Bill Kendall, PhD
Assistant Unit Leader - Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Research Interests
My interests are in the development, application, and evaluation of methods in quantitative ecology. Current research focuses on several areas of capture-recapture statistical methodology, the conceptual development of adaptive resource management and its application to decision problems, and population dynamics of sandhill cranes, albatross, sea turtles, and manatees.
Teaching Interests
I teach courses in population analysis and demographic estimation, and wildlife management science.
Professional Experience
Assistant Unit Leader, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2010-
Education and Certifications
Ph D North Carolina State University 1992
MS North Carolina State University 1990
MS North Carolina State University 1985
BBA University of Cincinnati 1982
Science and Products
A stage-based model of manatee population dynamics
Capture-recapture analysis for estimating manatee reproductive rates
On the use of the robust design with transient capture-recapture models
Adjusting multistate capture-recapture models for misclassification bias: manatee breeding proportions
How should detection probability be incorporated into estimates of relative abundance?
An appeal to undergraduate wildlife programs: send scientists to learn statistics
Conditions and limitations on learning in the adaptive management of mallard harvests
Estimating state-transition probabilities for unobservable states using capture-recapture/resighting data
Combining band recovery data and Pollock's robust design to model temporary and permanent emigration
Using open robust design models to estimate temporary emigration from capture-recapture data
Wildlife Study Design
Models for the adaptive harvest management of Rocky Mountain sandhill cranes: problems and potential
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.
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 89
A stage-based model of manatee population dynamics
A stage-structured population model for the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) was developed that explicitly incorporates uncertainty in parameter estimates. The growth rates calculated with this model reflect the status of the regional populations over the most recent 10-yr period. The Northwest and Upper St. Johns River regions have growth rates (8) of 1.037 (95% interval, 1.016?1.AuthorsM.C. Runge, C.A. Langtimm, W. L. KendallCapture-recapture analysis for estimating manatee reproductive rates
Modeling the life history of the endangered Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is an important step toward understanding its population dynamics and predicting its response to management actions. We developed a multi-state mark-resighting model for data collected under Pollock's robust design. This model estimates breeding probability conditional on a female's breeding state in the pAuthorsW. L. Kendall, C.A. Langtimm, C.A. Beck, M.C. RungeOn the use of the robust design with transient capture-recapture models
Capture-mark-recapture studies provide a useful mechanism for estimating the components of the population dynamics of birds, especially survival. In such studies, it is important that the population being captured matches the population of interest. In many studies, transients are captured along with the population of interest (e.g. resident breeders). Ignoring that phenomenon produces negativelAuthorsJ. E. Hines, W. L. Kendall, J. D. NicholsAdjusting multistate capture-recapture models for misclassification bias: manatee breeding proportions
Matrix population models are important tools for research and management of populations. Estimating the parameters of these models is an important step in applying them to real populations. Multistate capture-recapture methods have provided a useful means for estimating survival and parameters of transition between locations or life history states but have mostly relied on the assumption that thAuthorsW. L. Kendall, J. E. Hines, J. D. NicholsHow should detection probability be incorporated into estimates of relative abundance?
Determination of the relative abundance of two populations, separated by time or space, is of interest in many ecological situations. We focus on two estimators of relative abundance, which assume that the probability that an individual is detected at least once in the survey is either equal or unequal for the two populations. We present three methods for incorporating the collected information inAuthorsD.I. MacKenzie, W. L. KendallAn appeal to undergraduate wildlife programs: send scientists to learn statistics
Undergraduate wildlife students taking introductory statistics too often are poorly prepared and insufficiently motivated to learn statistics. We have also encountered too many wildlife professionals, even with graduate degrees, who exhibit an aversion to thinking statistically, either relying too heavily on statisticians or avoiding statistics altogether. We believe part of the reason for theseAuthorsW. L. Kendall, W.R. GouldConditions and limitations on learning in the adaptive management of mallard harvests
In 1995, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service adopted a protocol for the adaptive management of waterfowl hunting regulations (AHM) to help reduce uncertainty about the magnitude of sustainable harvests. To date, the AHM process has focused principally on the midcontinent population of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), whose dynamics are described by 4 alternative models. Collectively, theseAuthorsF.A. Johnson, W. L. Kendall, J.A. DubovskyEstimating state-transition probabilities for unobservable states using capture-recapture/resighting data
Temporary emigration was identified some time ago as causing potential problems in capture-recapture studies, and in the last five years approaches have been developed for dealing with special cases of this general problem. Temporary emigration can be viewed more generally as involving transitions to and from an unobservable state, and frequently the state itself is one of biological interest (e.AuthorsW. L. Kendall, J. D. NicholsCombining band recovery data and Pollock's robust design to model temporary and permanent emigration
Capture-recapture models are widely used to estimate demographic parameters of marked populations. Recently, this statistical theory has been extended to modeling dispersal of open populations. Multistate models can be used to estimate movement probabilities among subdivided populations if multiple sites are sampled. Frequently, however, sampling is limited to a single site, Models described by BuAuthorsM. S. Lindberg, W. L. Kendall, J. E. Hines, Michael G. AndersonUsing open robust design models to estimate temporary emigration from capture-recapture data
Capture-recapture studies are crucial in many circumstances for estimating demographic parameters for wildlife and fish populations. Pollock's robust design, involving multiple sampling occasions per period of interest, provides several advantages over classical approaches. This includes the ability to estimate the probability of being present and available for detection, which in some situationsAuthorsWilliam L. Kendall, R. BjorklandWildlife Study Design
No abstract available.AuthorsM.L. Morrison, W.M. Block, M.D. Strickland, W. L. KendallModels for the adaptive harvest management of Rocky Mountain sandhill cranes: problems and potential
The migratory Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) of the greater sandhill crane (Grus canadensis tabida) breeds primarily in river valleys, marshes, and meadows of western Montana and Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, northern Utah, and northwestern Colorado. The RMP winters primarily in the Middle Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico, with smaller concentrations in the southwestern parts of that state, southeAuthorsW. L. Kendall, R.C. DrewienNon-USGS Publications**
Ruiz-Gutierrez, V., W. L. Kendall, J. F. Saracco, and G. C. White. Modeling dynamics for resident and transient individuals: a case study using uncertain state models for migratory birds. Journal of Applied Ecology, DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12655Garcia-Cruz, M. A., M. Lampo, C. L. Penaloza, W. L. Kendall, G. Sole, and K. M. Rodriguez-Clark. 2015.Population trends and survival of nesting green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) on Aves Island, Venezuela. Endangered Species Research 29:101-116.Lyons, J. E., W. L. Kendall, J. A. Royle, S. J. Converse, B. A. Andres, and J. B. Buchanan. 2015. Population size and stopover duration estimation using mark-resight data and Bayesian analysis of a superpopulation model. Biometrics DOI: 10.1111/biom.12393.Pearson, K. N., W. L. Kendall, D. L. Winkelman, and W. R. Persons. 2015. Evidence for skipped spawning in the endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha) with implications for demographic parameter estimates. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 170:50-59Chambert, T., Kendall, W. L., Hines, J. E., Nichols, J. D., Pedrini, P., Waddle, J. H., Tavecchia, G., Walls, S. C. and Tenan, S. (2015), Testing hypotheses on distribution shifts and changes in phenology of imperfectly detectable species. Methods Ecol Evol, 6: 638–647. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12362**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.