Satellite remote sensing of landscape features that possess high-frequency dynamics, such as sea ice distribution and vegetation phenology, and spatial analyses of how wildlife migrations are influenced by habitat and weather dynamics.
My projects aim to pioneer new analytical avenues in applied wildlife research by combining remote sensing with traditional wildlife studies to answer questions about habitat use and animal movements at landscape scales. The studies I engage align with Department of Interior priorities in the Arctic by addressing a growing need to understand how changes in climate or land use practices affect wildlife migrations, habitat availability, habitat quality, and population dynamics. Climate is the overarching force that controls wildlife habitat resources in the Arctic, so understanding linkages between the physical and biological environment is critical for making informed management decisions in the face of accelerating warming and expanding human activities. My expertise includes tracking wildlife by satellite, monitoring sea ice and vegetation changes by satellite, and the implications of future climate change on Arctic wildlife in general.
Professional Experience
1986 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1985 - 1986 Biological Technician Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks, Alaska
1980 - 1984 Biological Technician US Forest Service, Region 4, Ogden, Utah
Education and Certifications
M.S. 1986 Washington State University, Pullman, WA Wildlife Biology
B.A. 1982 Utah State University, Logan, UT Biology
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Science and Products
Polar Bear Research
Walrus Research
USGS Alaska Science Center Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tracking Data for Steller's Eiders (Polysticta stelleri)
Tracking Data for Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis)
Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
Tracking Data for Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima)
Tracking Data for Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)
Tracking Data for Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Tracking Data for Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons)
Tracking Data for Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Tracking Data for Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus)
Pacific Walrus Coastal Haulout Occurrences Interpreted from Satellite Imagery, 2023
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tracking Data for Steller's Eiders (Polysticta stelleri)
Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017
Pacific Walrus Coastal Haulout Occurrences Interpreted from Satellite Imagery
Bivalve Shell Growth Indices, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, 1867-2015
Tracking Data for Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis)
Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986-2016
Tracking Data for Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima)
Tracking data for Spectacled Eiders (Somateria fischeri)
Walrus Haulout Outlines Apparent from Satellite Imagery Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018-2020
Tracking Data for Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)
Forecasts of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) land use in the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 2040–65
Pacific Barrow’s Goldeneye refine migratory phenology in response to overwintering temperatures and annual snow melt
High winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern
Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040
Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska
Sclerochronological records of environmental variability and bivalve growth in the Pacific Arctic
Comparisons of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) sea-ice projections in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecoregions during the 21st century
Kittlitz’s murrelet seasonal distribution and post-breeding migration from the Gulf of Alaska to the Arctic Ocean
Long-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment
Effects of sea ice decline and summer land use on polar bear home range size in the Beaufort Sea
Evaluation of satellite imagery for monitoring Pacific walruses at a large coastal haulout
Survival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016
Science and Products
- Science
Filter Total Items: 39
Polar Bear Research
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are one of 4 marine mammal species managed by the U.S. Department of Interior. The USGS Alaska Science Center leads long–term research on polar bears to inform local, state, national and international policy makers regarding conservation of the species and its habitat. Our studies, ongoing since 1985, are focused on population dynamics, health and energetics...Walrus Research
The USGS Alaska Science Center conducts long-term research on the Pacific walrus to provide scientific information to Department of Interior management agencies and Alaska Native co-management partners. In addition, the USGS Pacific walrus research program collaborates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State of Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game and Alaska Native co...USGS Alaska Science Center Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
Understanding the short- and long-distance movements of wildlife is critical for a wide variety of ecological research questions and management decisions. Since the mid-1980s, the USGS Alaska Science Center has used information from telemetry devices on wildlife species to determine locations of animals throughout their annual cycles, understand patterns of habitat use, quantify time spent on...U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tracking Data for Steller's Eiders (Polysticta stelleri)
Available here are tracking data of the Steller’s Eider, a species of seaduck that breeds throughout the circumpolar Arctic and spends the winter in coastal areas of western and southwestern Alaska. The Alaska-breeding population is listed as threatened under provisions of the Endangered Species Act. These tracking data were collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The entire data package...Tracking Data for Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis)
Available here are tracking data of long-tailed duck, a species of seaduck that breeds throughout the circumpolar Arctic and spends the winter in coastal areas of northern and mid latitudes. These data were collected to determine range-wide migratory routes, migratory timing, and stopover habitats of this species.Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
Available here are tracking data of Pacific walrus, a marine mammal that ranges between the Alaska Peninsula, up through the Bering and Chukchi seas, and over to Russia. These data were collected from animals marked in the northern Bering and Chuckchi sea to understand seasonal movement patterns, use of coastal haulouts in northwestern Alaska, and determine estimates of abundance in autumn.Tracking Data for Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima)
Available here are tracking data of Common Eider, a sea duck species found across Alaska and the Arctic. Some populations migrate between distant breeding and wintering areas while others are essentially nonmigratory. These data were collected to better understand the migration of the different populations in Alaska and migratory connectivity to adjacent regions, such as Russia.Tracking Data for Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)
Available here are tracking data for the whooper swan, a Eurasian species that closely resembles the trumpeter swan in North America. These data were collected to better understand the potential transmission of avian influenza viruses carried by swans and provide information on the migratory habits of whooper swans in East Asia.Tracking Data for Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Available here are tracking data for the Kittlitz’s murrelet, a rare seabird species that nests solitarily on the ground in barren, often alpine areas near the North Pacific and Bering Sea.Tracking Data for Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons)
Available here are tracking data of Greater White-fronted Geese, a species that nests in coastal areas of western and northern Alaska and winters across a broad area of North America along the Pacific and Central flyways. These data were collected to better understand the timing and patterns of migratory movements and seasonal use of habitats in breeding, wintering, and migratory areas of North...Tracking Data for Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Available here are tracking data for the whimbrel, a striking example of a shorebird with its long and curved bill. The whimbrel is found throughout tundra and boreal habitats of Alaska during the summer and spends the winter along coast lines of the continental U.S., and central and South America. These data were collected to better understand the migratory patterns of this iconic species.Tracking Data for Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus)
Available here are tracking data for the Emperor Goose, an endemic waterfowl species to the Bering Sea region that breeds primarily in western Alaska on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and spends the winter in southwestern Alaska and throughout the Aleutian Islands. These data were collected to better understand the migratory patterns, winter habitat use, and annual survival of emperor geese. - Data
Filter Total Items: 37
Pacific Walrus Coastal Haulout Occurrences Interpreted from Satellite Imagery, 2023
This data release contains maps, geospatial files, and a table of the satellite imagery types with the dates when they were collected and examined to interpret the presence of, and area occupied by, walruses at terrestrial haulouts. Estimates of the land area occupied by walruses are provided based on interpretation by experienced image reviewers. The images are from a variety of Earth observing sU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tracking Data for Steller's Eiders (Polysticta stelleri)
This metadata document describes the data contained in the "processedData" folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 14 satellite transmitters attached to Steller's Eiders on their breeding range in arctic Alaska, 2000-2001. The raw data were processed to accomplish two goals: flag implausible location estimates and decode raw sensor data.Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, July-November 1985-2017
his dataset consists of one table with estimated locations of adult female polar bears during July-November 1985-2017, used for quantifying changes in summer land use over time. Locations were estimated with a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model fit to satellite tracking from radio-collared adult female polar bears. All bears included in this data set were captured and instrumentePacific Walrus Coastal Haulout Occurrences Interpreted from Satellite Imagery
This data release contains maps, geospatial files, and a table of the satellite imagery types with the dates when they were collected and examined to interpret the presence of, and area occupied by, walruses at terrestrial haulouts. Estimates of the land area occupied by walruses are provided based on interpretation by experienced image reviewers. The images are from a variety of Earth observing sBivalve Shell Growth Indices, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, 1867-2015
This dataset contains the growth index from annual growth bands in the shells of two bivalve clam species (Astarte borealis and Liocyma fluctuosa) captured in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. The growth index is based on a measurement of the annual growth increment width that has been detrended for age-related differences in growth.Tracking Data for Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis)
This metadata document describes the data contained in the "rawData" folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 85 satellite transmitters attached to Long-tailed Ducks on their breeding range in arctic and western Alaska, 1998-2005. Five data files are included in the "rawData" folder of this data package. Two data files (with identical contTracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
This metadata document describes the data contained in the "processedData" folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 921 satellite transmitters attached to adult Pacific walruses in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, in U.S. and Russian waters, 1988-2019. The raw data were processed to accomplish two goals: flag implausible location estimates andPolar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986-2016
This dataset consists of one table with predicted locations of adult female polar bears. Locations were derived by a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model using satellite tracking radio-collared adult female polar bears captured and instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016.Tracking Data for Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima)
This metadata document describes the data contained in the "rawData" folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 167 satellite transmitters attached to Common Eiders on their breeding range in arctic and western Alaska, 2000-2008. Five data files are included in the "rawData" folder of this data package. Two data files (with identical contentTracking data for Spectacled Eiders (Somateria fischeri)
This metadata document describes the data contained in the "processedData" folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 217 satellite transmitters attached to Spectacled Eiders on their breeding range in arctic and western Alaska and northeastern Russia, 1993-2011. The raw data were processed to accomplish two goals: flag implausible locationWalrus Haulout Outlines Apparent from Satellite Imagery Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018-2020
These data are in three folders of Keyhole Markup Language (KML) geospatial polygons representing the outlines of walrus herds apparent in satellite imagery. Each KML file contains one or more geospatial polygons of walrus herd outlines created by one observer who visually interpreted the images. The attribute values from all KML files are collected in a CSV table included with this data package.Tracking Data for Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)
This metadata document describes the data contained in the "processedData" folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 17 satellite transmitters attached to Whooper Swans at a non-breeding site in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, 2009. The raw data were processed to accomplish two goals: flag implausible location estimates and decode raw sensor data - Multimedia
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Forecasts of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) land use in the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 2040–65
This report provides analysis to extend the 2040 forecasts of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) land use for the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Sea populations presented in a recent publication (Rode and others, 2022) through the year 2065. To inform long-term polar bear management considerations, we provide point-estimate forecasts and 95-percent prediction intervals of the proportion of polar bear popAuthorsKaryn D. Rode, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood, Ryan R. WilsonPacific Barrow’s Goldeneye refine migratory phenology in response to overwintering temperatures and annual snow melt
Timing of seasonal bird migrations is broadly determined by internal biological clocks, which are synchronized by photoperiod, but individuals often refine their migratory timing decisions in response to external factors. Using 11 years of satellite telemetry data, we show that Pacific Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), at higher latitudes, initiated spring and molt migrations later and falAuthorsJesse Kemp, W. Sean Boyd, Tesia M. Forstner, Daniel Esler, Timothy D. Bowman, David C. Douglas, Danica H. Hogan, Malcolm McAdie, Jonathan Thompson, Megan Willie, David GreenHigh winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern
Some animal species are responding to climate change by altering the timing of events like mating and migration. Such behavioral plasticity can be adaptive, but it is not always. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation have mostly remained on ice year-round, but as the climate warms and summer sea ice declines, a growing proportion of the subpopulation is summeriAuthorsAnnie Kellner, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Stewart Breck, George WittemyerObserved and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040
Monitoring changes in the distribution of large carnivores is important for managing human safety and supporting conservation. Throughout much of their range, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using terrestrial habitats in response to Arctic sea ice decline. Their increased presence in coastal areas has implications for bear-human conflict, inter-species interactions, and polar bear hAuthorsKaryn D. Rode, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood, George M. Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Anthony M. PaganoModeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska
Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) subpopulation have commonly created maternal dens on sea ice in the past, maternal dens on land have become increasingly prevalent as sea ice declines. This trend creates conditions for increased human–bear interactions associated with local communities and industrial activity. Maternal denning is a vulnerable period in theAuthorsVijay P. Patil, George M. Durner, David C. Douglas, Todd C. AtwoodSclerochronological records of environmental variability and bivalve growth in the Pacific Arctic
The Pacific Arctic region has experienced, and is projected to continue experiencing, rapid climate change. Large uncertainties exist in our understanding of the impact these physical changes have on the region’s ecology. This is, in part, due to the lack of long-term data. Here we investigate bivalve mollusc growth increment width chronologies (sclerochronologies) to develop a long-term biologicaAuthorsDavid J. Reynolds, Vanessa R. von Biela, Kenneth H. Dunton, David C. Douglas, Bryan A. BlackComparisons of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) sea-ice projections in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecoregions during the 21st century
Climate model projections are commonly used to assess potential impacts of global warming on a breadth of social, economic, and environmental topics. Modeling centers throughout the world coordinate to apply a consistent suite of radiative forcing experiments so that all model outputs can be collectively analyzed and compared. Three generations of model outputs have been produced and made availablAuthorsDavid C. Douglas, Todd C. AtwoodKittlitz’s murrelet seasonal distribution and post-breeding migration from the Gulf of Alaska to the Arctic Ocean
Kittlitz’s Murrelets (Brachyramphus brevirostris) nest during summer in glaciated or recently deglaciated (post-Wisconsin) landscapes. They forage in adjacent marine waters, especially those influenced by glacial meltwater. Little is known of their movements and distribution outside the breeding season. To identify post-breeding migrations of murrelets, we attached satellite transmitters to birdsAuthorsJohn F. Piatt, David C. Douglas, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Michelle Kissling, Erica N. Madison, Sarah K. Schoen, Kathy J. Kuletz, Gary S. DrewLong-term variation in polar bear body condition and maternal investment relative to a changing environment
In the Arctic, warming air and ocean temperatures have resulted in substantial changes to sea ice, which is primary habitat for polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Reductions in extent, duration, and thickness have altered sea ice dynamics, which influences the ability of polar bears to reliably access marine mammal prey. Because nutritional condition is closely linked to population vital rates, a progAuthorsTodd C. Atwood, Karyn D. Rode, David C. Douglas, Kristin S. Simac, Anthony Pagano, Jeffrey F. BromaghinEffects of sea ice decline and summer land use on polar bear home range size in the Beaufort Sea
Animals responding to habitat loss and fragmentation may increase their home ranges to offset declines in localized resources or they may decrease their home ranges and switch to alternative resources. In many regions of the Arctic, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) exhibit some of the largest home ranges of any quadrupedal mammal. Polar bears are presently experiencing a rapid decline in Arctic sea iAuthorsAnthony M. Pagano, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, David C. DouglasEvaluation of satellite imagery for monitoring Pacific walruses at a large coastal haulout
Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) are using coastal haulouts in the Chukchi Sea more often and in larger numbers to rest between foraging bouts in late summer and autumn in recent years, because climate warming has reduced availability of sea ice that historically had provided resting platforms near their preferred benthic feeding grounds. With greater numbers of walruses hauling outAuthorsAnthony S. Fischbach, David C. DouglasSurvival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016
The Arctic Ocean is undergoing rapid transformation toward a seasonally ice-free ecosystem. As ice-adapted apex predators, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are challenged to cope with ongoing habitat degradation and changes in their prey base driven by food-web response to climate warming. Knowledge of polar bear response to environmental change is necessary to understand ecosystem dynamics and inforAuthorsJeffrey F. Bromaghin, David C. Douglas, George M. Durner, Kristin S. Simac, Todd C. Atwood - Software
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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government