David S Pilliod
My research focuses on species conservation, habitat management, and effectiveness of restoration in a variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. I also co-lead the Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory.
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team (FRESC)
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team (FRESC)
Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory
Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory
I lead a team of scientists that develop tools and models to improve understanding of ecological systems and solve challenging problems in natural resource management. We primarily address questions related to species conservation, wildlife habitat, and restoration. We combine molecular methods, remote sensing, field studies, and statistical modeling. Our research team also develops data management and decision support systems to facilitate adaptive management, especially in western rangelands. We primarily work on issues affecting the Intermountain West and Great Basin regions of the U.S.
Professional Experience
2006 - Present: USGS. Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Supervisory Research Ecologist, Boise, Idaho
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Ecology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID (2001)
B.A., Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA (1991)
Science and Products
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: 137
Persistence at distributional edges: Columbia spotted frog habitat in the arid Great Basin, USA Persistence at distributional edges: Columbia spotted frog habitat in the arid Great Basin, USA
A common challenge in the conservation of broadly distributed, yet imperiled species is understanding which factors facilitate persistence at distributional edges, locations where populations are often vulnerable to extirpation due to changes in climate, land use, or distributions of other species. For Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) in the Great Basin (USA), a genetically...
Authors
Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod
Effects of changing climate on aquatic habitat and connectivity for remnant populations of a wide-ranging frog species in an arid landscape Effects of changing climate on aquatic habitat and connectivity for remnant populations of a wide-ranging frog species in an arid landscape
Amphibian species persisting in isolated streams and wetlands in desert environments can be susceptible to low connectivity, genetic isolation, and climate changes. We evaluated the past (1900–1930), recent (1981–2010), and future (2071–2100) climate suitability of the arid Great Basin (USA) for the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) and assessed whether changes in surface water...
Authors
David S. Pilliod, Robert S. Arkle, Jeanne Robertson, Melanie Murphy, W. Funk
Managing habitat to slow or reverse population declines of the Columbia spotted frog in the Northern Great Basin Managing habitat to slow or reverse population declines of the Columbia spotted frog in the Northern Great Basin
Evaluating the effectiveness of habitat management actions is critical to adaptive management strategies for conservation of imperiled species. We quantified the response of a Great Basin population of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) to multiple habitat improvement actions aimed to reduce threats and reverse population declines. We used mark-recapture data for 1,394 adult...
Authors
David S. Pilliod, Richard Scherer
Sampling animal sign in heterogeneous environments: how much is enough? Sampling animal sign in heterogeneous environments: how much is enough?
Animal ecologists often use animal sign as a surrogate for direct observation of organisms, especially when species are secretive or difficult to observe. Spatial heterogeneity in arid environments makes it challenging to consistently detect and precisely characterize animal sign, which can bias estimates of animal abundance or habitat use. Piute ground squirrels (Urocitellus mollis) and...
Authors
Joseph Holbrook, Robert S. Arkle, Janet Rachlow, Kerri Vierling, David S. Pilliod
Characterizing the distribution of an endangered salmonid using environmental DNA analysis Characterizing the distribution of an endangered salmonid using environmental DNA analysis
Determining species distributions accurately is crucial to developing conservation and management strategies for imperiled species, but a challenging task for small populations. We evaluated the efficacy of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for improving detection and thus potentially refining the known distribution of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Methow and Okanogan...
Authors
Matthew Laramie, David S. Pilliod, Caren Goldberg
Quantifying and predicting fuels and the effects of reduction treatments along successional and invasion gradients in sagebrush habitats Quantifying and predicting fuels and the effects of reduction treatments along successional and invasion gradients in sagebrush habitats
Sagebrush shrubland ecosystems in the Great Basin are prime examples of how altered successional trajectories can create dynamic fuel conditions and, thus, increase uncertainty about fire risk and behavior. Although fire is a natural disturbance in sagebrush, post-fire environments are highly susceptible to conversion to an invasive grass-fire regime (often referred to as a “grass-fire...
Authors
Douglas Shinneman, David Pilliod, Robert Arkle, Nancy Glenn
Moving environmental DNA methods from concept to practice for monitoring aquatic macroorganisms Moving environmental DNA methods from concept to practice for monitoring aquatic macroorganisms
The discovery that macroorganisms can be detected from their environmental DNA (eDNA) in aquatic systems has immense potential for the conservation of biological diversity. This special issue contains 11 papers that review and advance the field of eDNA detection of vertebrates and other macroorganisms, including studies of eDNA production, transport, and degradation; sample collection...
Authors
Caren Goldberg, Katherine Strickler, David S. Pilliod
Long-term effects of seeding after wildfire on vegetation in Great Basin shrubland ecosystems Long-term effects of seeding after wildfire on vegetation in Great Basin shrubland ecosystems
1. Invasive annual grasses alter fire regimes in shrubland ecosystems of the western USA, threatening ecosystem function and fragmenting habitats necessary for shrub-obligate species such as greater sage-grouse. Post-fire stabilization and rehabilitation treatments have been administered to stabilize soils, reduce invasive species spread and restore or establish sustainable ecosystems in...
Authors
Kevin C. Knutson, David Pyke, Troy A. Wirth, Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod, Matthew Brooks, Jeanne C. Chambers, James Grace
Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin
A recurrent challenge in the conservation of wide-ranging, imperiled species is understanding which habitats to protect and whether we are capable of restoring degraded landscapes. For Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern in the western United States, we approached this problem by developing multi-scale empirical models of occupancy in 211...
Authors
Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod, Steven Hanser, Matthew Brooks, Jeanne C. Chambers, James Grace, Kevin C. Knutson, David Pyke, Justin L. Welty
Semi-automated identification of leopard frogs Semi-automated identification of leopard frogs
Principal component analysis is used to implement a semi-automatic recognition system to identify recaptured northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens). Results of both open set and closed set experiments are given. The presented algorithm is shown to provide accurate identification of 209 individual leopard frogs from a total set of 1386 images.
Authors
Dijana Petrovska-Delacretaz, Aaron Edwards, John Chiasson, Gerard Chollet, David S. Pilliod
A reference system for animal biometrics: application to the northern leopard frog A reference system for animal biometrics: application to the northern leopard frog
Reference systems and public databases are available for human biometrics, but to our knowledge nothing is available for animal biometrics. This is surprising because animals are not required to give their agreement to be in a database. This paper proposes a reference system and database for the northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens). Both are available for reproducible experiments...
Authors
D. Petrovska-Delacretaz, A. Edwards, J. Chiasson, G. Chollet, D. S. Pilliod
Roles of patch characteristics, drought frequency, and restoration in long-term trends of a widespread amphibian Roles of patch characteristics, drought frequency, and restoration in long-term trends of a widespread amphibian
Despite the high profile of amphibian declines and the increasing threat of drought and fragmentation to aquatic ecosystems, few studies have examined long-term rates of change for a single species across a large geographic area. We analyzed growth in annual egg-mass counts of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) across the northwestern United States, an area encompassing 3...
Authors
Blake Hossack, M. Adams, Christopher Pearl, Kristine Wilson, Evelyn Bull, Kristin Lohr, Debra Patla, David S. Pilliod, Jason Jones, Kevin Wheeler, Samuel McKay, P. Corn
Non-USGS Publications**
Arkle, R.S., Pilliod, D.S., Strickler, K.M., 2010, Fire, flow and dynamic equilibrium in stream macroinvertebrate communities: Freshwater Biology, v. 55, p. 299-314.
Jain, T.B., Graham, R.T., Pilliod, D.S., 2006, The relation between forest structure and soil burn severity In Andrews, P.L., Butler, B.W., eds., Fuels management: How to measure success, Proceedings: RMRS-P-41, Fort Collins, CO, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, p. 615-631.
Pilliod, D.S., Bull, E.L., Hayes, J.L., Wales, B.C., 2006, Wildlife and Invertebrate Response to Fuel Reduction Treatments in Dry Coniferous Forests of the Western United States - A Synthesis: USDA, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-GTR-173, p. 34.
Hossack, B.R., Corn, P.S., Pilliod, D.S., 2005, Lack of significant changes in the herpetofauna of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, since the 1920s: American Midland Naturalist, v. 154, p. 423-432.
Funk, W., Blouin, M.S., Corn, P.S., Maxell, B.A., Pilliod, D.S., Amish, S., Allendorf, F.W., 2005, Population structure of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris)is strongly affected by the landscape: Molecular Ecology, v. 14, p. 483-496.
Pilliod, D.S., 2005, The Wildlife Habitat Response Model- Environmental Consequences Fact Sheet - 15: USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-RN-23-15-WWW, p. 2.
Dunham, J.B., Pilliod, D.S., Young, M., 2004, Assessing the Consequences of Nonnative Trout in Headwater Ecosystems in Western North America: Fisheries, v. 29, no. 6, p. 18-26, https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1577/1548-8446(2004)29[18:ATCONT]2.0.CO;2.
Pilliod, D.S., 2004, Wildlife Responses to Fuels Treatments- Key Considerations - Fuels planning- science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 20024: USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-RN-23-4WWW, p. 2.
Pilliod, D.S., Peterson, C.R., Ritson, P.I., 2002, Seasonal migration of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) among complementary resources in a high mountain basin: Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 80, p. 1849-1862.
Peterson, C.R., Burton, S.R., Pilliod, D.S., Lee, J.R., Cossell Jr., J.O., Llewellyn, R.L., 2001, Assessing the accuracy of GAP analysis predicted distributions of Idaho amphibians and reptiles: GAP Analysis Bulletin, v. 10, p. 25-28.
Pilliod, D.S., Peterson, C.R., 2001, Local and landscape effects of introduced trout on amphibians in historically fishless watersheds: Ecosystems, v. 4, p. 322-333.
Pilliod, D.S., Peterson, C.R., 2000, Evaluating effects of fish stocking on amphibian populations in wilderness lakes In Cole, D.N., McCool, S.F., Borrie, W.T., O'Loughlin, J., eds., Wilderness science in a time of change conference—Volume 5: Wilderness ecosystems, threats, and management; 2000 May 23–27; Missoula, MT, Proceedings: RMRS-P-15_VOL-5, Ogden, UT, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, p. 328-335.
**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.
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team (FRESC)
Wildlife respond to changes in their environment, some of which are dramatic and others subtle. To fully understand the factors that drive changes in populations and communities, we need better information on wildlife ecology in natural and human-altered landscapes. We conduct research and provide technical assistance to address applied questions about the ecology and conservation of wildlife...
Filter Total Items: 25
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: 28
No Result Found
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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 46
Science and Products
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: 137
Persistence at distributional edges: Columbia spotted frog habitat in the arid Great Basin, USA Persistence at distributional edges: Columbia spotted frog habitat in the arid Great Basin, USA
A common challenge in the conservation of broadly distributed, yet imperiled species is understanding which factors facilitate persistence at distributional edges, locations where populations are often vulnerable to extirpation due to changes in climate, land use, or distributions of other species. For Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) in the Great Basin (USA), a genetically...
Authors
Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod
Effects of changing climate on aquatic habitat and connectivity for remnant populations of a wide-ranging frog species in an arid landscape Effects of changing climate on aquatic habitat and connectivity for remnant populations of a wide-ranging frog species in an arid landscape
Amphibian species persisting in isolated streams and wetlands in desert environments can be susceptible to low connectivity, genetic isolation, and climate changes. We evaluated the past (1900–1930), recent (1981–2010), and future (2071–2100) climate suitability of the arid Great Basin (USA) for the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) and assessed whether changes in surface water...
Authors
David S. Pilliod, Robert S. Arkle, Jeanne Robertson, Melanie Murphy, W. Funk
Managing habitat to slow or reverse population declines of the Columbia spotted frog in the Northern Great Basin Managing habitat to slow or reverse population declines of the Columbia spotted frog in the Northern Great Basin
Evaluating the effectiveness of habitat management actions is critical to adaptive management strategies for conservation of imperiled species. We quantified the response of a Great Basin population of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) to multiple habitat improvement actions aimed to reduce threats and reverse population declines. We used mark-recapture data for 1,394 adult...
Authors
David S. Pilliod, Richard Scherer
Sampling animal sign in heterogeneous environments: how much is enough? Sampling animal sign in heterogeneous environments: how much is enough?
Animal ecologists often use animal sign as a surrogate for direct observation of organisms, especially when species are secretive or difficult to observe. Spatial heterogeneity in arid environments makes it challenging to consistently detect and precisely characterize animal sign, which can bias estimates of animal abundance or habitat use. Piute ground squirrels (Urocitellus mollis) and...
Authors
Joseph Holbrook, Robert S. Arkle, Janet Rachlow, Kerri Vierling, David S. Pilliod
Characterizing the distribution of an endangered salmonid using environmental DNA analysis Characterizing the distribution of an endangered salmonid using environmental DNA analysis
Determining species distributions accurately is crucial to developing conservation and management strategies for imperiled species, but a challenging task for small populations. We evaluated the efficacy of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for improving detection and thus potentially refining the known distribution of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Methow and Okanogan...
Authors
Matthew Laramie, David S. Pilliod, Caren Goldberg
Quantifying and predicting fuels and the effects of reduction treatments along successional and invasion gradients in sagebrush habitats Quantifying and predicting fuels and the effects of reduction treatments along successional and invasion gradients in sagebrush habitats
Sagebrush shrubland ecosystems in the Great Basin are prime examples of how altered successional trajectories can create dynamic fuel conditions and, thus, increase uncertainty about fire risk and behavior. Although fire is a natural disturbance in sagebrush, post-fire environments are highly susceptible to conversion to an invasive grass-fire regime (often referred to as a “grass-fire...
Authors
Douglas Shinneman, David Pilliod, Robert Arkle, Nancy Glenn
Moving environmental DNA methods from concept to practice for monitoring aquatic macroorganisms Moving environmental DNA methods from concept to practice for monitoring aquatic macroorganisms
The discovery that macroorganisms can be detected from their environmental DNA (eDNA) in aquatic systems has immense potential for the conservation of biological diversity. This special issue contains 11 papers that review and advance the field of eDNA detection of vertebrates and other macroorganisms, including studies of eDNA production, transport, and degradation; sample collection...
Authors
Caren Goldberg, Katherine Strickler, David S. Pilliod
Long-term effects of seeding after wildfire on vegetation in Great Basin shrubland ecosystems Long-term effects of seeding after wildfire on vegetation in Great Basin shrubland ecosystems
1. Invasive annual grasses alter fire regimes in shrubland ecosystems of the western USA, threatening ecosystem function and fragmenting habitats necessary for shrub-obligate species such as greater sage-grouse. Post-fire stabilization and rehabilitation treatments have been administered to stabilize soils, reduce invasive species spread and restore or establish sustainable ecosystems in...
Authors
Kevin C. Knutson, David Pyke, Troy A. Wirth, Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod, Matthew Brooks, Jeanne C. Chambers, James Grace
Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin
A recurrent challenge in the conservation of wide-ranging, imperiled species is understanding which habitats to protect and whether we are capable of restoring degraded landscapes. For Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern in the western United States, we approached this problem by developing multi-scale empirical models of occupancy in 211...
Authors
Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod, Steven Hanser, Matthew Brooks, Jeanne C. Chambers, James Grace, Kevin C. Knutson, David Pyke, Justin L. Welty
Semi-automated identification of leopard frogs Semi-automated identification of leopard frogs
Principal component analysis is used to implement a semi-automatic recognition system to identify recaptured northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens). Results of both open set and closed set experiments are given. The presented algorithm is shown to provide accurate identification of 209 individual leopard frogs from a total set of 1386 images.
Authors
Dijana Petrovska-Delacretaz, Aaron Edwards, John Chiasson, Gerard Chollet, David S. Pilliod
A reference system for animal biometrics: application to the northern leopard frog A reference system for animal biometrics: application to the northern leopard frog
Reference systems and public databases are available for human biometrics, but to our knowledge nothing is available for animal biometrics. This is surprising because animals are not required to give their agreement to be in a database. This paper proposes a reference system and database for the northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens). Both are available for reproducible experiments...
Authors
D. Petrovska-Delacretaz, A. Edwards, J. Chiasson, G. Chollet, D. S. Pilliod
Roles of patch characteristics, drought frequency, and restoration in long-term trends of a widespread amphibian Roles of patch characteristics, drought frequency, and restoration in long-term trends of a widespread amphibian
Despite the high profile of amphibian declines and the increasing threat of drought and fragmentation to aquatic ecosystems, few studies have examined long-term rates of change for a single species across a large geographic area. We analyzed growth in annual egg-mass counts of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) across the northwestern United States, an area encompassing 3...
Authors
Blake Hossack, M. Adams, Christopher Pearl, Kristine Wilson, Evelyn Bull, Kristin Lohr, Debra Patla, David S. Pilliod, Jason Jones, Kevin Wheeler, Samuel McKay, P. Corn
Non-USGS Publications**
Arkle, R.S., Pilliod, D.S., Strickler, K.M., 2010, Fire, flow and dynamic equilibrium in stream macroinvertebrate communities: Freshwater Biology, v. 55, p. 299-314.
Jain, T.B., Graham, R.T., Pilliod, D.S., 2006, The relation between forest structure and soil burn severity In Andrews, P.L., Butler, B.W., eds., Fuels management: How to measure success, Proceedings: RMRS-P-41, Fort Collins, CO, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, p. 615-631.
Pilliod, D.S., Bull, E.L., Hayes, J.L., Wales, B.C., 2006, Wildlife and Invertebrate Response to Fuel Reduction Treatments in Dry Coniferous Forests of the Western United States - A Synthesis: USDA, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-GTR-173, p. 34.
Hossack, B.R., Corn, P.S., Pilliod, D.S., 2005, Lack of significant changes in the herpetofauna of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, since the 1920s: American Midland Naturalist, v. 154, p. 423-432.
Funk, W., Blouin, M.S., Corn, P.S., Maxell, B.A., Pilliod, D.S., Amish, S., Allendorf, F.W., 2005, Population structure of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris)is strongly affected by the landscape: Molecular Ecology, v. 14, p. 483-496.
Pilliod, D.S., 2005, The Wildlife Habitat Response Model- Environmental Consequences Fact Sheet - 15: USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-RN-23-15-WWW, p. 2.
Dunham, J.B., Pilliod, D.S., Young, M., 2004, Assessing the Consequences of Nonnative Trout in Headwater Ecosystems in Western North America: Fisheries, v. 29, no. 6, p. 18-26, https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1577/1548-8446(2004)29[18:ATCONT]2.0.CO;2.
Pilliod, D.S., 2004, Wildlife Responses to Fuels Treatments- Key Considerations - Fuels planning- science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 20024: USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station RMRS-RN-23-4WWW, p. 2.
Pilliod, D.S., Peterson, C.R., Ritson, P.I., 2002, Seasonal migration of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) among complementary resources in a high mountain basin: Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 80, p. 1849-1862.
Peterson, C.R., Burton, S.R., Pilliod, D.S., Lee, J.R., Cossell Jr., J.O., Llewellyn, R.L., 2001, Assessing the accuracy of GAP analysis predicted distributions of Idaho amphibians and reptiles: GAP Analysis Bulletin, v. 10, p. 25-28.
Pilliod, D.S., Peterson, C.R., 2001, Local and landscape effects of introduced trout on amphibians in historically fishless watersheds: Ecosystems, v. 4, p. 322-333.
Pilliod, D.S., Peterson, C.R., 2000, Evaluating effects of fish stocking on amphibian populations in wilderness lakes In Cole, D.N., McCool, S.F., Borrie, W.T., O'Loughlin, J., eds., Wilderness science in a time of change conference—Volume 5: Wilderness ecosystems, threats, and management; 2000 May 23–27; Missoula, MT, Proceedings: RMRS-P-15_VOL-5, Ogden, UT, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, p. 328-335.
**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.
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team (FRESC)
Wildlife respond to changes in their environment, some of which are dramatic and others subtle. To fully understand the factors that drive changes in populations and communities, we need better information on wildlife ecology in natural and human-altered landscapes. We conduct research and provide technical assistance to address applied questions about the ecology and conservation of wildlife...
Filter Total Items: 25
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: 28
No Result Found
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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 46