Allison Benscoter
Allison Benscoter is a quantitative ecologist and geographic information specialist who focuses on ecological restoration and wildlife conservation at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Research areas include applying geospatial techniques to understand species responses to environmental variation, habitat suitability modeling, animal home range analyses, and plant ecophysiology.
Education and Certifications
M.S. in Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
B.A. in Environmental Studies from Saint Olaf College
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 17
EverSparrow model scripts and outputs
EverSparrow is a spatially explicit Bayesian model of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis; CSSS) presence that quantifies the interdependent relationships between a range of environmental factors and CSSS presence. Using hydrologic conditions such as mean 4-year hydroperiod and maximum depth, fire occurrence history, and vegetation structure throughout the range of CSSS, EverS
Tagging date, site, turtle size, and migration and foraging behavioral data for loggerheads (Caretta caretta) nesting at three sites in the Gulf of Mexico from 2011–2019
Tagging information, including migration and foraging behavioral data, for female reproductive loggerhead marine turtles (Caretta caretta) that were satellite tagged at nesting beaches at Gulf Shores (Alabama [AL]), Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO, Florida [FL]), and Everglades National Park (ENP, FL) from 2011–2019. Variables include the tagging date, tagging site, the curved carapace length-not
Ecological modeling output for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir 2020
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative approaches to restore the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The models of particular interest to the South Florida Water Management District for planning for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator, (2) Florida apple snail (native) population model (EverSnail), (3)
Ecological modeling output for the Combined Operational Plan, Round 1 in the Greater Everglades, 2018-2019
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative plans for restoring the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Modeling outputs were used in evaluations of alternative water control plans to be performed by the Combined Operational Plan (COP). The models used were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator in conjunction with (2) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Helper, (3) Flor
Data for comparison of climate envelope models developed using expert-selected variables versus statistical selection
Climate envelope models are increasingly used to characterize potential future distribution of species under climate change scenarios. It is acknowledged that the use of climate envelope models comes with both strengths and limitations, and that results are sensitive to modeling assumptions, inputs, and specific methods. The selection of predictor variables, an integral modeling step, is one fact
Filter Total Items: 15
Fire disturbance influences endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammopiza maritima mirabilis) relative bird count
Periodicity of fire disturbance is a known driver of ecosystem function and is reported as important in both promoting and maintaining viable breeding habitat for the endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis; CSSS). In south Florida, the CSSS serves as a fine-scale indicator of the marl and mixed-marl prairie communities of the Florida Everglades. The CSSS distribution i
Authors
Allison Benscoter, James Beerens, Leonard G. Pearlstine, Stephanie Romanach
Satellite tracking of hawksbill turtles nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands: Inter-nesting and foraging period movements and migrations
To conserve imperiled marine species, an understanding of high-density use zones is necessary prior to designing and evaluating management strategies that improve their survival. We satellite-tracked turtles captured after nesting at Buck Island ReefNational Monument (BIRNM), St. Croix, US Virgin Islands to determine habitat-use patterns of endangered adult female hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricat
Authors
Kristen M. Hart, Autumn Iverson, Allison Benscoter, Ikuko Fujisaki, Michael S. Cherkiss, Clayton Pollock, Ian Lundgren, Zandy Hillis-Starr
Comparison of climate envelope models developed using expert-selected variables versus statistical selection
Climate envelope models are widely used to describe potential future distribution of species under different climate change scenarios. It is broadly recognized that there are both strengths and limitations to using climate envelope models and that outcomes are sensitive to initial assumptions, inputs, and modeling methods Selection of predictor variables, a central step in modeling, is one of the
Authors
Laura A. Brandt, Allison Benscoter, Rebecca G. Harvey, Carolina Speroterra, David N. Bucklin, Stephanie S. Romañach, James I. Watling, Frank J. Mazzotti
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 17
EverSparrow model scripts and outputs
EverSparrow is a spatially explicit Bayesian model of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis; CSSS) presence that quantifies the interdependent relationships between a range of environmental factors and CSSS presence. Using hydrologic conditions such as mean 4-year hydroperiod and maximum depth, fire occurrence history, and vegetation structure throughout the range of CSSS, EverS
Tagging date, site, turtle size, and migration and foraging behavioral data for loggerheads (Caretta caretta) nesting at three sites in the Gulf of Mexico from 2011–2019
Tagging information, including migration and foraging behavioral data, for female reproductive loggerhead marine turtles (Caretta caretta) that were satellite tagged at nesting beaches at Gulf Shores (Alabama [AL]), Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO, Florida [FL]), and Everglades National Park (ENP, FL) from 2011–2019. Variables include the tagging date, tagging site, the curved carapace length-not
Ecological modeling output for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir 2020
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative approaches to restore the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The models of particular interest to the South Florida Water Management District for planning for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator, (2) Florida apple snail (native) population model (EverSnail), (3)
Ecological modeling output for the Combined Operational Plan, Round 1 in the Greater Everglades, 2018-2019
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative plans for restoring the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Modeling outputs were used in evaluations of alternative water control plans to be performed by the Combined Operational Plan (COP). The models used were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator in conjunction with (2) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Helper, (3) Flor
Data for comparison of climate envelope models developed using expert-selected variables versus statistical selection
Climate envelope models are increasingly used to characterize potential future distribution of species under climate change scenarios. It is acknowledged that the use of climate envelope models comes with both strengths and limitations, and that results are sensitive to modeling assumptions, inputs, and specific methods. The selection of predictor variables, an integral modeling step, is one fact
Filter Total Items: 15
Fire disturbance influences endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammopiza maritima mirabilis) relative bird count
Periodicity of fire disturbance is a known driver of ecosystem function and is reported as important in both promoting and maintaining viable breeding habitat for the endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis; CSSS). In south Florida, the CSSS serves as a fine-scale indicator of the marl and mixed-marl prairie communities of the Florida Everglades. The CSSS distribution i
Authors
Allison Benscoter, James Beerens, Leonard G. Pearlstine, Stephanie Romanach
Satellite tracking of hawksbill turtles nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands: Inter-nesting and foraging period movements and migrations
To conserve imperiled marine species, an understanding of high-density use zones is necessary prior to designing and evaluating management strategies that improve their survival. We satellite-tracked turtles captured after nesting at Buck Island ReefNational Monument (BIRNM), St. Croix, US Virgin Islands to determine habitat-use patterns of endangered adult female hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricat
Authors
Kristen M. Hart, Autumn Iverson, Allison Benscoter, Ikuko Fujisaki, Michael S. Cherkiss, Clayton Pollock, Ian Lundgren, Zandy Hillis-Starr
Comparison of climate envelope models developed using expert-selected variables versus statistical selection
Climate envelope models are widely used to describe potential future distribution of species under different climate change scenarios. It is broadly recognized that there are both strengths and limitations to using climate envelope models and that outcomes are sensitive to initial assumptions, inputs, and modeling methods Selection of predictor variables, a central step in modeling, is one of the
Authors
Laura A. Brandt, Allison Benscoter, Rebecca G. Harvey, Carolina Speroterra, David N. Bucklin, Stephanie S. Romañach, James I. Watling, Frank J. Mazzotti