David S Pilliod
My research focuses on evaluating effects of disturbances, such as wildfire and invasive species, and effectiveness of restoration in a variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
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 wildlife habitat, species conservation, and restoration. 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
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team (FRESC)
Cheatgrass and Medusahead
Integrating short-term climate forecast into a restoration management support tool
Land Treatment Exploration Tool
Improving the Success of Post-Fire Adaptive Management Strategies in Sagebrush Steppe
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team (FRESC)
Tools and Techniques for Monitoring Wildlife Habitats, Communities, and Populations
Wildlife-Habitat Relationships
Wildlife Responses to Climate, Land Use, and Invasive Species
Fire, Fuel Treatments, and Restoration Ecology
Land Treatment Digital Library
An Interagency Collaboration to Develop and Evaluate New Science-Based Strategies for Great Basin Watershed Restoration in the Future
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.
Vegetation cover data used from the Soil Vegetation Inventory Method (SVIM) for Southwest Idaho
Exotic and perennial grass cover for pastures in the Soda Fire (2016)
Beaver-related Stream Restoration Projects in Western Rangelands
Demography and habitat use of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) and other amphibians in northern Wyoming (Blackrock).
Combined wildfire dataset for the United States and certain territories, 1870-2015
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.
Leveraging rangeland monitoring data for wildlife: From concept to practice
Adaptive monitoring in support of adaptive management in rangelands
Thermal conditions predict intraspecific variation in senescence rate in frogs and toads
Protecting restoration investments from the cheatgrass-fire cycle in sagebrush steppe
Spatiotemporal dynamics of insect pollinator communities in sagebrush steppe associated with weather and vegetation
Genomic signatures of thermal adaptation are associated with clinal shifts of life history in a broadly distributed frog
Stream restoration is influenced by details of engineered habitats at a headwater mine site
Great expectations: Deconstructing the process pathways underlying beaver-related restoration
Conservation genetics of imperiled striped whipsnake in Washington
It’s complicated…environmental DNA as a predictor of trout and char abundance in streams
From satellites to frogs: Quantifying ecohydrological change, drought mitigation, and population demography in desert meadows
Harvester ant seed removal in an invaded sagebrush ecosystem: Implications for restoration
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.
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.
Science and Products
- Science
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: 23Cheatgrass and Medusahead
Invasive annual grasses, such as cheatgrass ( Bromus tectorum ) and medusahead ( Taeniatherum caput-medusae), are one of the most significant stressors to rangeland ecosystems in the western U.S. Their expansion and dominance across this area are the most damaging ecosystem agents on this iconic landscape.Integrating short-term climate forecast into a restoration management support tool
Natural resources managers are regularly required to make decisions regarding upcoming restoration treatments, often based on little more than business as usual practices. To assist in the decision-making process, we created a tool that predicts site-specific soil moisture and climate for the upcoming year, and provides guidance on whether common restoration activities (i.e. seeding, planting) wilLand Treatment Exploration Tool
The Land Treatment Exploration Tool provides a practical resource for managers who are planning restoration and rehabilitation actions on public lands. The tool generates a variety of spatial products while being user friendly for all levels of GIS expertise, even to those with little or no experience.Improving the Success of Post-Fire Adaptive Management Strategies in Sagebrush Steppe
Sagebrush steppe is one of the most widely distributed ecosystems in North America. Found in eleven western states, this important yet fragile ecosystem is dominated by sagebrush, but also contains a diversity of native shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants. It provides critical habitat for wildlife like pronghorn and threatened species such as the greater sage-grouse, and is grazed by livestock oWildlife 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...Tools and Techniques for Monitoring Wildlife Habitats, Communities, and Populations
Resource monitoring is critically important for documenting trends and learning from the past (i.e., adaptive management), yet it has been plagued with poor design and execution. We are developing and testing novel approaches to wildlife monitoring, including the use of non-invasive field sampling and molecular markers to determine patterns of species occurrence and population abundance relative...Wildlife-Habitat Relationships
Whether generalists or specialists, wildlife species use habitats based on their structural, compositional, and climatic characteristics. This use may vary with life stage, age, or physiological condition of the animal, as well as weather, season, food availability, need for cover or shelter, and other factors. Our research focuses on understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that drive...Wildlife Responses to Climate, Land Use, and Invasive Species
Wildlife issues drive many federal and state land management decisions, either because of litigation or mandates to protect habitat and limit extinction risks. We conduct applied research to meet this need, particularly related to the effects of natural (disease, predation) and anthropogenic (habitat loss, invasive species) stressors on wildlife populations and communities. Research on the effects...Fire, Fuel Treatments, and Restoration Ecology
Land managers have invested considerable funding to decrease fuel loads and restore resilient ecosystems in forests and rangelands, using techniques such as grazing, mowing, herbicides, and thinning. Yet, little information is available about how such restoration activities have influenced wildlife species and habitats. We are conducting empirical studies and developing novel approaches to better...Land Treatment Digital Library
The LTDL was created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to catalog information about land treatments on Federal lands in the western United States for all interested parties. The flexible framework of the library allows for the storage of a wide variety of data in different formats. The LTDL currently stores previously established land treatments or what often are called legacy data. The project...An Interagency Collaboration to Develop and Evaluate New Science-Based Strategies for Great Basin Watershed Restoration in the Future
This project was designed to use the combined strengths of the cooperators to address their concerns stemming from the degradation of arid environments in the Great Basin. The project aimed to identify the regional ecological and social costs and benefits of both immediate hydrologic modifications (low-profile constructed dams) and longer-term restoration of beavers (Castor canadensis) to these la - Data
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: 17Vegetation cover data used from the Soil Vegetation Inventory Method (SVIM) for Southwest Idaho
The US Department of Interior's (USDI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a long history of soil and vegetation monitoring of public rangelands it manages. However, historical monitoring data have been stored and managed at the field, district, or state level, making them difficult to compile and analyze. BLM's Soil Vegetation Inventory Method (hereafter SVIM) program occurred between 1977 and 19Exotic and perennial grass cover for pastures in the Soda Fire (2016)
The point data file ("Soda Fire Point and Pasture Data (2016).Point Data.csv") includes 2016 vegetative cover values of exotic annual grass and perennial grass measured within three different types of plots for 75 pastures in the Soda Fire, which burned in 2015: 6m2 plot using a grid-point intercept photo software, SamplePoint (Booth et al. 2006), 1m2 quadrat using an unguided rapid ocular estimatBeaver-related Stream Restoration Projects in Western Rangelands
We systematically surveyed federal and state wildlife biologists, hydrological specialists, non-profit organizations, and working groups focused on beaver or wetland restoration in the western U.S. We focused primarily on contacting land managers from states containing some portion of the Great Basin, although many of the projects described in surveys fell outside of this watershed. Some land manaDemography and habitat use of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) and other amphibians in northern Wyoming (Blackrock).
Amphibian decline is a problem of global importance, with over 40% of species considered at risk. This phenomenon is not limited to the tropics or to other countries. Amphibian species in the U.S. are also declining, contributing to the larger, global phenomenon. For example, in the State of Wyoming, the Wyoming toad has been extirpated in the wild and the boreal toad is a species of special conceCombined wildfire dataset for the United States and certain territories, 1870-2015
The increase in wildfires, particularly in the western U.S., represents one of the greatest threats to multiple native ecosystems. Despite this threat, there is currently no central repository to store both past and current wildfire perimeter data. Currently, wildfire boundaries can only be found in disparate local or national datasets. These datasets are generally restricted to specific locations - Multimedia
- Publications
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: 120Leveraging rangeland monitoring data for wildlife: From concept to practice
Available rangeland data, from field-measured plots to remotely sensed landscapes, provide much needed information for mapping and modeling wildlife habitats.Better integration of wildlife habitat characteristics into rangeland monitoring schemes is needed for most rangeland wildlife species at varying spatial and temporal scales.Here, we aim to stimulate use of and inspire ideas about rangeland mAuthorsDavid Pilliod, Jeffrey L. Beck, Courtney Jean Duchardt, Janet L. Rachlow, Kari E. VeblenAdaptive monitoring in support of adaptive management in rangelands
Monitoring supports iterative learning about the effectiveness of management actions, information that can help managers plan future actions, facilitate decision-making, and improve outcomes.Adaptive monitoring is the evolution of a monitoring program in response to new management questions; new or changing environmental or socioeconomic conditions, improved monitoring methods, models, and tools;AuthorsSarah E. McCord, David PilliodThermal conditions predict intraspecific variation in senescence rate in frogs and toads
Variation in temperature is known to influence mortality patterns in ectotherms. Even though a few experimental studies on model organisms have reported a positive relationship between temperature and actuarial senescence (i.e., the increase in mortality risk with age), how variation in climate influences the senescence rate across the range of a species is still poorly understood in free-rangingAuthorsHugo Cayuela, Jean-François Lemaître, Erin L. Muths, Rebecca McCaffery, Thierry Frétey, Bernard Le Garff, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Kurt Grossenbacher, Omar Lenzi, Blake R. Hossack, Lisa A Eby, Brad A. Lambert, Johan Elmberg, Juha Merilä, Jérôme MW Gippet, Jean-Michel Gaillard, David PilliodProtecting restoration investments from the cheatgrass-fire cycle in sagebrush steppe
The US federal government has recently committed to the difficult task of slowing and managing the invasive grass-fire cycle in sagebrush steppe, where property, livelihoods, and entire ecosystems are at risk. To safely manage this crisis, the government recently proposed to construct about 17,700 km of fuel breaks and millions of hectares of fuel reduction treatments in six western states. A chalAuthorsDavid Pilliod, Michelle Jeffries, Justin L. Welty, Robert ArkleSpatiotemporal dynamics of insect pollinator communities in sagebrush steppe associated with weather and vegetation
The conservation of native insect pollinators is hampered by a lack of information about environmental factors influencing pollinator communities. We investigated how insect pollinator communities, composed of bees (Hymenoptera), butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), and flies (Diptera), are influenced by spatial and temporal aspects of the environment in sagebrush steppe shrublands. We assessed hyAuthorsAshley Rohde, David S. PilliodGenomic signatures of thermal adaptation are associated with clinal shifts of life history in a broadly distributed frog
Temperature is a critical driver of ectotherm life-history strategies, whereby a warmer environment is associated with increased growth, reduced longevity and accelerated senescence. Increasing evidence indicates that thermal adaptation may underlie such life-history shifts in wild populations. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number variants (CNVs) can help uncover the molecular meAuthorsHugo Cayuela, Yann Dorant, Brenna R. Forester, Dan L Jeffries, Rebecca McCaffery, Lisa A Eby, Blake R. Hossack, Jérôme M W Gippet, David Pilliod, W Chris FunkStream restoration is influenced by details of engineered habitats at a headwater mine site
A lack of information regarding which ecological factors influence restoration success or failure has hindered scientifically based restoration decision-making. We focus on one headwater site to examine factors influencing divergent ecological outcomes of two post-mining stream restoration projects designed to improve instream conditions following 70 years of mining impacts. One project was designAuthorsRobert Arkle, David PilliodGreat expectations: Deconstructing the process pathways underlying beaver-related restoration
Beaver-related restoration is a process-based strategy that seeks to address wide-ranging ecological objectives by reestablishing dam building in degraded stream systems. Although the beaver-related restoration has broad appeal, especially in water-limited systems, its effectiveness is not yet well documented. In this article, we present a process-expectation framework that links beaver-related reAuthorsCaroline Nash, Gordon E. Grant, Susan Charnley, Jason B. Dunham, Hannah Gosnell, Mark B. Hausner, David S. Pilliod, Jimmy D. TaylorConservation genetics of imperiled striped whipsnake in Washington
Conservation of wide-ranging species is aided by population genetic information that provides insights into adaptive potential, population size, interpopulation connectivity, and even extinction risk in portions of a species range. The Striped Whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus) occurs across 11 western U.S. states and into Mexico but has experienced population declines in parts of its range, partiAuthorsDavid Pilliod, Lisa A. Hallock, Mark P. Miller, Thomas D. Mullins, Susan M. HaigIt’s complicated…environmental DNA as a predictor of trout and char abundance in streams
The potential to provide inferences about fish abundance from environmental (e)DNA samples has generated great interest. However, the accuracy of these abundance estimates is often low and variable across species and space. A plausible refinement is the use of common aquatic habitat monitoring data to account for attributes that influence eDNA dynamics. We therefore evaluated the relationships betAuthorsAdam J. Sepulveda, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Matthew Laramie, Kyle Crapster, Ladd Knotek, Brian T. Miller, Alexander V. Zale, David PilliodFrom satellites to frogs: Quantifying ecohydrological change, drought mitigation, and population demography in desert meadows
Increasing frequency and severity of droughts have motivated natural resource managers to mitigate harmful ecological and hydrological effects of drought, but drought mitigation is an emerging science and evaluating its effectiveness is difficult. We examined ecohydrological responses of drought mitigation actions aimed at conserving populations of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) inAuthorsDavid Pilliod, Mark B. Hausner, Rick D. SchererHarvester ant seed removal in an invaded sagebrush ecosystem: Implications for restoration
A better understanding of seed movement in plant community dynamics is needed, especially in light of disturbance‐driven changes and investments into restoring degraded plant communities. A primary agent of change within the sagebrush‐steppe is wildfire and invasion by non‐native forbs and grasses, primarily cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Our objectives were to quantify seed removal and evaluate ecAuthorsKelsey E Paolini, Matthew Modlin, Alexis A Suazo, David Pilliod, Robert Arkle, Kerri T. Vierling, Joseph D. HolbrookNon-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.
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