I am a Research Biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey. My research focuses on wildlife population ecology, community ecology, and restoration ecology of a diverse suite of wildlife species found in the mountains and forests of the northwestern United States.
I lead FRESC's Olympic Field Station, which is nestled within Olympic National Park in Washington. I engage in cooperator-driven research with National Park Service and Tribal partners on the Olympic peninsula and throughout western Washington, as well as larger initiatives. My work focuses the ecology of wildlife populations as related to climate change, habitat characteristics, disease, restoration practices, and other natural and anthropogenic effects. My work spans taxonomic groups and has recently included amphibians, bats, marmots, fishers, small mammals, and ungulates. In addition to taxonomic diversity, my projects range in scope from questions related to individual populations to those examining community interactions and landscape-level processes.
Professional Experience
2022-Present: USGS, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Research Biologist, Port Angeles, WA
2015-2022: USGS, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Wildlife Biologist, Port Angeles, WA
2014-2015: University of Montana, Post-doctoral Research Associate, Missoula, MT
2010-2011: University of Maryland, Post-doctoral Research Associate, College Park, MD
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Fish and Wildlife Biology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT (2010)
B.A., Biology, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR (2002)
Affiliations and Memberships*
North America Section President, Society for Conservation Biology (2019-2021 President Elect, 2021-2023 President, 2023-2025 Past President)
Science and Products
Fisher Restoration on the Olympic Peninsula
Elwha River ScienceScape: Understanding Ecosystem Recovery Following Large-Scale Dam Removal
Bat Ecology in Western Washington's National Parks
From Water to Wildlife: Linking Water Timing and Availability to Meadows and Wildlife in a Changing Climate
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.
Diverse aging rates in ectothermic tetrapods provide insights for the evolution of aging and longevity
Importance of local weather and environmental gradients on demography of a broadly distributed temperate frog
Thermal conditions predict intraspecific variation in senescence rate in frogs and toads
Genomic signatures of thermal adaptation are associated with clinal shifts of life history in a broadly distributed frog
Enigmatic near‐extirpation in a boreal toad metapopulation in northwestern Montana
Small mammals and ungulates respond to and interact with revegetation processes following dam removal
Contrasting demographic responses of toad populations to regionally synchronous pathogen (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) dynamics
Occupancy patterns in a reintroduced fisher population during reestablishment
Natural resource condition assessment: Olympic National Park
Terrestrial fauna are agents and endpoints in ecosystem restoration following dam removal
Heterogeneous responses of temperate-zone amphibian populations to climate change complicates conservation planning
Effects of amphibian chytrid fungus on individual survival probability in wild boreal toads
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
Fisher Restoration on the Olympic Peninsula
Researchers at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Olympic Field Station, have been involved in fisher restoration to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula since 2008, when fishers were reintroduced to the peninsula following decades of extirpation.Elwha River ScienceScape: Understanding Ecosystem Recovery Following Large-Scale Dam Removal
The Elwha River – located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington - is home to an iconic dam removal and ecosystem restoration project. The Elwha offers a unique setting to explore the ecosystem level effects of dam removal and river restoration because of its prominence, such as large sediment volume, several salmon populations, and pristine wilderness.Bat Ecology in Western Washington's National Parks
The expansion of the bat fungal disease White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) to the Pacific Northwest is centered in western Washington. However, not much is known about bat distribution and activity in and around Washington’s National Parks.From Water to Wildlife: Linking Water Timing and Availability to Meadows and Wildlife in a Changing Climate
Mountain meadows in the western United States provide key habitats for many plant and wildlife species, many of which rely exclusively on these areas. Mountain meadows are also treasured by the public and provide beautiful areas to view wildflowers and wildlife on public lands such as national parks. However, mountain ecosystems are expected to be disproportionately affected by climate change. The - Multimedia
- 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.
Diverse aging rates in ectothermic tetrapods provide insights for the evolution of aging and longevity
Comparative studies of mortality in the wild are necessary to understand the evolution of aging; yet, ectothermic tetrapods are underrepresented in this comparative landscape, despite their suitability for testing evolutionary hypotheses. We present a study of aging rates and longevity across wild tetrapod ectotherms, using data from 107 populations (77 species) of nonavian reptiles and amphibiansAuthorsBeth A. Reinke, Hugo Cayuela, Fredric J. Janzen, Jean-François Lemaitre, Jean-Michel Gaillard, A. Michelle Lawing, John B. Iverson, Ditte G Christiansen, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Gregorio Sánchez-Montes, Jorge Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Francis L Rose, Nicola J. Nelson, Susan Keall, Alain J Crivelli, Theodoros Nazirides, Annegret Grimm-Seyfarth, Klaus Henle, Emiliano Mori, Gaëtan Guiller, Rebecca Homan, Anthony Olivier, Erin L. Muths, Blake R. Hossack, Xavier Bonnet, David Pilliod, Marieke Lettink, Tony Whitaker, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Michael G. Gardner, Marc Cheylan, Françoise Poitevin, Ana Golubović, Ljiljana Tomović, Dragan Arsovski, Richard A Griffiths, Jan W. Arntzen, Jean-Pierre Baron, Jean-François Le Galliard, Thomas Tully, Luca Luiselli, Massimo Capula, Lorenzo Rugiero, Rebecca McCaffery, Lisa A Eby, Briggs-Gonzalez; Venetia, Frank Mazzotti, David M. Pearson, Brad A. Lambert, David M. Green, Nathalie Jreidini, Claudio Angelini, Graham Pyke, Jean-Marc Thirion, Pierre Joly, Jean-Paul Léna, Tony Tucker, Col Limpus, Pauline Priol, Aurélien Besnard, Pauline Bernard, Kristin Stanford, Richard S. King, Justin M Garwood, Jaime Bosch, Franco Souza, Jaime Bertoluci, Shirley Famelli, Kurt Grossenbacher, Omar Lenzi, Kathleen Matthews, Sylvain Boitaud, Deanna H. Olson, Tim Jessop, Graeme Gillspie, Jean Clobert, Murielle Richard, Andrés Valenzuela-Sánchez, Gary M. Fellers, Patrick M. Kleeman, Brian J. Halstead, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Phillip G Byrne, Thierry Frétey, Gernard Le Garff, Pauline Levionnois, John C. Maerz, Julian Pichenot, Kurtulus Olgun, Nazan Üzüm, Aziz Avcı, Claude Miaud, Johan Elmberg, Gregory P Brown, Richard Shine, Nathan F Bendik, Lisa O'Donnell, Courtney L. Davis, Michael J Lannoo, Rochelle M Stiles, Robert M Cox, Aaron M Reedy, Daniel A. Warner, Eric Bonnaire, Kristine Grayson, Roberto Ramos-Targarona, Eyup Baskale, David J. Muñoz, John Measey, F. Andre de Villiers, Will Selman, Victor Ronget, Anne M. Bronikowski, David A W MillerImportance of local weather and environmental gradients on demography of a broadly distributed temperate frog
Amphibian populations are sensitive to environmental temperatures and moisture, which vary with local weather conditions and may reach new norms and extremes as contemporary climate change progresses. Using long-term (11–16 years) mark-recapture data from 10 populations of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) from across its U.S. range, we addressed hypotheses about how demographic relatiAuthorsDavid Pilliod, Rebecca McCaffery, Robert Arkle, Rick D. Scherer, Jacqueline B. Cupples, Lisa A. Eby, Blake R. Hossack, Hallie Lingo, Kristin N. Lohr, Bryce A. Maxell, Megan J. McGuire, Chad Mellison, Marisa K. Meyer, James C. Munger, Teri Slatauski, Rachel Van HorneThermal conditions predict intraspecific variation in senescence rate in frogs and toads
Variation in temperature is known to influence mortality patterns in ectotherms. Even though a few experimental studies on model organisms have reported a positive relationship between temperature and actuarial senescence (i.e., the increase in mortality risk with age), how variation in climate influences the senescence rate across the range of a species is still poorly understood in free-rangingAuthorsHugo Cayuela, Jean-François Lemaître, Erin L. Muths, Rebecca McCaffery, Thierry Frétey, Bernard Le Garff, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Kurt Grossenbacher, Omar Lenzi, Blake R. Hossack, Lisa A Eby, Brad A. Lambert, Johan Elmberg, Juha Merilä, Jérôme MW Gippet, Jean-Michel Gaillard, David PilliodGenomic signatures of thermal adaptation are associated with clinal shifts of life history in a broadly distributed frog
Temperature is a critical driver of ectotherm life-history strategies, whereby a warmer environment is associated with increased growth, reduced longevity and accelerated senescence. Increasing evidence indicates that thermal adaptation may underlie such life-history shifts in wild populations. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number variants (CNVs) can help uncover the molecular meAuthorsHugo Cayuela, Yann Dorant, Brenna R. Forester, Dan L Jeffries, Rebecca McCaffery, Lisa A Eby, Blake R. Hossack, Jérôme M W Gippet, David Pilliod, W Chris FunkEnigmatic near‐extirpation in a boreal toad metapopulation in northwestern Montana
North America's protected lands harbor biodiversity and provide habitats where species threatened by a variety of stressors in other environments can thrive. Yet disease, climate change, and other threats are not limited by land management boundaries and can interact with conditions within protected landscapes to affect sensitive populations. We examined the population dynamics of a boreal toad (AAuthorsRebecca McCaffery, Robin E. Russell, Blake R. HossackSmall mammals and ungulates respond to and interact with revegetation processes following dam removal
Terrestrial wildlife communities are often overlooked as components of ecosystem restoration following dam removal. However, a diverse mammalian fauna colonizes habitat on dewatered reservoirs and may influence restoration processes. We studied mammalian colonization and ungulate herbivory from 2014 to 2018 following the removal of two large dams on the Elwha River in Washington, USA. SpecificallyAuthorsRebecca McCaffery, Kurt J. Jenkins, Sara Cendejas-Zarelli, Patricia J. Happe, K.A. Sager-FradkinContrasting demographic responses of toad populations to regionally synchronous pathogen (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) dynamics
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a fungal pathogen that causes amphibian chytridiomycosis, has been implicated in population declines globally. To better understand how Bd affects survival and how threats vary spatially and temporally, we conducted long-term (range: 9–13 yrs) capture-recapture studies of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) from three similar communities in western Montana. We alsoAuthorsBlake R. Hossack, Robin E. Russell, Rebecca McCafferyOccupancy patterns in a reintroduced fisher population during reestablishment
Monitoring population performance in the years following species reintroductions is key to assessing population restoration success and evaluating assumptions made in planning species restoration programs. From 2008–2010 we translocated 90 fishers (Pekania pennanti) from British Columbia, Canada, to Washington's Olympic Peninsula, USA, providing the opportunity to evaluate modeling assumptions useAuthorsPatricia J. Happe, Kurt Jenkins, Rebecca McCaffery, J. C. Lewis, Kristine Pilgrim, Michael K. SchwartzNatural resource condition assessment: Olympic National Park
The Natural Resource Assessment Program aims to document condition and trends of selected park resources while identifying emerging issues and information needs. This information is intended to serve as a platform for natural resource managers to use in developing future resource stewardship priorities and planning.Olympic National Park (OLYM) on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula protects remarkableTerrestrial fauna are agents and endpoints in ecosystem restoration following dam removal
Dam removal is an effective and increasingly applied river restoration strategy. This has led to heightened calls for research and monitoring aimed at understanding physical and ecological outcomes following dam removal. While such research programs have increased, roles of terrestrial fauna in the restoration process remain poorly understood, although wildlife and invertebrate fauna are key compoAuthorsRebecca McCaffery, John P. McLaughlin, Kim Sager-Fradkin, Kurt J. JenkinsHeterogeneous responses of temperate-zone amphibian populations to climate change complicates conservation planning
The pervasive and unabated nature of global amphibian declines suggests common demographic responses to a given driver, and quantification of major drivers and responses could inform broad-scale conservation actions. We explored the influence of climate on demographic parameters (i.e., changes in the probabilities of survival and recruitment) using 31 datasets from temperate zone amphibian populatAuthorsErin L. Muths, Thierry A. Chambert, B. R. Schmidt, D. A. W. Miller, Blake R. Hossack, P. Joly, O. Grolet, D. M. Green, David S. Pilliod, M. Cheylan, Robert N. Fisher, R. M. McCaffery, M. J. Adams, W. J. Palen, J. W. Arntzen, J. Garwood, Gary M. Fellers, J. M. Thirion, Evan H. Campbell Grant, A. BesnardEffects of amphibian chytrid fungus on individual survival probability in wild boreal toads
Chytridiomycosis is linked to the worldwide decline of amphibians, yet little is known about the demographic effects of the disease. We collected capture-recapture data on three populations of boreal toads (Bufo boreas [Bufo = Anaxyrus]) in the Rocky Mountains (U.S.A.). Two of the populations were infected with chytridiomycosis and one was not. We examined the effect of the presence of amphibian cAuthorsD. S. Pilliod, E. Muths, R. D. Scherer, P.E. Bartelt, P. S. Corn, B. R. Hossack, B.A. Lambert, R. Mccaffery, C. GaughanNon-USGS Publications**
McCaffery, R.; and P. M. Lukacs. 2016. A generalized integrated population model to estimate greater sage-grouse population dynamics. Ecosphere 7(11): e01585.McCaffery, R.M., Nowak, J.J., Lukacs, P.M., 2016, Improved analysis of lek count data using N-Mixture models: Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 80, no. 6, p. 1011–1021, https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21094.McCaffery, R.M., Richards-Zawacki, C.L., Lips, K.R., 2015, The demography of Atelopus decline- Harlequin frog survival and abundance in central Panama prior to and during a disease outbreak: Global Ecology and Conservation, v. 4, p. 232-242, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2015.07.003.McCaffery, R.M., Eby, L.A., Maxell, B.A., Corn, P.S., 2014, Breeding site heterogeneity reduces variability in frog recruitment and population dynamics: Biological Conservation, v. 170, p. 169-176.McCaffery, R.M., Reisor, R., Irvine, K., Brunson, J., 2014, Demographic monitoring and population viability analysis of two rare beardtongues from the Uinta Basin: Western North American Naturalist, v. 74, no. 3, p. 257-274.McCaffery, R.M., Lips, K.R., 2013, Survival and Abundance in Males of the Glass Frog Espadarana (Centrolene) prosoblepon in Central Panama: Journal of Herpetology, v. 47, no. 1, p. 162-168.McCaffery, R.M., 2012, Bird ecology across boundaries- international pen pals in the biology classroom: Science and Children, v. 49, no. 7, p. 31-35.McCaffery, R.M., Solonen, A., Crone, E.E., 2012, Frog population viability under present and future climate conditions- a Bayesian state-space approach: Journal of Animal Ecology, v. 81, p. 978-985.McCaffery, R.M., Maxell, B.A., 2010, Decreased winter severity increases viability of a montane frog population: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 107, p. 8644-8649.Kearney, M., Wahl, R., Autumn, K., 2005, Increased capacity for sustained locomotion at low temperature in parthenogenetic geckos of hybrid origin.: Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, v. 78, no. 3, p. 316-324.**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.
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*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