Publications

Close-kin mark–recapture (CKMR) is a promising approach for assessing population size of species that have been difficult to survey using more traditional methods. Here, we combine individual and close-kin mark–recapture in a single modeling framework (ICKMR) and provide an example of study design using this approach for Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). We develop the ICKMR...

Groundwater quality is often affected by anthropogenic activities in urban settings. This study examines groundwater quality in and around the Santa Fe Springs Oil Field in Los Angeles County, California, where oil and gas production commonly intersects with high density industrial, commercial and residential land uses. Utilizing a combination of new and historical data, we evaluated...

With the proliferation of acoustic sampling to investigate bat distribution and ecology, researchers have implemented a myriad of statistical modeling approaches to interpret findings. Bats are taxa of high conservation concern; therefore, ensuring the accuracy of species-level habitat association models is critical for informing management. We sought to determine prediction differences...

Coastal sand dunes support unique biodiversity and buffer beaches and communities against storm impacts. However, these sensitive and dynamic ecosystems are increasingly threatened by erosion, sea-level rise (SLR), and encroaching coastal development. Restoration projects designed to re-establish the eco-geomorphic functions of degraded dunes and associated ecosystem services present a...

No abstract available.

Due to the importance of sufficient diets, conservation practices for endangered bats often involve protection and restoration of foraging resources. For insectivorous (or arthropodivorous) bats, detailed knowledge of prey consumption can inform effective management. In this study, we used metabarcoding techniques to investigate the diet of Lasiurus semotus, a primarily insectivorous...

Alternating patterns of groundwater discharge and tidal intrusion along shorelines have remained difficult to characterize and quantify efficiently using empirical data. Groundwater flowpaths along estuarine coastal interfaces have profound effects on dynamic redox conditions, contaminant transport and ecology in estuarine environments. In this study, we quantify tidally influenced...

Reintroductions of extirpated species are an important tool in wildlife conservation. Understanding how reintroduced populations acclimatize to novel environments can lend insight into social learning that in turn is valuable for assessing reintroduction success and maximizing efficacy of subsequent efforts. During 2012, 2013, and 2014, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources...

Thucholites are unique organic structures found in igneous and sedimentary rocks composed of a U-C-rich interior enclosed by an organic outer shell. Their formation and occurrence have perplexed scientists for over 100 years. Typically, thucholites are sparse in sedimentary rocks but where found in abundance, they may be the result of rapid paleoecological disruptions, e.g., volcanic...

Dune-based adaptation is increasingly used as a nature-based solution for coastal flood mitigation, yet many assessments rely on hydrodynamic-only approaches that treat beach and dune morphology as static, neglecting storm-driven erosion that can degrade dune performance during extreme events. This study develops a process-based modeling framework coupling extreme value analysis of...

Ecological models should account for uncertainty to be most effective and useful. Yet, uncertainty from model covariates—unlike that from other sources, such as sampling error or process variability—is seldom explicitly incorporated. This can cause underestimates of uncertainty to cascade through model parameter estimates, predictions, and downstream uses. Burner et al. proposed a method...

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) poses a pervasive global challenge, affecting livelihoods and threatening biodiversity. To better anticipate and mitigate HWC risk, we developed a large-scale predictive model using a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). We surveyed 1,011 park rangers across 135 terrestrial protected areas in three Andean countries, documenting recent HWC incidents involving...