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David R Smith, Ph.D.

Dave is a Research Statistician (Biology) at the Eastern Ecological Science Center in Kearneysville, WV.

Dave Smith graduated from Colorado State (MS in Fish and Wildlife Biology) and University of Georgia (MS in Statistics and PhD in Forest Resources).  Currently, he is a biological statistician at the USGS Leetown Science Center where he focuses on applied quantitative ecology in support of natural resource management and environmental decision making.

His research activities mostly focus on the following topics:

  • Adaptive sampling of rare and clustered populations
  • Conservation and science of horseshoe crabs in North America and Asia
  • Conservation of freshwater mussels
  • Application of structured decision making and adaptive management to natural resource management

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Image: Red Knots at Delaware Bay

Red Knot Migration and Population Ecology

Eastern Ecological Science Center biologists are studying migration and population ecology of the rufa red knot, a bird species that is dependent on horseshoe crab eggs to complete its trans-hemispheric migration. The birds' spring migration is timed with spawning of horseshoe crabs because the eggs are the perfect food for a migrating red knot.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Species Management Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
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Red Knot Migration and Population Ecology

Eastern Ecological Science Center biologists are studying migration and population ecology of the rufa red knot, a bird species that is dependent on horseshoe crab eggs to complete its trans-hemispheric migration. The birds' spring migration is timed with spawning of horseshoe crabs because the eggs are the perfect food for a migrating red knot.
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Predicted consequences of detecting dreissenid mussel eDNA in Jordanelle Reservoir Utah, 2021

U.S. Geological Survey decision analysts and technical experts worked with representatives from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Central Utah Water Conservancy District to predict the consequences of alternative actions following environmental DNA detections of dreissenid mussel eDNA in Jordanelle Reservor, Utah. This dataset provides the consequence and mod
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Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
Filter Total Items: 107

Horseshoe crab

No abstract available.

Multispecies approaches to status assessments in support of endangered species classifications

Multispecies risk assessments have developed within many international conservation programs, reflecting a widespread need for efficiency. Under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA), multispecies assessments ultimately lead to species-level listing decisions. Although this approach provides opportunities for improved efficiency, it also risks overwhelming or biasing the assessment proces

Using structured decision making to evaluate potential management responses to detection of dreissenid mussel (Dreissena spp.) environmental DNA

Environmental (e)DNA tools are sensitive and cost-effective for early detection of invasive species. However, the uncertainty associated with the interpretation of positive eDNA detections makes it challenging to determine appropriate natural resource management responses. Multiple sources of error can give rise to positive detections of eDNA in a sample when individuals of that species are not pr
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Performance of a carbon dioxide injection system at a navigation lock to control the spread of aquatic invasive species

Natural resource agencies need effective strategies to control the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as invasive fish, which can expand their range using rivers as hydrological pathways to access new areas. Lock and dam structures within major rivers are prospective locations to deploy techniques, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) infusion into lock water, that could impede upstream AIS mig
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Telemetry reveals migratory drivers and disparate space use across seasons and age-groups in American horseshoe crabs

Identifying mechanisms that underpin animal migration patterns and examining variability in space use within populations is crucial for understanding population dynamics and management implications. In this study, we quantified the migration rates, seasonal changes in migratory connectivity, and residency across population demographics (age and sex) to understand the proximate cues of migration ti
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Adaptive two-stage inverse sampling design to estimate density, abundance, and occupancy of rare and clustered populations

Sampling rare and clustered populations is challenging because of the effort required to find rare units. Heuristically, a practitioner would prefer to discontinue sampling in areas where rare units of interest are apparently extremely sparse or absent. We take advantage of the characteristics of inverse sampling to adaptively inform practitioners when it is efficient to move on to sample new area
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Decision analysis of barrier placement and targeted removal to control invasive carp in the Tennessee River Basin

Controlling range expansion of invasive carp (specifically Hypophthalmichthys spp.) on the Tennessee River is important to conserve the ecological and economic benefits provided by the river. We collaborated with State and Federal agencies (the stakeholder group) to develop a decision framework and decision support model to evaluate strategies to control carp expansion in the Tennessee River. Usin
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Impacts of sediment removal from and placement in coastal barrier island systems

Executive SummaryOn June 24, 2019, Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to request their assistance in answering questions regarding coastal sediment resource management within the Coastal Barrier Resources System as defined by the Coastal Barrier

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Ecosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

The contribution of water radiolysis to marine sedimentary life

Water radiolysis continuously produces H2 and oxidized chemicals in wet sediment and rock. Radiolytic H2 has been identified as the primary electron donor (food) for microorganisms in continental aquifers kilometers below Earth’s surface. Radiolytic products may also be significant for sustaining life in subseafloor sediment and subsurface environments of other planets. However, the extent to whic
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Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Using expert knowledge to support Endangered Species Act decision‐making for data‐deficient species

Many questions relevant to conservation decision making are characterized by extreme uncertainty due to lack of empirical data and complexity of the underlying ecological processes, leading to a rapid increase in the use of structured protocols to elicit expert knowledge. Published ecological applications often employ a modified Delphi method, where experts provide judgments anonymously and mathem
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

The Long-term effect of bleeding for Limulus amebocyte lysate on annual survival and recapture of tagged horseshoe crabs

In the U.S., 525,000 horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) per year have been captured during 2013–2017, brought to biomedical facilities, and bled to produce Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL), then mostly released to the area of capture. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission estimates short-term bleeding-induced mortality to be 15% (4% to 30%), resulting in mortality of approximately 78,750

A Bayesian framework for assessing extinction risk based on ordinal categories of population condition and projected landscape change

Many at-risk species lack standardized surveys across their range or quantitative data capable of detecting demographic trends. As a result, extinction risk assessments often rely on ordinal categories of risk based on explicit criteria or expert elicitation. This study demonstrates a Bayesian approach to assessing extinction risk based on this common data structure, using three freshwater mussel
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Optimal horseshoe crab harvest policies via approximate dynamic programming

Approximate Dynamic Programming relies on forward simulation of the system, so two population projection models are used, one for crabs and one for red knots. The two models are linked: HSC abundance is a predictor variable in the REKN model. Other useful outputs are produced as well, such as predictions of future harvest.
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Cooperative Research Units
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Friday's Findings - March 5 2021

Species Status Assessments to Support Endangered Species Decision Making

Date: March 5, 2021 from 2-2:30 p.m. eastern time

Speakers: 

Conor McGowan...

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