Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Cara Campbell, PhD

I am a Senior Scientist for RGE-EDGE with the Office of Science Quality and Integrity (OSQI).

My government tenure began in 1991 as a Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and has included Research Fish Biologist positions with NOAA-Fisheries and the U.S. Geological Survey. My research interests focused on aquatic systems, specifically how landscape characteristics and physical processes shape stream environments, aquatic organism (mussel and fish) ecology and predictive modeling, and aquatic biodiversity estimation and evaluation.

In my current role, I guide and conduct the Research Grade Evaluation and Equipment Development Grade Evaluation (RGE/EDGE) process, oversee the operation and development of the Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program, coordinate the USGS Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Program, and serve as a member of the Fundamental Science Practice Advisory Committee (FSPAC) FSP Survey Manual Policy and Education and Outreach Subcommittees. 

 

Professional Experience

  • 2019-           Senior Scientist for RGE/EDGE, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA

    2016-2019    Staff Scientist, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA

    2002-2016    Research Fish Biologist, US Geological Survey, Wellsboro, PA

    1997-2002    Research Fish Biologist, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA

Education and Certifications

  • 2014    Ph.D., Ecology, University of Maryland

    1999    M.S., Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Massachusetts

    1990    B.A., Biology (Minor Math), Ithaca College

Honors and Awards

  • 2021     DOI Meritorious Service Award 

    2019     DOI Superior Service Award

Science and Products

Using maximum entropy to predict suitable habitat for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel in the Maryland Coastal Plain

Species distribution modelling can be useful for the conservation of rare and endangered species. Freshwater mussel declines have thinned species ranges producing spatially fragmented distributions across large areas. Spatial fragmentation in combination with a complex life history and heterogeneous environment makes predictive modelling difficult.A machine learning approach (maximum entropy) was
By
Ecosystems, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Physical and chemical constraints limit the habitat window for an endangered mussel

Development of effective conservation and restoration strategies for freshwater pearly mussels requires identification of environmental constraints on the distributions of individual mussel species. We examined whether the spatial distribution of the endangered Alasmidonta heterodon in Flat Brook, a tributary of the upper Delaware River, was constrained by water chemistry (i.e., calcium availabili
By
Cooperative Research Units

Summer temperature variation and implications for juvenile Atlantic salmon

Temperature is important to fish in determining their geographic distribution. For cool- and cold-water fish, thermal regimes are especially critical at the southern end of a species' range. Although temperature is an easy variable to measure, biological interpretation is difficult. Thus, how to determine what temperatures are meaningful to fish in the field is a challenge. Herein, we used the Con

Pre-USGS Publications

Campbell, C.A. 2014. Identifying the elusive dwarf wedgemussel habitat through modeling and field approaches. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
Sanderson, B.L., E.A. Steel, T.J. Beechie, G.R. Pess, M.B. Sheer, and C.A. Campbell. 2003. Analyses for phase I recovery planning: setting recovery goals. Pages 18-39 In T.J. Beechie, T.J., E.A. Steel, P. Roni, and E. Quimby (editors), Ecosystem recovery planning for listed salmon: an integrated assessment approach for salmon habitat. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-58, 183 p.
Campbell, C.A. 2003. Issues of scale in habitat recovery planning. Pages 127-136 In T.J. Beechie, T.J., E.A. Steel, P. Roni, and E. Quimby (editors), Ecosystem recovery planning for listed salmon: an integrated assessment approach for salmon habitat. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-58, 183 p.

Science and Products

  • Publications

    Using maximum entropy to predict suitable habitat for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel in the Maryland Coastal Plain

    Species distribution modelling can be useful for the conservation of rare and endangered species. Freshwater mussel declines have thinned species ranges producing spatially fragmented distributions across large areas. Spatial fragmentation in combination with a complex life history and heterogeneous environment makes predictive modelling difficult.A machine learning approach (maximum entropy) was
    By
    Ecosystems, Eastern Ecological Science Center

    Physical and chemical constraints limit the habitat window for an endangered mussel

    Development of effective conservation and restoration strategies for freshwater pearly mussels requires identification of environmental constraints on the distributions of individual mussel species. We examined whether the spatial distribution of the endangered Alasmidonta heterodon in Flat Brook, a tributary of the upper Delaware River, was constrained by water chemistry (i.e., calcium availabili
    By
    Cooperative Research Units

    Summer temperature variation and implications for juvenile Atlantic salmon

    Temperature is important to fish in determining their geographic distribution. For cool- and cold-water fish, thermal regimes are especially critical at the southern end of a species' range. Although temperature is an easy variable to measure, biological interpretation is difficult. Thus, how to determine what temperatures are meaningful to fish in the field is a challenge. Herein, we used the Con

    Pre-USGS Publications

    Campbell, C.A. 2014. Identifying the elusive dwarf wedgemussel habitat through modeling and field approaches. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
    Sanderson, B.L., E.A. Steel, T.J. Beechie, G.R. Pess, M.B. Sheer, and C.A. Campbell. 2003. Analyses for phase I recovery planning: setting recovery goals. Pages 18-39 In T.J. Beechie, T.J., E.A. Steel, P. Roni, and E. Quimby (editors), Ecosystem recovery planning for listed salmon: an integrated assessment approach for salmon habitat. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-58, 183 p.
    Campbell, C.A. 2003. Issues of scale in habitat recovery planning. Pages 127-136 In T.J. Beechie, T.J., E.A. Steel, P. Roni, and E. Quimby (editors), Ecosystem recovery planning for listed salmon: an integrated assessment approach for salmon habitat. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-58, 183 p.