Dr. Claudia Mengelt is the Program Manager with the Land Management Research Program in the Ecosystem Mission Area with USGS.
Prior to joining the USGS, she was the California Science Coordinator for Science Applications and the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative with USFWS’ regional office in Sacramento, CA. She continues to work closely with resource managers in California to apply research to decision-making. Claudia developed her expertise in performance evaluation of federal programs, elicitation and facilitation, climate change adaptation, and co-production of science during her eleven years as Senior Program Officer with the National Academy of Sciences. In this position, she led studies related to ocean policy, marine science, natural hazards, program performance and strategic planning, climate change and climate change adaptation. Claudia completed a M.S. in biological oceanography from Oregon State University and obtained her Ph.D. in marine sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Education and Certifications
B.S. 1997, University of California, Santa Barbara
M.S. 2000, Oregon State University
Ph.D. 2006, University of California, Santa Barbara
Science and Products
Developing short science syntheses for use in NEPA analyses and decisions in the Bureau of Land Management
Integrating Remote-Sensing and Ecological Forecasting into Decision-Support for Wetland Wildlife Management in the Central Valley of California
Effects of noise from oil and gas development on ungulates and small mammals—A science synthesis to inform National Environmental Policy Act analyses
Knowledge coproduction on the impact of decisions for waterbird habitat in a changing climate
A structured decision-making framework for managing cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms in New York State parks
Applying assessments of adaptive capacity to inform natural-resource management in a changing climate
Toward climate change refugia conservation at an ecoregion scale
Improving conservation outcomes with a new paradigm for understanding species’ fundamental and realized adaptive capacity
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
- Science
Developing short science syntheses for use in NEPA analyses and decisions in the Bureau of Land Management
Scientific information is fundamental to understanding how proposed actions on public lands may impact the environment. However, agencies often have limited time to compile and synthesize existing science. We are working with the Bureau of Land Management to develop a new type of science product—short science syntheses—for facilitating use of the best available science in public lands decisions.Integrating Remote-Sensing and Ecological Forecasting into Decision-Support for Wetland Wildlife Management in the Central Valley of California
In the Central Valley of California, the few remaining wetlands plus cropland that is flooded after harvest provide critical habitat for wetland-dependent species. However future climate conditions and a growing human population will challenge how they are managed. To support coordinated conservation, wetland restoration, and climate adaptation planning, we partnered with Point Blue Conservation... - Publications
Effects of noise from oil and gas development on ungulates and small mammals—A science synthesis to inform National Environmental Policy Act analyses
The U.S. Geological Survey is working with Federal land management agencies to develop a series of science syntheses to support environmental effects analyses that agencies conduct to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This report synthesizes science information about the potential effects of noise from oil and gas development on North American ungulates and small mammals, iAuthorsTait K. Rutherford, Logan M. Maxwell, Nathan J. Kleist, Elisabeth C. Teige, Richard J. Lehrter, Megan A. Gilbert, David J.A. Wood, Aaron N. Johnston, Claudia Mengelt, John C. Tull, Travis S. Haby, Sarah K. CarterKnowledge coproduction on the impact of decisions for waterbird habitat in a changing climate
Scientists, resource managers, and decision-makers increasingly use knowledge co-production to guide the stewardship of future landscapes under climate change. This process was applied in the California Central Valley, USA to solve complex conservation problems, where managed wetlands and croplands are flooded between fall and spring to support some of the largest concentrations of shorebirds andAuthorsKristin B. Byrd, Elliott Matchett, Claudia Mengelt, Tamara S. Wilson, Deanne DiPietro, Monica Moritsch, Erin Conlisk, Sam Veloz, Michael L. Casazza, Matthew ReiterA structured decision-making framework for managing cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms in New York State parks
Cyanobacteria are increasingly a global water-quality concern because of the potential for these organisms to develop into potentially harmful blooms that affect ecological, economic, and public health. Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) can lead to a decrease in water quality and affect many of the recreational and ecological benefits of parks that include lakes. The New York State OAuthorsJennifer L. Graham, Gabriella M. Cebada Mora, Rebecca M. Gorney, Lianne C. Ball, Claudia Mengelt, Michael C. RungeApplying assessments of adaptive capacity to inform natural-resource management in a changing climate
Adaptive capacity (AC)—the ability of a species to cope with or accommodate climate change—is a critical determinant of species vulnerability. Using information on species’ AC in conservation planning is key to ensuring successful outcomes. We identified connections between a list of species’ attributes (e.g., traits, population metrics, and behaviors) that were recently proposed for assessing speAuthorsLindsey Thurman, John E. Gross, Claudia Mengelt, Erik A. Beever, Laura Thompson, Gregor W. Schuurman, Christopher Hoving, Julian D. OldenToward climate change refugia conservation at an ecoregion scale
Climate change uncertainty poses serious challenges to conservation efforts. One emerging conservation strategy is to identify and conserve climate change refugia: areas relatively buffered from contemporary climate change that enable persistence of valued resources. This management paradigm may be pursued at broad scales by leveraging existing resources and placing them into a tangible frameworkAuthorsCathleen Balantic, Andrea Adams, Shana Gross, Rachel Mazur, Sarah Sawyer, Jody Tucker, Marian Vernon, Claudia Mengelt, Jennifer Morales, James Thorne, Timothy Brown, Nicole Athearn, Toni Lyn MorelliImproving conservation outcomes with a new paradigm for understanding species’ fundamental and realized adaptive capacity
Worldwide, many species are responding to ongoing climate change with shifts in distribution, abundance, phenology, or behavior. Consequently, natural-resource managers face increasingly urgent conservation questions related to biodiversity loss, expansion of invasive species, and deteriorating ecosystem services. We argue that our ability to address these questions is hampered by the lack of explAuthorsErik A. Beever, John O’Leary, Claudia Mengelt, Jordan M. West, Susan Julius, Nancy Green, Dawn Magness, Laura E. Petes, Bruce A. Stein, Adrienne B Nicotra, Jessica J Hellmann, Amanda L Robertson, Michelle D. Staudinger, Andrew A. Rosenberg, Eleanora Babij, Jean Brennan, Gregor W. Schuurman, Gretchen E HofmannNon-USGS Publications**
National Academy of Sciences, 2016. Effective monitoring of environmental restoration in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.National Academy of Sciences, 2010. Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.National Academy of Sciences, Analysis of Global Change Assessments: Lessons Learned. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.**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.
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