Emily (Emma) Kelsey
Biography
Emily (Emma) Kelsey is a wildlife biologist with focuses on marine conservation biology and seabird ecology. Emma is interested in seabirds’ role in the marine ecosystem as upper trophic level predators and how they affect, and are affected by, natural and anthropogenic changes in the marine environment. Currently, she is involved in research investigating the potential impacts of offshore wind energy infrustructure on seabirds in the California Current System and the Main Hawaiian Islands. Emma is also part of several collaborations in database construction and implementation of long-term seabird studies used to inform conservation and management decisions.
EDUCATION
MSc, Ecology and Conservation Biology, San Jose State University 2014
BS, Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Puget Sound 2010
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Marine Conservation
- Seabird Ecology
- Renewable energy infrastructure, wildlife interactions
- Telemetry
Science and Products
Assessing Mammalian Predator Control to Protect Endangered Birds at Haleakalā National Park
USGS researchers assessed trends in non-native mammalian predator trapping methods designed to protect endangered ʻuaʻu and nēnē at Haleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi.
Seabird Vulnerability Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects
The WERC seabird studies team has developed a new framework for quantifying seabird species vulnerability to wind infrastructure in the California Current region of the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf. This tool supports marine resource-use planning by identifying sites where seabirds are most vulnerable and predicts how different species may be affected by wind-energy infrastructure.
Breeding Seabirds of the Main Hawaiian Islands
The seabird research team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is working with many partners to map the terrestrial and marine distributions of breeding seabirds of the main Hawaiian islands.
Ashy Storm-Petrel Range and Colony Attendance Behavior
Together with Federal and non-profit partners, WERC's Josh Adams and team are using cutting-edge technology to study the range and population attendance patterns of the Ashy Storm-petrel, an elusive seabird found throughout a large portion of the California Coastal National Monument. Their research will inform management and conservation for this species and other seabirds that use California’...
Seabird Health and Adaptive Management
Dr. Josh Adams and his science team at WERC study seabird health and support adaptive management by quantifying abundance patterns and behaviors associated with habitats at sea, where seabirds spend the overwhelming majority of their lives. Adams’s team also employs conservation science to support resource managers on land, where seabirds are obligated to nest. His group provides scientific...
Seabird Ecology and Marine Planning
Seabirds are Department of the Interior (DOI) Trust Species and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act. To support science-based decision capacity and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) among U.S. Government resource managers, Dr. Josh Adams and the WERC seabird team have partnered with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,...
Santa Cruz Field Station
Scientists at the Santa Cruz Field Station study sea otters and seabirds in their environment. The USGS Western Ecological Research Center has two research missions based in the Santa Cruz region:
Population estimates for selected breeding seabirds at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauaʻi, in 2019
Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (KPNWR) is an important seabird breeding site located at the northeastern tip of Kauaʻi in the main Hawaiian Islands. Despite the regional significance of KPNWR as one of the most important breeding sites for red-tailed tropicbirds (Phaethon rubricauda), red-footed boobies (Sula sula), and wedge-tailed...
Felis, Jonathan J.; Kelsey, Emily C.; Adams, Josh; Stenske, Jennilyn G.; White, Laney M.Abundance and productivity of marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) off central California during the 2019 breeding season
Marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) have been listed as “endangered” by the State of California and “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1992 in California, Oregon, and Washington. Information regarding marbled murrelet abundance, distribution, population trends, and habitat associations is critical for risk assessment...
Felis, Jonathan J.; Kelsey, Emily C.; Adams, Josh; Horton, Cheryl; White, Laura (Laney)Trends in mammalian predator control trapping events intended to protect ground-nesting, endangered birds at Haleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi: 2000–14
Predation and habitat degradation by non-native species are principal terrestrial threats to the federally endangered Hawaiian Petrel (ʻuaʻu, Pterodroma sandwichensis) and Hawaiian Goose (nēnē, Branta sandvicensis) within Haleakalā National Park (HALE), Maui, Hawaiʻi. Since 1981, HALE has maintained a network of live traps to control invasive...
Kelsey, Emily C.; Adams, Josh; Czapanskiy, Max F.; Felis, Jonathan J.; Yee, Julie L.; Kaholoaa, Raina L.; Bailey, Cathleen NatividadSynopsis of research programs that can provide baseline and monitoring information for offshore energy activities in the Pacific region: Seabird and marine mammal surveys in the Pacific region
We assembled and tabulated information about marine bird and mammal research and monitoring programs that could provide data needed to support environmental risk assessments. This included identifying ongoing or completed research programs that contain information on species and habitats sensitive to offshore energy activities and that could...
Adams, Josh; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Kelsey, Emily C.; Johnston, Cora A.Abundance and productivity of marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) off central California during the 2018 breeding season
Executive SummaryMarbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) have been listed as “endangered” by the State of California and “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1992 in California, Oregon, and Washington. Information regarding marbled murrelet abundance, distribution, population trends, and habitat associations is critical...
Felis, Jonathan J.; Kelsey, Emily C.; Adams, JoshCollision and displacement vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure among marine birds of the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf
Marine birds are vulnerable to collision with and displacement by offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI). Here we present the first assessment of marine bird vulnerability to potential OWEI in the California Current System portion of the U.S. Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (POCS). Using population size, demography, life history,...
Kelsey, Emily C.; Felis, Jonathan J.; Czapanskiy, Max; Peresksta, David M.; Adams, JoshAbundance and productivity of marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) off central California during the 2017 breeding season
Marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) have been listed as “Endangered” by the State of California and “Threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1992 in California, Oregon, and Washington. Information regarding marbled murrelet abundance, distribution, population trends, and habitat associations is critical for risk assessment...
Felis, Jonathan J.; Adams, Josh; Kelsey, Emily C.Population-level plasticity in foraging behavior of western gulls (Larus occidentalis)
BackgroundPlasticity in foraging behavior among individuals, or across populations may reduce competition. As a generalist carnivore, western gulls (Larus occidentalis) consume a wide range of marine and terrestrial foods. However, the foraging patterns and habitat selection (ocean or land) of western gulls is not well understood, despite their...
Shaffer, Scott A.; Cockerham, Sue; Warzybok, Peter; Bradley, Russell W.; Jahncke, Jaime; Clatterbuck, Corey A.; Lucia, Magali; Jelincic, Jennifer A.; Cassell, Anne L.; Kelsey, Emily; Adams, JoshData for calculating population, collision and displacement vulnerability among marine birds of the California Current System associated with offshore wind energy infrastructure
The U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) was requested by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to create a database for marine birds of the California Current System (CCS) that would allow quantification and species ranking regarding vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI...
Adams, Josh; Kelsey, Emily; Felis, Jonathan J.; Pereksta, David M.Collision and displacement vulnerability among marine birds of the California Current System associated with offshore wind energy infrastructure
With growing climate change concerns and energy constraints, there is an increasing need for renewable energy sources within the United States and globally. Looking forward, offshore wind-energy infrastructure (OWEI) has the potential to produce a significant proportion of the power needed to reach our Nation’s renewable energy goal. Offshore wind...
Adams, Josh; Kelsey, Emily C.; Felis, Jonathan J.; Pereksta, David M.Pre-USGS Publications
WERC Scientists Combine Bird Calls and Artificial Intelligence to Keep Tabs on the Elusive Ashy-Storm Petrel (Audubon magazine)
CALIFORNIA COAST – Artificial intelligence and acoustic sensors help scientists monitor seabirds
A Day in the Life of a WERC Seabird Scientist
In the featured photo, WERC scientists search for potential nesting habitat of seabirds like the Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) on False Klamath Rock off the coast of California.