Bob Klaver, PhD
Unit Leader - Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Bob is a Wildlife Biologist who moved to Iowa in January 2012 from the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. While at EROS, he worked in collaboration with faculty and students at South Dakota State University.
Previously, he was the regional GIS coordinator for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Portland, OR. He also served as a wildlife biologist on the Flathead Indian Reservation working with multiple species and coordinated wildlife activities with other resources like forestry and range management
Research Interests
Bob's research spans a wide variety of collaborative projects on multiple wildlife taxa, from birds to bears. Much of this work has integrated remote sensing data with population biology and habitat use and selection.
Teaching Interests
Bob will be teaching an analysis of habitat selection class Spring 2013. He has taught classes in the analysis of mark-recapture data.
Professional Experience
Unit Leader, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2012-
Education and Certifications
Ph D South Dakota State University 2001
MS University of Montana 1977
BS University of Montana 1974
BS Iowa State University 1971
Science and Products
Mine spoil prairies expand critical habitat for endangered and threatened amphibian and reptile species
Nesting ecology of greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus at the eastern edge of their historic distribution
Aggressive defensive behavior by free-ranging white-tailed deer
Forecasting distributions of large federal-lands fires utilizing satellite and gridded weather information
Does the use of vaginal-implant transmitters affect neonate survival rate of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus?
Associating seasonal range characteristics with survival of female white-tailed deer
Factors affecting road mortality of white-tailed deer in eastern South Dakota
Global rates of habitat loss and implications for amphibian conservation
Evaluating detection probabilities for American marten in the Black Hills, South Dakota
Determinants of elephant distribution at Nazinga Game Ranch, Burkina Faso
Applying radar technology to migratory bird conservation and management: Strengthening and expanding a collaborative
Evaluating genetic viability of pronghorn in Wind Cave National Park
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: 80
Mine spoil prairies expand critical habitat for endangered and threatened amphibian and reptile species
Coal extraction has been occurring in the Midwestern United States for over a century. Despite the pre-mining history of the landscape as woodlands, spent surface coalfields are often reclaimed to grasslands. We assessed amphibian and reptile species on a large tract of coal spoil prairie and found 13 species of amphibians (nine frog and four salamander species) and 19 species of reptiles (one lizAuthorsMichael J. Lannoo, Vanessa C. Kinney, Jennifer L. Heemeyer, Nathan J. Engbrecht, Alisa L. Gallant, Robert W. KlaverNesting ecology of greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus at the eastern edge of their historic distribution
Greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus populations in North Dakota declined approximately 67% between 1965 and 2003, and the species is listed as a Priority Level 1 Species of Special Concern by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The habitat and ecology of the species at the eastern edge of its historical range is largely unknown. We investigated nest site selection by greater sage-AuthorsK. M. Herman-Brunson, K. C. Jensen, N. W. Kaczor, C. C. Swanson, M. A. Rumble, R. W. KlaverAggressive defensive behavior by free-ranging white-tailed deer
Maternal investment plays a critical role in neonate survival, and adults can improve survival of offspring by defending them against predators. However, limited information exists documenting ungulate aggression toward humans in defense of neonates. During captures of neonates in spring 2007 and 2008 in north-central South Dakota, we documented 24 aggressive encounters by adult female and yearlinAuthorsT.W. Grovenburg, J.A. Jenks, C.N. Jacques, R. W. Klaver, C. C. SwansonForecasting distributions of large federal-lands fires utilizing satellite and gridded weather information
The current study presents a statistical model for assessing the skill of fire danger indices and for forecasting the distribution of the expected numbers of large fires over a given region and for the upcoming week. The procedure permits development of daily maps that forecast, for the forthcoming week and within federal lands, percentiles of the distributions of (i) number of ignitions; (ii) numAuthorsH.K. Preisler, R.E. Burgan, J.C. Eidenshink, Jacqueline M. Klaver, R. W. KlaverDoes the use of vaginal-implant transmitters affect neonate survival rate of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus?
We compared survival of neonate white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus captured using vaginal-implant transmitters (VITs) and traditional ground searches to determine if capture method affects neonate survival. During winter 2003, 14 adult female radio-collared deer were fitted with VITs to aid in the spring capture of neonates; neonates were captured using VITs (N=14) and traditional ground seaAuthorsC. C. Swanson, J.A. Jenks, C.S. DePerno, R. W. Klaver, R. G. Osborn, J.A. TardiffAssociating seasonal range characteristics with survival of female white-tailed deer
Delineating populations is critical for understanding population dynamics and managing habitats. Our objective was to delineate subpopulations of migratory female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the central Black Hills, South Dakota and Wyoming, USA, on summer and winter ranges. We used fuzzy classification to assign radiocollared deer to subpopulations based on spatial location, chaAuthorsR. W. Klaver, J.A. Jenks, C.S. Deperno, S.L. GriffinFactors affecting road mortality of white-tailed deer in eastern South Dakota
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mortalities (n = 4,433) caused by collisions with automobiles during 2003 were modeled in 35 counties in eastern South Dakota. Seventeen independent variables and 5 independent variable interactions were evaluated to explain deer mortalities. A negative binomial regression model (Ln Y = 1.25 – 0.12 [percentage tree coverage] + 0.0002 [county area] + 5.39AuthorsTroy W. Grovenburg, Jonathan A. Jenks, Robert W. Klaver, Kevin L. Monteith, Dwight H. Galster, Ron J. Schauer, Wilbert W. Morlock, Joshua A. DelgerGlobal rates of habitat loss and implications for amphibian conservation
A large number of factors are known to affect amphibian population viability, but most authors agree that the principal causes of amphibian declines are habitat loss, alteration, and fragmentation. We provide a global assessment of land use dynamics in the context of amphibian distributions. We accomplished this by compiling global maps of amphibian species richness and recent rates of change in lAuthorsAlisa L. Gallant, R. W. Klaver, G.S. Casper, M.J. LannooEvaluating detection probabilities for American marten in the Black Hills, South Dakota
Assessing the effectiveness of monitoring techniques designed to determine presence of forest carnivores, such as American marten (Martes americana), is crucial for validation of survey results. Although comparisons between techniques have been made, little attention has been paid to the issue of detection probabilities (p). Thus, the underlying assumption has been that detection probabilities equAuthorsJoshua B. Smith, Jonathan A. Jenks, Robert W. KlaverDeterminants of elephant distribution at Nazinga Game Ranch, Burkina Faso
We used seasonal ground total counts and remote sensing and GIS technology to relate elephant (Loxodonta africana africana) distribution at Nazinga Game Ranch to environmental and anthropogenic factors. Variables used in analyses were normalized difference vegetation index, elevation, stream density, density of poaching and human illegal activities, distance to dams, distance to rivers, distance tAuthorsJonathan A. Jenks, Robert W. Klaver, Zeno W. WicksApplying radar technology to migratory bird conservation and management: Strengthening and expanding a collaborative
Executive Summary Understanding the factors affecting migratory bird and bat populations during all three phases of their life cycle—breeding, nonbreeding, and migration—is critical to species conservation planning. This includes the need for information about these species’ responses to natural challenges, as well as information about the effects of human activities and structures. Habitats and oAuthorsJanet M. Ruth, Albert Manville, Ron Larkin, Wylie C. Barrow, Lori Johnson-Randall, Deanna K. Dawson, Robert H. Diehl, Yufang Wang, Richard S. Sojda, Rafal Angryk, Robert W. Klaver, Reggie Mead, John Paxton, Patricia J. Heglund, Eileen Kirsch, Manuel J. Suarez, Larry Robinson, Sidney A. Gauthreaux, Carroll G. Belser, Steven J. Franke, Bruno Bruderer, Jeffrey J. Buler, Frank R. Moore, David S. Mizrahi, Robert Fogg, T. Adam Kelly, Paul M. Cryan, Tim Crum, Terry J. Schuur, Dave Krueper, Robb Diehl, Tom WillEvaluating genetic viability of pronghorn in Wind Cave National Park
The pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) was reintroduced into Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, in 1914 and thus, has inhabited the Park for almost a century. A decline in the population has raised concern for the continued existence of pronghorn inside Wind Cave National Park. Historically, pronghorn numbers reached greater than 300 individuals in the 1960’s but declined to about 30 individualAuthorsJonathan A. Jenks, Christopher N. Jacques, Jaret D. Sievers, Robert W. Klaver, R. Terry Bowyer, Daniel E. RoddyNon-USGS Publications**
Smith, J.B., S.K. Windels, T. Wolf, R.W. Klaver, J.L. Belant. 2016. Do transmitters affect survival and body condition of American beavers (Castor canadensis)? Wildlife Biology 22:117 - 123Sasmal, I., R.W. Klaver, J.A. Jenks, and G.M. Schroeder. Age-specific survival of reintroduced swift fox in Badlands National Park and surrounding lands. Wildlife Society Bulletin
Jacques, C.N., J.A. Jenks, T.W. Grovenburg, and R.W. Klaver. 2015. Influence of habitat and intrinsic characteristics on survival of neonatal pronghorn. PLoS ONE 10: e0144026Datta, S., J. A. Jenks, K. C. Jensen, C. C. Swanson, R. W. Klaver, I. Sasmal, and T. W. Grovenburg. 2015. Mate Replacement and Alloparental Care in Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis). The Prairie Naturalist 47:36–37Jacques, C.N., J.A. Jenks, T.W. Grovenburg, R.W. Klaver, and S.A. Dubay. 2015. Influence of ecological factors on prevalence of meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) infection in South Dakota, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 51: 332-340**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.
- Data