Collin Eagles-Smith
I am a Research Ecologist with the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center in Corvallis, Oregon. My research focuses on the interactions among ecological processes, contaminant bioaccumulation, and effects on wild populations.
My work specifically focuses on (1) the ecological factors regulating contaminant bioaccumulation and trophic transfer, with an emphasis on food web processes and contaminant cycling, (2) land use practices and ecosystem restoration effects on contaminant cycling through food webs, and (3) the sublethal effects of contaminants on individuals and contaminant-induced impairment to reproduction in the wild. My research is broadly applied across taxa - primarily fish and waterbirds, and habitat types - including lakes, freshwater wetlands, agricultural fields, and estuarine habitats.
Professional Experience
2010-present: Supervisory Research Ecologist, USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR
2007-2010: Wildlife Biologist, USGS Western Ecological Research Center, Davis, CA
2003-2007: Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento, CA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA (2006)
B.S., Environmental Resource Sciences - Magna Cum Laude, University of California, Davis, CA (2000)
Science and Products
Contaminant Ecology Research Team (FRESC)
The FRESC Contaminant Ecology research program evaluates the distribution, movement, and ecological effects of environmental contaminants across the landscape and strives to provide relevant science in support of natural resource conservation, management, and decision making.
Filter Total Items: 22
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 46
Mercury Concentrations and Mercury Isotopes in Salmonid fishes from the Snake River and tributaries in Idaho and Oregon, 2015 and 2019 (ver. 2.0, February 2021) Mercury Concentrations and Mercury Isotopes in Salmonid fishes from the Snake River and tributaries in Idaho and Oregon, 2015 and 2019 (ver. 2.0, February 2021)
Comma-separated values (.csv) file containing data related to mercury in Salmonid fishes collected from the Snake River and tributaries, Idaho and Oregon.
Mercury Bioaccumulation in US National Parks Using Dragonfly Larvae as Biosentinels, 2009-2018 Mercury Bioaccumulation in US National Parks Using Dragonfly Larvae as Biosentinels, 2009-2018
Comma-separated values (.csv) files containing data related to a National-scale assessment of mercury bioaccumulation in the US National Parks using dragonfly larvae as biosentinels through a citizen science framework.
Total Mercury Concentrations in Smallmouth Bass from Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, USA Dataset, 2013-2017 Total Mercury Concentrations in Smallmouth Bass from Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, USA Dataset, 2013-2017
This dataset includes fish scientific name, fish common name, site identification codes, latitude, longitude, site name, sample identification codes, collection date, tissue type, percent moisture content in fish samples, and wet and dry total mercury concentrations in fish tissues.
Fish tissue mercury and selenium concentrations in Upper Colorado River Basin: 1962-2011 Fish tissue mercury and selenium concentrations in Upper Colorado River Basin: 1962-2011
These data were compiled to study mercury and selenium concentrations in fish species and assemblages in lotic waterbodies across the Upper Colorado River Basin. Data were compiled from State and Federal agencies. This data table contains raw concentration data, as well as standardized concentrations corrected for differences based on sample type (i.e., tissue type), species-specific
Trask River Watershed Study Area Forestry Bioaccumulation Dataset, 2011-2015 Trask River Watershed Study Area Forestry Bioaccumulation Dataset, 2011-2015
This dataset includes timber harvest treatments; mercury concentrations in aquatic macroinvertebrates, salamanders, and riparian songbirds; carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in aquatic macroinvertebrates and salamanders; and Bayesian estimates of food web length, basal resource diversity, and isotopic niche size for individual feeding guilds.
Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in Barred Owls (Strix varia) collected in Washington and Oregon 2015-2017 Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in Barred Owls (Strix varia) collected in Washington and Oregon 2015-2017
This dataset includes anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) screening results of 40 Barred Owls (Strix varia) collected in forested landscapes of Washington and Oregon from 2015-2017. Liver tissue was collected from each owl and screened for exposure to eight AR compounds, including 4 first-generation ARs (warfarin, diphacinone, chlorophacinone, and coumachlor), and 4 second-generation ARs...
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 155
Using mercury stable isotope fractionation to identify the contribution of historical mercury mining sources present in downstream water, sediment and fish Using mercury stable isotope fractionation to identify the contribution of historical mercury mining sources present in downstream water, sediment and fish
Ecosystems downstream of mercury (Hg) contaminated sites can be impacted by both localized releases as well as Hg deposited to the watershed from atmospheric transport. Identifying the source of Hg in water, sediment, and fish downstream of contaminated sites is important for determining the effectiveness of source-control remediation actions. This study uses measurements of Hg stable...
Authors
Chris S. Eckley, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Todd P Luxton, Joel C. Hoffman, Sarah E. Janssen
The influence of short-term temporal variability on the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as mercury biosentinels The influence of short-term temporal variability on the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as mercury biosentinels
Mercury (Hg) exposure to fish, wildlife, and humans is widespread and of global concern, thus stimulating efforts to reduce emissions. Because the relationships between rates of inorganic Hg loading, methylmercury (MeHg) production, and bioaccumulation are extremely complex and challenging to predict, there is a need for reliable biosentinels to understand the distribution of Hg in the...
Authors
James Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Sarah J. Nelson, Colleen M. Flanagan-Pritz, David P. Krabbenhoft
In-reservoir physical processes modulate aqueous and biological methylmercury export from a seasonally anoxic reservoir In-reservoir physical processes modulate aqueous and biological methylmercury export from a seasonally anoxic reservoir
Anoxic conditions within reservoirs related to thermal stratification and oxygen depletion lead to methylmercury (MeHg) production, a key process governing the uptake of mercury in aquatic food webs. Once formed within a reservoir, the timing and magnitude of the biological uptake of MeHg and the relative importance of MeHg export in water versus biological compartments remain poorly...
Authors
Austin K. Baldwin, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, James Willacker, Brett Poulin, David P. Krabbenhoft, Jesse Naymik, Michael T. Tate, Dain Bates, Nick Gastelecutto, Charles Hoovestol, Christopher F. Larsen, Alysa Muir Yoder, James A. Chandler, Ralph Myers
Collateral damage: Anticoagulant rodenticides pose threats to California condors Collateral damage: Anticoagulant rodenticides pose threats to California condors
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are widespread environmental contaminants that pose risks to scavenging birds because they routinely occur within their prey and can cause secondary poisoning. However, little is known about AR exposure in one of the rarest avian scavengers in the world, the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus). We assessed AR exposure in California condors and...
Authors
Garth Herring, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Rachel Wolstenholme, Alacia Welch, Chris West, Barnett A. Rattner
Using carbon, nitrogen, and mercury isotope values to distinguish mercury sources to Alaskan lake trout Using carbon, nitrogen, and mercury isotope values to distinguish mercury sources to Alaskan lake trout
Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), collected from 13 remote lakes located in southwestern Alaska, were analyzed for carbon, nitrogen, and mercury (Hg) stable isotope values to assess the importance of migrating oceanic salmon, volcanic activity, and atmospheric deposition to fish Hg burden. Methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in phytoplankton (5.0–6.9 kg L–1) was also measured to...
Authors
Ryan F. Lepak, Jacob M. Ogorek, Krista K. Bartz, Sarah E. Janssen, Michael T. Tate, Yin Runsheng, James P. Hurley, Daniel B. Young, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, David P. Krabbenhoft
What are the toxicological effects of mercury in Arctic biota? What are the toxicological effects of mercury in Arctic biota?
No abstract available.
Authors
Rune Dietz, Robert J. Letcher, Joshua T. Ackerman, Benjamin D. Barst, Niladri Basu, Olivier Chastel, John Chetelat, Sam Dastnai, Jean-Pierre Desforges, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Igor Eulaers, Jerome Fort, Jacob Nabe-Nielsen, Feiyue Wang, Simon Wilson
Non-USGS Publications**
Suchanek, T.H., Cooke, J., Keller, K., Richerson, P.J., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Harner, E.J., Adam, D.P., 2009, A mass balance mercury budget for a mine-dominated lake - Clear Lake, California: Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, v. 196, p. 51-73.
Richerson, P.J., Suchanek, T.H., Zierenberg, R.A., Osleger, D.A., Heyvaert, A.C., Slotton, D.G., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Vaughn, C.E., 2008, Anthropogenic stressors and changes in the Clear Lake ecosystem as recorded in sediment cores: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A257-A283.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Harner, E.J., 2008, Is Clear Lake methylmercury distribution decoupled from bulk mercury loading?: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A107-A127.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Slotton, D.G., Harner, E.J., Adam, D.P., 2008, Mercury in abiotic matrices of Clear Lake, California- Human health and ecotoxicological implications: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A128-A157.
Anderson, D.W., Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Cahill, Jr., T.M., 2008, Mercury residues and productivity in osprey and grebes from a mine-dominated ecosystem: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A227-A238.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Slotton, D.G., Harner, E.J., Adam, D.P., Colwell, A.E., Anderson, N.L., Woodward, D.L., 2008, Mine-derived mercury- Effects on lower trophic species in Clear Lake, California: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A158-A176.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Slotton, D.G., Harner, E.J., Colwell, A.E., Anderson, N.L., Mullen, L.H., Flanders, J.R., Adam, D.P., McElroy, K.J., 2008, Spatiotemporal trends in fish mercury from a mine-dominated ecosystem- Clear Lake, California: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A177-A195.
McEachern, M.B., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Efferson, C.M., Van Vuren, D.H., 2006, Evidence for local specialization in a generalist mammalian herbivore, Neotoma fuscipes: Oikos, v. 113, p. 440-448.
**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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 31
Science and Products
Contaminant Ecology Research Team (FRESC)
The FRESC Contaminant Ecology research program evaluates the distribution, movement, and ecological effects of environmental contaminants across the landscape and strives to provide relevant science in support of natural resource conservation, management, and decision making.
Filter Total Items: 22
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 46
Mercury Concentrations and Mercury Isotopes in Salmonid fishes from the Snake River and tributaries in Idaho and Oregon, 2015 and 2019 (ver. 2.0, February 2021) Mercury Concentrations and Mercury Isotopes in Salmonid fishes from the Snake River and tributaries in Idaho and Oregon, 2015 and 2019 (ver. 2.0, February 2021)
Comma-separated values (.csv) file containing data related to mercury in Salmonid fishes collected from the Snake River and tributaries, Idaho and Oregon.
Mercury Bioaccumulation in US National Parks Using Dragonfly Larvae as Biosentinels, 2009-2018 Mercury Bioaccumulation in US National Parks Using Dragonfly Larvae as Biosentinels, 2009-2018
Comma-separated values (.csv) files containing data related to a National-scale assessment of mercury bioaccumulation in the US National Parks using dragonfly larvae as biosentinels through a citizen science framework.
Total Mercury Concentrations in Smallmouth Bass from Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, USA Dataset, 2013-2017 Total Mercury Concentrations in Smallmouth Bass from Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, USA Dataset, 2013-2017
This dataset includes fish scientific name, fish common name, site identification codes, latitude, longitude, site name, sample identification codes, collection date, tissue type, percent moisture content in fish samples, and wet and dry total mercury concentrations in fish tissues.
Fish tissue mercury and selenium concentrations in Upper Colorado River Basin: 1962-2011 Fish tissue mercury and selenium concentrations in Upper Colorado River Basin: 1962-2011
These data were compiled to study mercury and selenium concentrations in fish species and assemblages in lotic waterbodies across the Upper Colorado River Basin. Data were compiled from State and Federal agencies. This data table contains raw concentration data, as well as standardized concentrations corrected for differences based on sample type (i.e., tissue type), species-specific
Trask River Watershed Study Area Forestry Bioaccumulation Dataset, 2011-2015 Trask River Watershed Study Area Forestry Bioaccumulation Dataset, 2011-2015
This dataset includes timber harvest treatments; mercury concentrations in aquatic macroinvertebrates, salamanders, and riparian songbirds; carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in aquatic macroinvertebrates and salamanders; and Bayesian estimates of food web length, basal resource diversity, and isotopic niche size for individual feeding guilds.
Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in Barred Owls (Strix varia) collected in Washington and Oregon 2015-2017 Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in Barred Owls (Strix varia) collected in Washington and Oregon 2015-2017
This dataset includes anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) screening results of 40 Barred Owls (Strix varia) collected in forested landscapes of Washington and Oregon from 2015-2017. Liver tissue was collected from each owl and screened for exposure to eight AR compounds, including 4 first-generation ARs (warfarin, diphacinone, chlorophacinone, and coumachlor), and 4 second-generation ARs...
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 155
Using mercury stable isotope fractionation to identify the contribution of historical mercury mining sources present in downstream water, sediment and fish Using mercury stable isotope fractionation to identify the contribution of historical mercury mining sources present in downstream water, sediment and fish
Ecosystems downstream of mercury (Hg) contaminated sites can be impacted by both localized releases as well as Hg deposited to the watershed from atmospheric transport. Identifying the source of Hg in water, sediment, and fish downstream of contaminated sites is important for determining the effectiveness of source-control remediation actions. This study uses measurements of Hg stable...
Authors
Chris S. Eckley, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Todd P Luxton, Joel C. Hoffman, Sarah E. Janssen
The influence of short-term temporal variability on the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as mercury biosentinels The influence of short-term temporal variability on the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as mercury biosentinels
Mercury (Hg) exposure to fish, wildlife, and humans is widespread and of global concern, thus stimulating efforts to reduce emissions. Because the relationships between rates of inorganic Hg loading, methylmercury (MeHg) production, and bioaccumulation are extremely complex and challenging to predict, there is a need for reliable biosentinels to understand the distribution of Hg in the...
Authors
James Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Sarah J. Nelson, Colleen M. Flanagan-Pritz, David P. Krabbenhoft
In-reservoir physical processes modulate aqueous and biological methylmercury export from a seasonally anoxic reservoir In-reservoir physical processes modulate aqueous and biological methylmercury export from a seasonally anoxic reservoir
Anoxic conditions within reservoirs related to thermal stratification and oxygen depletion lead to methylmercury (MeHg) production, a key process governing the uptake of mercury in aquatic food webs. Once formed within a reservoir, the timing and magnitude of the biological uptake of MeHg and the relative importance of MeHg export in water versus biological compartments remain poorly...
Authors
Austin K. Baldwin, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, James Willacker, Brett Poulin, David P. Krabbenhoft, Jesse Naymik, Michael T. Tate, Dain Bates, Nick Gastelecutto, Charles Hoovestol, Christopher F. Larsen, Alysa Muir Yoder, James A. Chandler, Ralph Myers
Collateral damage: Anticoagulant rodenticides pose threats to California condors Collateral damage: Anticoagulant rodenticides pose threats to California condors
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are widespread environmental contaminants that pose risks to scavenging birds because they routinely occur within their prey and can cause secondary poisoning. However, little is known about AR exposure in one of the rarest avian scavengers in the world, the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus). We assessed AR exposure in California condors and...
Authors
Garth Herring, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Rachel Wolstenholme, Alacia Welch, Chris West, Barnett A. Rattner
Using carbon, nitrogen, and mercury isotope values to distinguish mercury sources to Alaskan lake trout Using carbon, nitrogen, and mercury isotope values to distinguish mercury sources to Alaskan lake trout
Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), collected from 13 remote lakes located in southwestern Alaska, were analyzed for carbon, nitrogen, and mercury (Hg) stable isotope values to assess the importance of migrating oceanic salmon, volcanic activity, and atmospheric deposition to fish Hg burden. Methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in phytoplankton (5.0–6.9 kg L–1) was also measured to...
Authors
Ryan F. Lepak, Jacob M. Ogorek, Krista K. Bartz, Sarah E. Janssen, Michael T. Tate, Yin Runsheng, James P. Hurley, Daniel B. Young, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, David P. Krabbenhoft
What are the toxicological effects of mercury in Arctic biota? What are the toxicological effects of mercury in Arctic biota?
No abstract available.
Authors
Rune Dietz, Robert J. Letcher, Joshua T. Ackerman, Benjamin D. Barst, Niladri Basu, Olivier Chastel, John Chetelat, Sam Dastnai, Jean-Pierre Desforges, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Igor Eulaers, Jerome Fort, Jacob Nabe-Nielsen, Feiyue Wang, Simon Wilson
Non-USGS Publications**
Suchanek, T.H., Cooke, J., Keller, K., Richerson, P.J., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Harner, E.J., Adam, D.P., 2009, A mass balance mercury budget for a mine-dominated lake - Clear Lake, California: Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, v. 196, p. 51-73.
Richerson, P.J., Suchanek, T.H., Zierenberg, R.A., Osleger, D.A., Heyvaert, A.C., Slotton, D.G., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Vaughn, C.E., 2008, Anthropogenic stressors and changes in the Clear Lake ecosystem as recorded in sediment cores: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A257-A283.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Harner, E.J., 2008, Is Clear Lake methylmercury distribution decoupled from bulk mercury loading?: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A107-A127.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Slotton, D.G., Harner, E.J., Adam, D.P., 2008, Mercury in abiotic matrices of Clear Lake, California- Human health and ecotoxicological implications: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A128-A157.
Anderson, D.W., Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Cahill, Jr., T.M., 2008, Mercury residues and productivity in osprey and grebes from a mine-dominated ecosystem: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A227-A238.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Slotton, D.G., Harner, E.J., Adam, D.P., Colwell, A.E., Anderson, N.L., Woodward, D.L., 2008, Mine-derived mercury- Effects on lower trophic species in Clear Lake, California: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A158-A176.
Suchanek, T.H., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Slotton, D.G., Harner, E.J., Colwell, A.E., Anderson, N.L., Mullen, L.H., Flanders, J.R., Adam, D.P., McElroy, K.J., 2008, Spatiotemporal trends in fish mercury from a mine-dominated ecosystem- Clear Lake, California: Ecological Applications, v. 18, no. 8, p. A177-A195.
McEachern, M.B., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Efferson, C.M., Van Vuren, D.H., 2006, Evidence for local specialization in a generalist mammalian herbivore, Neotoma fuscipes: Oikos, v. 113, p. 440-448.
**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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 31