Dr. Scott Chiavacci is an ecologist with the Science and Decisions Center. He works on a range of interdisciplinary projects focused on conservation and natural resources management issues and strives to develop these projects around the needs of decision makers and stakeholders.
Ongoing projects
- Measuring the economic impacts of chronic wasting disease in the U.S.
- Creation of a how-to guide to help practitioners develop quantification tools for market-based conservation
- Establishing an online database of quantification tools used in U.S. market-based conservation
- Assessing the ecosystem services provided by freshwater mussels
Previous projects
- Analyzing trends among quantification tools used for market-based conservation
- Creation of a database of quantification tools used in U.S. biodiversity and habitat markets
- Estimating the economic value of health benefits from using geologic data to communicate radon risk
- Assisting the National Geospatial Program with project tracking and budget scenario modeling
Professional Experience
Prior to joining the USGS, Scott was a researcher with the Illinois Natural History Survey and University of Illinois where he studied factors impacting freshwater mussels of conservation concern. He has also studied the reproductive ecology, behavior, and predators of early successional birds and raptors and emergence patterns of insects.
Education and Certifications
2016, Ph.D., Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2010, M.S., Biology, Arkansas State University
2007, B.S., Wildlife & Fisheries Science, The Pennsylvania State University
Science and Products
Database of Biodiversity, Habitat, and Aquatic Resource Quantification Tools Used for Market-based Conservation in the United States (ver. 2.0, June 2022)
This comprehensive database describes the core attributes of quantification tools developed for market-based conservation in the United States. It encompasses tools designed for compensatory mitigation, non-compensatory mitigation, and voluntary conservation/restoration programs. The dataset consists of 107 tools. Each tool's features are described using 33 attributes related to general, technical
The value of scientific information — An overview
IntroductionThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides reliable science, data, information, and models (hereafter collectively referred to as “information”) to describe and understand the Earth. This information is used to minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect quality of life. USGS science informs
Authors
Emily J. Pindilli, Scott J. Chiavacci, Crista L. Straub
The economic costs of chronic wasting disease in the United States
Cervids are economically important to a wide range of stakeholders and rights holders in the United States. The continued expansion of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting wild and farmed cervids, poses a direct and indirect threat to state and federal government agency operations and cervid related economic activity. However, the scale of this disease’s direc
Authors
Scott J. Chiavacci
Database of biodiversity, habitat, and aquatic-resource quantification tools used in market-based conservation — 2022 update
Market-based conservation makes use of economic incentives to promote actions that avoid, minimize, or compensate for detrimental effects on natural resources and the environment. Examples of market-based conservation mechanisms include aquatic-resource (such as, streams, wetlands, and estuaries) compensatory mitigation, conservation banking, habitat exchanges, and payments for ecosystem services.
Authors
Scott J. Chiavacci, Emily D. French, Joseph A. Morgan
Nesting and post-fledging predation risk influence diel patterns of songbird fledging
Among stages of avian ontogeny, the act of nest departure or fledging is an abrupt transition into a new environment and a major leap toward independence for offspring. In altricial birds, the timing of fledging is notable in that many species tend to fledge early in the morning. Past studies have proposed nest predation as a key factor driving birds to fledge earlier in the morning (the ‘survival
Authors
Todd M. Jones, Scott J. Chiavacci, Thomas J. Benson, Michael P. Ward
Value of information and decision pathways: Concepts and case studies
Information used in decision making arises from the structuring of observations and data. The collection, dissemination, and use of information has monetary and non-monetary costs (e.g., competition for attention) and necessitates trade-offs. Understanding the benefits of having information (i.e., the value of information, VOI), including resulting societal outcomes, is useful to information produ
Authors
Pierre D. Glynn, Charles Rhodes, Scott J. Chiavacci, Jennifer Helgeson, Carl D. Shapiro, Crista L. Straub
Value of information: Exploring behavioral and social factors
There is growing interest within and beyond the economics community in assessing the value of information (VOI) used in decision making. VOI assessments often do not consider the complex behavioral and social factors that affect the perception, valuation, and use of information by individuals and groups. Additionally, VOI assessments frequently do not examine the full suite of interactions and out
Authors
Pierre D. Glynn, Scott J. Chiavacci, Charles Rhodes, Jennifer Helgeson, Carl D. Shapiro, Crista L. Straub
Economic valuation of health benefits from using geologic data to communicate radon risk potential
Background: Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer worldwide and represents a major health concern within and outside the United States. Mitigating exposure to radon is especially critical in places with high rates of tobacco smoking (e.g., Kentucky, USA), as radon-induced lung cancer is markedly greater among people exposed to tobacco smoke. Despite homes being a common source
Authors
Scott J. Chiavacci, Carl D. Shapiro, Emily J. Pindilli, Clyde F. Casey, Mary Kay Rayens, Amanda T. Wiggins, William M. Andrews, Ellen J. Hahn
Trends in biodiversity and habitat quantification tools used for market‐based conservation in the United States
Market-based conservation mechanisms are designed to facilitate conservation and mitigation actions for habitat and biodiversity. Their potential is partly hindered, however, by issues surrounding the quantification tools used to assess habitat quality and functionality. Specifically, a lack of transparency and standardization in tool development and gaps in tool availability are cited concerns.
Authors
Scott J. Chiavacci, Emily J. Pindilli
A database of biodiversity and habitat quantification tools used in market-based conservation
Market-based conservation uses economic incentives to leverage market forces in ways that encourage and improve efficiency in the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of species and habitats. Biodiversity and habitat quantification tools are vital to the operation of this conservation strategy, as they are used to measure the quality and functionality of areas of land that have undergone or
Authors
Scott J. Chiavacci, Emily J. Pindilli
Non-USGS Publications**
Gibson, J. C., A. V. Suarez, D. Qazi, T. J. Benson, S. J. Chiavacci, and L. Merrill. 2019. Prevalence and consequences of ants and other arthropods in active nests of Midwestern birds. Canadian Journal of Zoology 97:696-704.
Chiavacci, S. J., T. J. Benson, and M. P. Ward. 2018. Linking landscape composition to predator-specific nest predation requires examining multiple landscape scales. Journal of Applied Ecology 55:2082–2092.
Chiavacci, S. J., A. P. Stodola, and S. A. Douglass. 2018. Natural and anthropogenic factors predict the presence of two freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) in Illinois, USA. Freshwater Science 37:870-884.
Merrill, L., S. J. Chiavacci, R. T. Paitz, and T. J. Benson. 2018. Quantification of 27 yolk steroid hormones in seven shrubland bird species: interspecific patterns of hormone deposition, and links to life history, development, and predation risk. Canadian Journal of Zoology 97:1-12.
Kelly, J. K., S. J. Chiavacci, T. J. Benson, and M. P. Ward. 2018. Who’s in the neighborhood? Conspecific and heterospecific responses to perceived density for breeding habitat selection. Ethology 124:269–278.
Merrill, L., S. J. Chiavacci, R. T. Paitz, and T. J. Benson. 2017. Rates of parasitism, but not allocation of egg resources, vary among and within hosts of a generalist avian brood parasite. Oecologia doi:10.1007/s00442-017-3870-z.
DeGregorio, B. A., S. J. Chiavacci, T. J. Benson, J. H. Sperry, and P. J. Weatherhead. 2016. Nest predators of North American birds: continental patterns and implications. BioScience 66:655–665.
Chiavacci, S. J., M. P. Ward, and T. J. Benson. 2015. Why fledge early in the day? Examining the role of predation risk in explaining fledging behavior. Behavioral Ecology 26:593–600.
Chiavacci, S. J., T. J. Bader, and J. C. Bednarz. 2014. Preferred nest site characteristics reduce predator-specific predation risk in a canopy-nesting raptor. Journal of Wildlife Management 78:1022–1032.
Chiavacci, S. J., J. C. Bednarz, T. McKay. 2014. The emergence densities of annual cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) increase with sapling density and are greater near edges in a bottomland hardwood forest. Environmental Entomology 43:859–867.
Chiavacci, S. J., J. C. Bednarz, and T. J. Benson. 2014. Does flooding influence the types and proportions of prey delivered to nestling Mississippi kites? Condor: Ornithological Applications 116:215–225.
DeGregorio, B. A., S. J. Chiavacci, P. J. Weatherhead, J. D. Willson, T. J. Benson, and J. H. Sperry. 2014. Snake predation on North American bird nests: culprits, patterns, and future directions. Journal of Avian Biology 45:325–333.
Ward, M. P., M. G. Alessi, T. J. Benson, and S. J. Chiavacci. 2014. The active nightlife of diurnal birds: extra-territorial forays and activity patterns. Animal Behaviour 88:175–184.
Chiavacci, S. J. and J. C. Bednarz. 2013. Pantherophis obsoletus (Texas ratsnake) diet and feeding behavior. Herpetological Review 43:525.
Benson, T. J., S. J. Chiavacci, M. P. Ward. 2013. Patch size and edge proximity are useful predictors of brood parasitism but not nest survival of grassland birds. Ecological Applications 23:879–887.
Cox, W. A., M. S. Pruett, T. J. Benson, S. J. Chiavacci, and F. R. Thompson III. 2012. Development of camera technology for monitoring nests. Studies in Avian Biology 43:185–210.
Chiavacci, S. J., T. J. Bader, A. M. St. Pierre, J. C. Bednarz, and K. L. Rowe. 2011. Reproductive status of swallow-tailed kites in east-central Arkansas. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123:97–101.
**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.
Science and Products
- Data
Database of Biodiversity, Habitat, and Aquatic Resource Quantification Tools Used for Market-based Conservation in the United States (ver. 2.0, June 2022)
This comprehensive database describes the core attributes of quantification tools developed for market-based conservation in the United States. It encompasses tools designed for compensatory mitigation, non-compensatory mitigation, and voluntary conservation/restoration programs. The dataset consists of 107 tools. Each tool's features are described using 33 attributes related to general, technical - Publications
The value of scientific information — An overview
IntroductionThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides reliable science, data, information, and models (hereafter collectively referred to as “information”) to describe and understand the Earth. This information is used to minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect quality of life. USGS science informsAuthorsEmily J. Pindilli, Scott J. Chiavacci, Crista L. StraubThe economic costs of chronic wasting disease in the United States
Cervids are economically important to a wide range of stakeholders and rights holders in the United States. The continued expansion of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting wild and farmed cervids, poses a direct and indirect threat to state and federal government agency operations and cervid related economic activity. However, the scale of this disease’s direcAuthorsScott J. ChiavacciDatabase of biodiversity, habitat, and aquatic-resource quantification tools used in market-based conservation — 2022 update
Market-based conservation makes use of economic incentives to promote actions that avoid, minimize, or compensate for detrimental effects on natural resources and the environment. Examples of market-based conservation mechanisms include aquatic-resource (such as, streams, wetlands, and estuaries) compensatory mitigation, conservation banking, habitat exchanges, and payments for ecosystem services.AuthorsScott J. Chiavacci, Emily D. French, Joseph A. MorganNesting and post-fledging predation risk influence diel patterns of songbird fledging
Among stages of avian ontogeny, the act of nest departure or fledging is an abrupt transition into a new environment and a major leap toward independence for offspring. In altricial birds, the timing of fledging is notable in that many species tend to fledge early in the morning. Past studies have proposed nest predation as a key factor driving birds to fledge earlier in the morning (the ‘survivalAuthorsTodd M. Jones, Scott J. Chiavacci, Thomas J. Benson, Michael P. WardValue of information and decision pathways: Concepts and case studies
Information used in decision making arises from the structuring of observations and data. The collection, dissemination, and use of information has monetary and non-monetary costs (e.g., competition for attention) and necessitates trade-offs. Understanding the benefits of having information (i.e., the value of information, VOI), including resulting societal outcomes, is useful to information produAuthorsPierre D. Glynn, Charles Rhodes, Scott J. Chiavacci, Jennifer Helgeson, Carl D. Shapiro, Crista L. StraubValue of information: Exploring behavioral and social factors
There is growing interest within and beyond the economics community in assessing the value of information (VOI) used in decision making. VOI assessments often do not consider the complex behavioral and social factors that affect the perception, valuation, and use of information by individuals and groups. Additionally, VOI assessments frequently do not examine the full suite of interactions and outAuthorsPierre D. Glynn, Scott J. Chiavacci, Charles Rhodes, Jennifer Helgeson, Carl D. Shapiro, Crista L. StraubEconomic valuation of health benefits from using geologic data to communicate radon risk potential
Background: Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer worldwide and represents a major health concern within and outside the United States. Mitigating exposure to radon is especially critical in places with high rates of tobacco smoking (e.g., Kentucky, USA), as radon-induced lung cancer is markedly greater among people exposed to tobacco smoke. Despite homes being a common sourceAuthorsScott J. Chiavacci, Carl D. Shapiro, Emily J. Pindilli, Clyde F. Casey, Mary Kay Rayens, Amanda T. Wiggins, William M. Andrews, Ellen J. HahnTrends in biodiversity and habitat quantification tools used for market‐based conservation in the United States
Market-based conservation mechanisms are designed to facilitate conservation and mitigation actions for habitat and biodiversity. Their potential is partly hindered, however, by issues surrounding the quantification tools used to assess habitat quality and functionality. Specifically, a lack of transparency and standardization in tool development and gaps in tool availability are cited concerns.AuthorsScott J. Chiavacci, Emily J. PindilliA database of biodiversity and habitat quantification tools used in market-based conservation
Market-based conservation uses economic incentives to leverage market forces in ways that encourage and improve efficiency in the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of species and habitats. Biodiversity and habitat quantification tools are vital to the operation of this conservation strategy, as they are used to measure the quality and functionality of areas of land that have undergone orAuthorsScott J. Chiavacci, Emily J. PindilliNon-USGS Publications**
Gibson, J. C., A. V. Suarez, D. Qazi, T. J. Benson, S. J. Chiavacci, and L. Merrill. 2019. Prevalence and consequences of ants and other arthropods in active nests of Midwestern birds. Canadian Journal of Zoology 97:696-704.Chiavacci, S. J., T. J. Benson, and M. P. Ward. 2018. Linking landscape composition to predator-specific nest predation requires examining multiple landscape scales. Journal of Applied Ecology 55:2082–2092.Chiavacci, S. J., A. P. Stodola, and S. A. Douglass. 2018. Natural and anthropogenic factors predict the presence of two freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) in Illinois, USA. Freshwater Science 37:870-884.Merrill, L., S. J. Chiavacci, R. T. Paitz, and T. J. Benson. 2018. Quantification of 27 yolk steroid hormones in seven shrubland bird species: interspecific patterns of hormone deposition, and links to life history, development, and predation risk. Canadian Journal of Zoology 97:1-12.Kelly, J. K., S. J. Chiavacci, T. J. Benson, and M. P. Ward. 2018. Who’s in the neighborhood? Conspecific and heterospecific responses to perceived density for breeding habitat selection. Ethology 124:269–278.Merrill, L., S. J. Chiavacci, R. T. Paitz, and T. J. Benson. 2017. Rates of parasitism, but not allocation of egg resources, vary among and within hosts of a generalist avian brood parasite. Oecologia doi:10.1007/s00442-017-3870-z.DeGregorio, B. A., S. J. Chiavacci, T. J. Benson, J. H. Sperry, and P. J. Weatherhead. 2016. Nest predators of North American birds: continental patterns and implications. BioScience 66:655–665.Chiavacci, S. J., M. P. Ward, and T. J. Benson. 2015. Why fledge early in the day? Examining the role of predation risk in explaining fledging behavior. Behavioral Ecology 26:593–600.Chiavacci, S. J., T. J. Bader, and J. C. Bednarz. 2014. Preferred nest site characteristics reduce predator-specific predation risk in a canopy-nesting raptor. Journal of Wildlife Management 78:1022–1032.Chiavacci, S. J., J. C. Bednarz, T. McKay. 2014. The emergence densities of annual cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) increase with sapling density and are greater near edges in a bottomland hardwood forest. Environmental Entomology 43:859–867.Chiavacci, S. J., J. C. Bednarz, and T. J. Benson. 2014. Does flooding influence the types and proportions of prey delivered to nestling Mississippi kites? Condor: Ornithological Applications 116:215–225.DeGregorio, B. A., S. J. Chiavacci, P. J. Weatherhead, J. D. Willson, T. J. Benson, and J. H. Sperry. 2014. Snake predation on North American bird nests: culprits, patterns, and future directions. Journal of Avian Biology 45:325–333.Ward, M. P., M. G. Alessi, T. J. Benson, and S. J. Chiavacci. 2014. The active nightlife of diurnal birds: extra-territorial forays and activity patterns. Animal Behaviour 88:175–184.Chiavacci, S. J. and J. C. Bednarz. 2013. Pantherophis obsoletus (Texas ratsnake) diet and feeding behavior. Herpetological Review 43:525.Benson, T. J., S. J. Chiavacci, M. P. Ward. 2013. Patch size and edge proximity are useful predictors of brood parasitism but not nest survival of grassland birds. Ecological Applications 23:879–887.Cox, W. A., M. S. Pruett, T. J. Benson, S. J. Chiavacci, and F. R. Thompson III. 2012. Development of camera technology for monitoring nests. Studies in Avian Biology 43:185–210.Chiavacci, S. J., T. J. Bader, A. M. St. Pierre, J. C. Bednarz, and K. L. Rowe. 2011. Reproductive status of swallow-tailed kites in east-central Arkansas. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123:97–101.**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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