad-scale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians
Population dynamics of the threatened Oregon spotted frog before and after drought mitigation
Species management research program [postcard]
Adjacent and downstream effects of forest harvest on the distribution and abundance of larval headwater stream amphibians in the Oregon Coast Range
By land, air, and water — U.S. Geological Survey science supporting fish and wildlife migrations throughout North America
Late season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) in a large reservoir in Oregon, USA
Looking ahead, guided by the past: The role of U.S. national parks in amphibian research and conservation
An updated assessment of status and trend in the distribution of the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) in Oregon, USA
Demography of the Oregon spotted frog along a hydrologically modified river
Enhanced between-site biosecurity to minimize herpetofaunal disease-causing pathogen transmission
Monitoring wetland water quality related to livestock grazing in amphibian habitats
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) not detected in an intensive survey of wild North American amphibians
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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Science and Products
- Science
Herpetological Research Team (FRESC)
The Herpetological Research Team focuses on issues related to conservation and management of amphibians and other aquatic and semi-aquatic species. Among our current studies are effects of invasive species, disease, and land use change on the dynamics of amphibian communities to inform conservation and management decision making.Filter Total Items: 13Acoustic Surveys to Inform Invasive American Bullfrog Removal Efforts
The Herpetological Research Team is recording audio in areas where American bullfrogs have invaded to learn more about where and when they are breeding and inform managers tasked with controlling their spread.Invader Removal and Recovery of a Threatened Amphibian
The Herpetological Research Team is using acoustic surveys and eDNA methods to evaluate the progress of invasive bullfrog removal and Oregon spotted frog recovery.American Bullfrog Invasion and Impacts on Native Species in the Pacific Northwest
The Herpetological Research Team at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center uses innovative tools to investigate the invasion and spread of American bullfrogs in Washington and Oregon and understand how bullfrogs are interacting with native amphibians.Advancing Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for High Elevation and Endangered Lowland Coquí Frogs in the U.S. Caribbean
Amphibians in the US Caribbean, like the well-known coquí frog, are particularly vulnerable to human-caused climate change. Coquí frogs are represented by 17 species across Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands and include several mountainous and coastal species that are threatened by extreme heat and drying, loss of coastal freshwater marshes through saltwater intrusion, or both. Over the past decade...The Influence of Climate Change on the Vulnerability of At-Risk Amphibians to Disease and Invasive Species in the Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a hotspot for temperate amphibian biodiversity and is home to many species of salamanders and frogs found nowhere else on earth. Changing climatic conditions threaten habitat for many of these species and may also enhance the risk of disease and invasive species encroachment. State and federal wildlife agencies are in the process of evaluating these threats, but informatioDisease
Disease is a major threat facing amphibian and reptile populations around the world. Our research addresses interactions between pathogens, the environment, and hosts to better understand ways to prevent the spread of disease.Quantitative and Other Methods
Applying quantitative methods to evaluate ecological hypotheses for wild animal populations is inherently challenging due to the complexity of ecological systems and the sampling process that is used to monitor them.Oregon Spotted Frog
The Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) is a medium-sized anuran native to the northwestern United States. Body coloration ranges from brown or tan to brick red, usually overlaid with dark, ragged spots. Oregon spotted frogs can be distinguished from other native species by their relatively short hind legs, orange or red wash of color on underside of abdomen and legs, and upturned chartreuse eyes...Aquatic Habitats and Communities
The Pacific Northwest includes a patchwork of public lands managed by numerous state and federal agencies. Our research informs and supports these agencies as they conserve and manage native amphibian species, including pre- and post-treatment assessment, decision support, long-term monitoring, population translocation, and habitat restoration.Declining Amphibians
Amphibian populations world-wide are declining for reasons that include disease, habitat loss, and invasive species. Our research addresses these threats as part of the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), a nationwide, federally funded program. We work with resource managers to provide information that improves understanding of status of amphibians and the implications of...Aquatic Invasive Species
Aquatic invasive species, like bullfrogs, stocked fish, crayfish, and reed canarygrass can affect aquatic systems in a variety of ways and have been linked to declines in some amphibians.Herpetological Research Team (FRESC)
The Herpetological Research Team focuses on issues related to conservation and management of amphibians and other aquatic and semi-aquatic species. Among our current studies are effects of invasive species, disease, and land use change on the dynamics of amphibian communities to inform conservation and management decision making. - Data
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 23Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) captures before and after drought mitigation at Jack Creek, Oregon 2009-2021
Amphibians are among the most sensitive taxa to climate change, and species inhabiting arid and semiarid landscapes at the extremes of their range are especially vulnerable to periods of drought. The Jack Creek, Oregon, USA population of Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) faces unique challenges occupying the highest elevation site in the species’ extant range and one that has been hydrologicallMercury concentrations in amphibian tissues across the United States, 2016-2021
Comma-separated values (.csv) file containing data related to amphibian sampling across the United States between 2016 and 2021. Data files contain mercury concentrations in amphibian and dragonfly tissues, mercury concentrations in sediment, as well as amphibian morphometrics, and habitat and climate characteristics where the samples were collected.Larval headwater stream amphibian captures from the Trask River Watershed Experimental Study of forest harvest impacts, 2008-2016
Forest harvest is one of the primary landscape-scale management actions affecting riparian forests of the Pacific Northwest, U.S, yet the effect of harvest on headwater steam amphibians is largely understudied. Existing information is often limited because of the difficulty separating movement and emigration processes from occupancy and abundance estimates. We designed a before-after control-impacCascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) surveys in Oregon and Washington 2022
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is evaluating the status of the Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) across its range to determine whether the species merits listing under the Endangered Species Act. The USGS conducted visual surveys for Rhyacotriton cascadae at 65 sites in Oregon and Washington that were historically occupied by the species. Sites were selected from a poolOregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Crane Prairie Reservoir in Oregon, USA
We used radio-telemetry to study late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) at Crane Prairie Reservoir in Oregon. This dataset includes individual frog location data and habitat use during each tracking event that occurred roughly weekly between September and late November of 2018.Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) observations in Oregon (ver. 5.0, January 2023)
This dataset contains information from surveys conducted 2016-2022 by USGS as part of an ongoing Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) monitoring effort in Oregon. USGS research activities 2016-2022 were divided into seven study design categories: breeding (egg mass counts), mid-level (visual encounter surveys for occupancy monitoring), apex (mark-recapture), telemetry, trapping, water quality (skinAnnotated bibliography of grazing effects on amphibians and their habitats (ver. 2.0, February 2022)
This database contains literature citations and associated summaries pertaining to livestock grazing effects on amphibians and their habitats, with an emphasis on the Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) and other listed/sensitive wetland-breeding amphibians in the western United States. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, nor did we perform a systematic meta-analysis; rather, literature reCapture-mark-recapture data for Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) along the Deschutes River, Oregon, 2016-2019
This dataset contains information from capture-mark-recapture sampling of Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) conducted 2016-2019 by USGS as part of a study relating R. pretiosa survival and abundance to wetland inundation in the upper Deschutes River. Data consist of site, survey, habitat, and species detection covariates, as well as 10 years of hydrological and drought metrics used to establishNorth Coast and Cascades Network consolidated amphibian database (1984-2005)
This data set is an amalgamation of twenty-nine original data sets, which represent amphibian surveys in the seven national parks comprising the North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN) of the National Park Service. The data were collected from 1984-2005, and include the localities of 19 species of amphibians at various life stages, 18 native to the Pacific Northwest and one invasive species.Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) monitoring data for metademographic analysis 2010-2018, Oregon
This dataset contains information from surveys conducted 2010-2018 by USGS as part of a long-term Oregon spotted frog monitoring effort in the central Oregon range. Data consist of site, survey, habitat, and species detection covariates, as well as inter-site distance measurements.Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) telemetry and habitat use at Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, USA
We used radio-telemetry to study late-season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) at Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. This data release includes frog location and habitat use data, as well as visualizations of telemetry data. Tracking events occurred roughly weekly between August and December of 2017.Nutrients, estrogenicity, and fecal indicators in surface water collected from wetlands in the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, 2017-2018
The data was gathered to determine the effects of cattle grazing on wetland water quality in the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Surface water samples from sites representing a range of grazing histories were collected between June and October in 2017 and 2018. Samples were analyzed for nutrients (ammonia, nitrate plus nitrite, nitrite and orthophosphate), total coliforms, E. coli, ent - Multimedia
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
- Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 106Broad-scale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant that has been mobilized and distributed worldwide and is a threat to many wildlife species. Amphibians are facing unprecedented global declines due to many threats including contaminants. While the biphasic life history of many amphibians creates a potential nexus for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in aquatic habitats and subsequent health effects, the broad-scalAuthorsBrian J. Tornabene, Blake R. Hossack, Brian J. Halstead, Collin Eagles-Smith, Michael J. Adams, Adam R. Backlin, Adrianne Brand, Colleen Emery, Robert N. Fisher, Jillian Elizabeth Fleming, Brad Glorioso, Daniel A. Grear, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Patrick M. Kleeman, David Miller, Erin L. Muths, Christopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Caitlin Teresa Rumrill, J. Hardin Waddle, Megan Winzeler, Kelly SmallingByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Eastern Ecological Science CenterPopulation dynamics of the threatened Oregon spotted frog before and after drought mitigation
Amphibians are among the most sensitive taxa to climate change, and species inhabiting arid and semiarid landscapes at the extremes of their range are especially vulnerable to drought. The Jack Creek, Oregon, USA, population of Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) faces unique challenges because it occupies the highest elevation site in the species' extant range and one that has been transformed bAuthorsJennifer Rowe, Christopher Pearl, Adam Duarte, Brome McCreary, Michael J. AdamsSpecies management research program [postcard]
Executive SummaryOur nation’s fish and wildlife species face increasingly complex threats and challenges. Ensuring a healthy future for these species benefits all Americans, contributing to the abundance of our food supply, the well-being of diverse cultures and communities, and the future of biodiverse ecosystems. The U.S. Geological Survey Species Management Research Program (SMRP) plays a critiAuthorsMona Khalil, Sally House, Melanie J. Steinkamp, Mark Wimer, David H. Hu, Michael J. AdamsAdjacent and downstream effects of forest harvest on the distribution and abundance of larval headwater stream amphibians in the Oregon Coast Range
Forest harvest is a primary landscape-scale management action affecting riparian forests. Although concerns about impacts of forest harvest on stream amphibians is generally limited to areas adjacent to harvest, there is a paucity of information regarding potential downstream effects of forest harvest on these species. We designed a before-after, control-impact (BACI) experiment to quantify potentAuthorsAdam Duarte, Nathan Chelgren, Jennifer Rowe, Christopher Pearl, Sherri L Johnson, Michael J. AdamsBy land, air, and water — U.S. Geological Survey science supporting fish and wildlife migrations throughout North America
Countless species of animals—big game, birds, bats, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and fish—migrate to reach suitable habitats to feed, reproduce, and raise their young. Animal migrations developed over millennia commonly follow migration corridors—unique routes for each species—to move among seasonal habitats. Changes along those corridors, whether from human development (buildings, roads, dams)AuthorsMona Khalil, Mark Wimer, David H. Hu, Michael J. Adams, Melanie J. Steinkamp, Suzanna C. SoileauLate season movement and habitat use by Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) in a large reservoir in Oregon, USA
Dam-created reservoirs are common landscape features that can provide habitat for amphibians, but their water level fluctuations and nonnative predators can differ markedly from more natural habitats. We compared fall movement and habitat use by the Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) in the reservoir pool with nearby river and pond habitats at Crane Prairie Reservoir in central Oregon, USA. MovemAuthorsChristopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Brome McCreary, Michael J. AdamsLooking ahead, guided by the past: The role of U.S. national parks in amphibian research and conservation
Protected areas like national parks are essential elements of conservation because they limit human influence on the landscape, which protects biodiversity and ecosystem function. The role of national parks in conservation, however, often goes far beyond limiting human influence. The U.S. National Park Service and its system of land units contribute substantively to conservation by providing proteAuthorsBrian J. Halstead, Andrew M. Ray, Erin L. Muths, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Rob Grasso, Michael J. Adams, Kathleen Semple Delaney, Jane Carlson, Blake R. HossackAn updated assessment of status and trend in the distribution of the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) in Oregon, USA
Conservation efforts need reliable information concerning the status of a species and their trends to help identify which species are in most need of assistance. We completed a comparative evaluation of the occurrence of breeding for Cascades Frog (Rana cascadae), an amphibian that is being considered for federal protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Specifically, in 2018–2019 we resurAuthorsAdam Duarte, Christopher Pearl, Brome McCreary, Jennifer Rowe, Michael J. AdamsDemography of the Oregon spotted frog along a hydrologically modified river
Altered flow regimes can contribute to dissociation between life history strategies and environmental conditions, leading to reduced persistence reported for many wildlife populations inhabiting regulated rivers. The Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) is a threatened species occurring in floodplains, ponds, and wetlands in the Pacific Northwest with a core range in Oregon, USA. All life stages ofAuthorsJennifer Rowe, Adam Duarte, Christopher Pearl, Brome McCreary, Patricia Haggerty, John Jones, Michael J. AdamsEnhanced between-site biosecurity to minimize herpetofaunal disease-causing pathogen transmission
Pathogens and their associated diseases have the potential to severely affect wildlife populations, including herpetofauna. Concern is increasing for transmission pathways of herpetofaunal diseases, especially for amphibians affected by the fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd: Longcore et al. 1999) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal: Martel et al. 2013), and amphibians and reptiles affeAuthorsDeanna H. Olson, Katherine H. Haman, Matthew J. Gray, Reid N. Harris, Tracy Thompson, Marley Iredale, Michelle Christman, Jennifer M. Williams, Michael J. Adams, Jennifer R. BallardMonitoring wetland water quality related to livestock grazing in amphibian habitats
Land use alteration such as livestock grazing can affect water quality in habitats of at-risk wildlife species. Data from managed wetlands are needed to understand levels of exposure for aquatic life stages and monitor grazing-related changes afield. We quantified spatial and temporal variation in water quality in wetlands occupied by threatened Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) at Klamath MarshAuthorsKelly Smalling, Jennifer Rowe, Christopher Pearl, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Carrie E. Givens, Chauncey W. Anderson, Brome McCreary, Michael J. AdamsBatrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) not detected in an intensive survey of wild North American amphibians
The salamander chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans [Bsal]) is causing massive mortality of salamanders in Europe. The potential for spread via international trade into North America and the high diversity of salamanders has catalyzed concern about Bsal in the U.S. Surveillance programs for invading pathogens must initially meet challenges that include low rates of occurrence on the lAuthorsHardin Waddle, Daniel A. Grear, Brittany Mosher, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Michael J. Adams, Adam R. Backlin, William Barichivich, Adrianne B. Brand, Gary M. Bucciarelli, Daniel L. Calhoun, Tara Chestnut, Jon M. Davenport, Andrew E. Dietrich, Robert N. Fisher, Brad Glorioso, Brian J. Halstead, Marc P Hayes, R. Ken Honeycutt, Blake R. Hossack, Patrick M. Kleeman, Julio A. Lemos-Espinal, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Robert W. Atkinson, Erin L. Muths, Christopher Pearl, Katherine Richgels, Charles W Robinson, Mark F. Roth, Jennifer Rowe, Walter Sadinski, Brent H. Sigafus, Iga Stasiak, Samuel Sweet, Susan C. Walls, Gregory J Watkins-Colwell, C. LeAnn White, Lori A Williams, Megan E. WinzelerNon-USGS Publications**
Adams, M.J., 1993, Summer nests of the tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) from the Oregon Coast Range: Northwestern Naturalist, v. 74, no. 1, p. 15-18.**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.
- News
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
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