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Allan O'Connell, Jr., Ph.D. (Former Employee)

Science and Products

Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli - KLWR)

Assessing Endangered Marsh Rabbit and Woodrat Habitat use and Predator Population Dynamics

Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) have strong negative effects on wildlife, particularly in island ecosystems such as the Florida Keys. We deployed camera traps to study free-ranging cats in National Wildlife Refuges and state parks on Big Pine Key and Key Largo and used spatial models to estimate cat population dynamics and stable isotope analyses to examine cat diets. Top models...
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center
Assessing Endangered Marsh Rabbit and Woodrat Habitat use and Predator Population Dynamics

Assessing Endangered Marsh Rabbit and Woodrat Habitat use and Predator Population Dynamics

Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) have strong negative effects on wildlife, particularly in island ecosystems such as the Florida Keys. We deployed camera traps to study free-ranging cats in National Wildlife Refuges and state parks on Big Pine Key and Key Largo and used spatial models to estimate cat population dynamics and stable isotope analyses to examine cat diets. Top models...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 58

Global review of the effects of small carnivores on threatened species Global review of the effects of small carnivores on threatened species

The absences of large carnivores from many ecosystems, human-induced landscape changes, and resource supplementation have been theorized to increase the abundance of small carnivore species around the world. Overabundant and/or unconstrained small carnivores can have significant effects on specific prey species that, in some cases, can cascade through entire ecosystems. Here, we review...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Towards recovery of an endangered island endemic: Distributional and behavioral responses of Key Largo woodrats associated with exotic predator removal Towards recovery of an endangered island endemic: Distributional and behavioral responses of Key Largo woodrats associated with exotic predator removal

Exotic predators create novel ecological contexts for native species, particularly when prey exhibit predator naïve behaviors. Population recovery of island endemic species following predator eradication has been documented broadly, but studies examining mammalian prey behavioral responses to exotic predator removal are less common. The Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli) is an...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Theodore Simons, Beth Gardner, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Co‐occurrence dynamics of endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbits and free‐ranging domestic cats: Prey responses to an exotic predator removal program Co‐occurrence dynamics of endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbits and free‐ranging domestic cats: Prey responses to an exotic predator removal program

The Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) is one of many endangered endemic species of the Florida Keys. The main threats are habitat loss and fragmentation from sea‐level rise, development, and habitat succession. Exotic predators such as free‐ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) pose an additional threat to these endangered small mammals. Management strategies have...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Beth Gardner, Theodore R. Simons, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units

Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) on public lands: estimating density, activity, and diet in the Florida Keys Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) on public lands: estimating density, activity, and diet in the Florida Keys

Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) can have strong negative effects on small mammals and birds, particularly in island ecosystems. We deployed camera traps to study free-ranging cats in national wildlife refuges and state parks on Big Pine Key and Key Largo in the Florida Keys, USA, and used spatial capture–recapture models to estimate cat abundance, movement, and...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Beth Gardner, Theodore R. Simons, Roland Kays, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units

Camera traps reveal an apparent mutualism between a common mesocarnivore and an endangered ungulate Camera traps reveal an apparent mutualism between a common mesocarnivore and an endangered ungulate

Camera traps are commonly used to study mammal ecology and they occasionally capture previously undocumented species interactions. The key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is an endangered endemic subspecies of the Florida Keys, where it exists with few predators. We obtained a camera trap sequence of 80 photos in which a key deer interacted with two northern raccoons (Procyon lotor...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Andrew S. Maurer, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Managing native predators: Evidence from a partial removal of raccoons (Procyon lotor) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA Managing native predators: Evidence from a partial removal of raccoons (Procyon lotor) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are important predators of ground-nesting species in coastal systems. They have been identified as a primary cause of nest failure for the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) throughout its range. Concerns over the long-term effects of raccoon predation and increased nest success following a hurricane inspired a mark-resight study of the raccoon...
Authors
Jessica J. Stocking, Theodore R. Simons, Arielle W. Parsons, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Cooperative Research Units
Significant Milestone in Whooping Crane Recovery

Significant Milestone in Whooping Crane Recovery

This week marks a significant milestone in the conservation and recovery of the endangered whooping crane. On March 11 and 13, the U.S. Geological...

Read Article

Science and Products

Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli - KLWR)

Assessing Endangered Marsh Rabbit and Woodrat Habitat use and Predator Population Dynamics

Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) have strong negative effects on wildlife, particularly in island ecosystems such as the Florida Keys. We deployed camera traps to study free-ranging cats in National Wildlife Refuges and state parks on Big Pine Key and Key Largo and used spatial models to estimate cat population dynamics and stable isotope analyses to examine cat diets. Top models...
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center
Assessing Endangered Marsh Rabbit and Woodrat Habitat use and Predator Population Dynamics

Assessing Endangered Marsh Rabbit and Woodrat Habitat use and Predator Population Dynamics

Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) have strong negative effects on wildlife, particularly in island ecosystems such as the Florida Keys. We deployed camera traps to study free-ranging cats in National Wildlife Refuges and state parks on Big Pine Key and Key Largo and used spatial models to estimate cat population dynamics and stable isotope analyses to examine cat diets. Top models...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 58

Global review of the effects of small carnivores on threatened species Global review of the effects of small carnivores on threatened species

The absences of large carnivores from many ecosystems, human-induced landscape changes, and resource supplementation have been theorized to increase the abundance of small carnivore species around the world. Overabundant and/or unconstrained small carnivores can have significant effects on specific prey species that, in some cases, can cascade through entire ecosystems. Here, we review...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Towards recovery of an endangered island endemic: Distributional and behavioral responses of Key Largo woodrats associated with exotic predator removal Towards recovery of an endangered island endemic: Distributional and behavioral responses of Key Largo woodrats associated with exotic predator removal

Exotic predators create novel ecological contexts for native species, particularly when prey exhibit predator naïve behaviors. Population recovery of island endemic species following predator eradication has been documented broadly, but studies examining mammalian prey behavioral responses to exotic predator removal are less common. The Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli) is an...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Theodore Simons, Beth Gardner, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Co‐occurrence dynamics of endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbits and free‐ranging domestic cats: Prey responses to an exotic predator removal program Co‐occurrence dynamics of endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbits and free‐ranging domestic cats: Prey responses to an exotic predator removal program

The Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) is one of many endangered endemic species of the Florida Keys. The main threats are habitat loss and fragmentation from sea‐level rise, development, and habitat succession. Exotic predators such as free‐ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) pose an additional threat to these endangered small mammals. Management strategies have...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Beth Gardner, Theodore R. Simons, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units

Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) on public lands: estimating density, activity, and diet in the Florida Keys Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) on public lands: estimating density, activity, and diet in the Florida Keys

Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) can have strong negative effects on small mammals and birds, particularly in island ecosystems. We deployed camera traps to study free-ranging cats in national wildlife refuges and state parks on Big Pine Key and Key Largo in the Florida Keys, USA, and used spatial capture–recapture models to estimate cat abundance, movement, and...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Beth Gardner, Theodore R. Simons, Roland Kays, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units

Camera traps reveal an apparent mutualism between a common mesocarnivore and an endangered ungulate Camera traps reveal an apparent mutualism between a common mesocarnivore and an endangered ungulate

Camera traps are commonly used to study mammal ecology and they occasionally capture previously undocumented species interactions. The key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is an endangered endemic subspecies of the Florida Keys, where it exists with few predators. We obtained a camera trap sequence of 80 photos in which a key deer interacted with two northern raccoons (Procyon lotor...
Authors
Michael V. Cove, Andrew S. Maurer, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Managing native predators: Evidence from a partial removal of raccoons (Procyon lotor) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA Managing native predators: Evidence from a partial removal of raccoons (Procyon lotor) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are important predators of ground-nesting species in coastal systems. They have been identified as a primary cause of nest failure for the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) throughout its range. Concerns over the long-term effects of raccoon predation and increased nest success following a hurricane inspired a mark-resight study of the raccoon...
Authors
Jessica J. Stocking, Theodore R. Simons, Arielle W. Parsons, Allan F. O’Connell
By
Cooperative Research Units
Significant Milestone in Whooping Crane Recovery

Significant Milestone in Whooping Crane Recovery

This week marks a significant milestone in the conservation and recovery of the endangered whooping crane. On March 11 and 13, the U.S. Geological...

Read Article
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