Jake F Weltzin
Jake joined the US Geological Survey in 2007 to design and implement the USA National Phenology Network. Since 2015 he has also served as the Program Manager for the Status & Trends Program in the Ecosystems Mission Area.
Biography
Jake’s interest in natural history developed as he grew up in Alaska and served as an exchange student in the Australian outback. His interests range broadly -- from natural resource management to ecological- and ecosystem-level research -- across a variety of systems ranging from deserts to grasslands, savannas to forests, and even to wetlands.
Career History and Highlights
Post-doctoral Fellowship at University of Notre Dame
Associate Professor, University of Tennessee
Program Director, National Science Foundation
Executive Director, USA National Phenology Network
Program Manager, Status & Trends Program, US Geological Survey
Education
B.S., Colorado State University
M.S., Texas A&M University
Ph.D., University of Arizona
Research Interests
Jake is interested in how the structure and function of plant and animal populations, communities and ecosystems respond to global environmental change, including atmospheric chemistry, climate change, and biological invasions. He also studies how scientists understand and describe changes in ecosystems over space and time, from monitoring, to data management and analysis, to delivery of ecological knowledge and information to stakeholders. Current interests include citizen science, enterprise tools for monitoring, data visualization and delivery, and ecological forecasting.
Science and Products
Ecological Forecasting Workshop
Natural resource managers are coping with rapid changes in both environmental conditions and ecosystems. Enabled by recent advances in data collection and assimilation, short-term ecological forecasting may be a powerful tool to help resource managers anticipate impending changes in ecosystem dynamics (that is, the approaching near-term changes in ecosystems). Managers may use the information...
Workflows to Support Integrated Predictive Science Capacity: Forecasting Invasive Species for Natural Resource Planning and Risk Assessment
Insect pests cost billions of dollars per year globally, negatively impacting food crops and infrastructure and contributing to the spread of disease. Timely information regarding developmental stages of pests can facilitate early detection and control, increasing efficiency and effectiveness. To address this need, the USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) created a suite of “Pheno Forecast...
Developing APIs to support enterprise level monitoring using existing tools
In this age of rapidly developing technology, scientific information is constantly being gathered across large spatial scales. Yet, our ability to coordinate large-scale monitoring efforts depends on development of tools that leverage and integrate multiple sources of data. North American bats are experiencing unparalleled population declines. The North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat...
Integration of Phenological Forecast Maps for Assessment of Biodiversity: An Enterprise Workflow
Recent open data policies of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which were fully enforceable on October 1, 2016, require that federally funded information products (publications, etc.) be made freely available to the public, and that the underlying data on which the conclusions are based must be released. A key and relevant aspect of...
Incorporating USGS Web Cameras into the Phenocam Network to Enhance Scientific Understanding of Phenological Trends and Variability
The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) and the North Central Climate Science Center (NC CSC) seek to enhance scientific understanding of how climate trends and variability are linked to phenology across spatial scales, with the ultimate goal of being able to understand and predict climate impacts on natural resources. A key step towards achieving this long-term goal is connecting local...
Geocaching Natural Features - Applying Game Mechanics to Citizen Science Data Collection
ScienceCache is a scientific geocaching mobile application framework that targets two user groups for citizen science data collection: youth and geocachers. By melding training and games into the hunt for place-based data collection sites and incorporating photo uploads as data and authentication, new volunteers can collaborate in robust data collection. Scientists build a project on the...
Webinar: The USA National Phenology Network: Informing Science, Conservation and Resource Management
View this webinar to learn more about the USA National Phenology Network.
Seasonality of biological and physical systems as indicators of climatic variation and change
Evidence-based responses to climate change by society require operational and sustained information including biophysical indicator systems that provide up-to-date measures of trends and patterns against historical baselines. Two key components linking anthropogenic climate change to impacts on socio-ecological systems are the periodic inter- and...
Weltzin, Jake F.; Betancourt, Julio L.; Cook, Benjamin I.; Crimmins, Theresa; Enquist, Carolyn Armstrong; Gerst, MD; Gross, JE; Henebry, GM; Hufft, RA; Kenney, MA; Kimball, JS; Reed, Bradley C.; Running, SWEcological forecasting—21st century science for 21st century management
Natural resource managers are coping with rapid changes in both environmental conditions and ecosystems. Enabled by recent advances in data collection and assimilation, short-term ecological forecasting may be a powerful tool to help resource managers anticipate impending near-term changes in ecosystem conditions or dynamics. Managers may use the...
Bradford, John B.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Mccormick, Molly; Baron, Jill; Bowen, Zack; Bristol, Sky; Carlisle, Daren; Crimmins, Theresa; Cross, Paul; DeVivo, Joe; Dietze, Mike; Freeman, Mary; Goldberg, Jason; Hooten, Mevin; Hsu, Leslie; Jenni, Karen; Keisman, Jennifer; Kennen, Jonathan; Lee, Kathy; Lesmes, David; Loftin, Keith; Miller, Brian W.; Murdoch, Peter; Newman, Jana; Prentice, Karen L.; Rangwala, Imtiaz; Read, Jordan; Sieracki, Jennifer; Sofaer, Helen; Thur, Steve; Toevs, Gordon; Werner, Francisco; White, C. LeAnn; White, Timothy; Wiltermuth, MarkCommunity for data integration 2018 funded project report
The U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration annually funds small projects focusing on data integration for interdisciplinary research, innovative data management, and demonstration of new technologies. This report provides a summary of the 10 projects funded in fiscal year 2018, outlining their goals, activities, and accomplishments.
Hsu, Leslie; Andrews, Caitlin M.; Bradford, John B.; Buscombe, Daniel D.; Chase, Katherine J.; Daniel, Wesley M.; Jones, Jeanne M.; Fuller, Pam; Mirus, Benjamin B.; Neilson, Matthew E.; Vraga, Hans W.; Walker, Jessica J.; Walworth, Dennis H.; Warrick, Jonathan; Weltzin, Jake F.; Wieferich, Daniel J.; Wood, Nathan J.Climate change effects on biodiversity, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and natural resource management in the United States
Climate change is a pervasive and growing global threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. Here, we present the most up-to-date assessment of climate change impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem services in the U.S. and implications for natural resource management. We draw from the 4th National Climate Assessment to summarize observed...
Weiskopf, Sarah R.; Rubenstein, Madeleine A.; Crozier, Lisa; Gaichas, Sarah; Griffis, Roger; Halofsky, Jessica E.; Hyde, Kimberly J. W.; Morelli, Toni Lyn; Morisette, Jeffrey T.; Muñoz, Roldan C.; Pershing, Andrew J.; Peterson, David L.; Poudel, Rajendra; Staudinger, Michelle D.; Sutton-Grier, Ariana E.; Thompson, Laura; Vose, James; Weltzin, Jake F.; Whyte, Kyle PowysBridging the research-management gap: Landscape ecology in practice on public lands in the western United States
The field of landscape ecology has grown and matured in recent decades, but incorporating landscape science into land management decisions remains challenging. Many lands in the western United States are federally owned and managed for multiple uses, including recreation, conservation, and energy development. We argue for stronger integration of...
Carter, Sarah K.; Pilliod, David; Haby, Travis S.; Prentice, Karen L.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Bradford, John; Cushman, Samuel A.; DeVivo, Joseph C.; Duniway, Michael C.; Hathaway, Ryan S.; Nelson, Lisa; Schultz, Courtney A.; Schuster, Rudy M.; Trammell, E. Jamie; Weltzin, Jake F.Short-term forecasts of insect phenology inform pest management
Insect pests cost billions of dollars per year globally, negatively impacting food crops and infrastructure, and contributing to the spread of disease. Timely information regarding developmental stages of pests can facilitate early detection and control, increasing efficiency and effectiveness. In 2018, the U.S. National Phenology Network (USA-NPN...
Crimmins, Theresa M.; Gerst, Katharine L.; Huerta, Diego; Marsh, R. Lee; Posthumus, Erin E.; Rosemartin, Alyssa H.; Switzer, Jeff R.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Coop, Len; Dietschler, Nicholas; Herms, Daniel A.; Limbu, Samita; Trotter III, R. Talbot; Whitmore, MarkTime to branch out? Application of hierarchical survival models in plant phenology
The sensitivity of phenology to environmental drivers can vary across geography and species. As such, models developed to predict phenology are typically site- or taxon-specific. Generation of site- and taxon-specific models is limited by the intensive in-situ phenological monitoring effort required to generate sufficient data to parameterize each...
Elmendorf, Sarah; Crimmins, Theresa; Gerst, Katharine L.; Weltzin, Jake F.2018 USA National Phenology Annual Report
This report provides a very high-level summary of some of the USA-NPN’s accomplishments over the past year. The purpose is to share with USA-NPN funders, partners, and the general public the value of the organization.
Weltzin, Jake F.; Crimmins, Theresa M.Pheno forecasts predict seasonal activity of pest and invasive species to support decision making
The USA National Phenology Network’s Pheno Forecast maps indicate the status of insect pest or invasive plant life cycle stages in real time across the contiguous United States. This information can guide when to monitor or to undertake management activities. These maps, available at 2.5 km spatial resolution, are updated daily and are available...
Crimmins, Theresa M.; Gerst, Katharine L.; Posthumus, Erin E.; Rosemartin, Alyssa; Weltzin, Jake F.Ecosystems, Ecosystem Services, and Biodiversity
Biodiversity—the variety of life on Earth—provides vital services that support and improve human health and well-being. Ecosystems, which are composed of living things that interact with the physical environment, provide numerous essential benefits to people. These benefits, termed ecosystem services, encompass four primary functions: provisioning...
Reidmiller, David; Avery, C. W.; Easterling, D. R.; Kunkel, K. E.; Lewis, K. L. M.; Maycock, T. K.; Stewart, B. C.; Lipton, Douglas; Rubenstein, Madeleine A.; Weiskopf, Sarah R.; Carter, Shawn L.; Peterson, Jay; Crozier, Lisa; Fogarty, Michael; Gaichas, Sarah; Hyde, Kimberly J. W.; Morelli, Toni Lyn; Morisette, Jeffrey; Moustahfid, Hassan; Munoz, Roldan; Poudel, Rajendra; Staudinger, Michelle D.; Stock, Charles; Thompson, Laura; Waples, Robin S.; Weltzin, Jake F.Differential changes in the onset of spring across US National Wildlife Refuges and North American migratory bird flyways
Warming temperatures associated with climate change can have indirect effects on migratory birds that rely on seasonally available food resources and habitats that vary across spatial and temporal scales. We used two heat-based indices of spring onset, the First Leaf Index (FLI) and the First Bloom Index (FBI), as proxies of habitat change for the...
Waller, Eric K.; Crimmins, Theresa M.; Walker, Jessica J.; Posthumus, Erin E.; Weltzin, Jake F.National Park Service and the USA National Phenology Network
Understanding the seasonal cycles of plants and animals, how they are changing, and how they can inform management, operations, and interpretation is critical to the mission of the National Park Service (NPS): to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and...
Weltzin, Jake F.; Crimmins, Theresa M.; Posthumus, Erin E.; Rosemartin, AlyssaPre-USGS Publications
Friday's Findings - November 6 2020
Ecosystems Mission Area and Powell Center:
Opportunities for Ecological Forecasting to Improve Natural Resource Management
Date: November 6, 2020 from 2-2:30 p.m. eastern time
Speakers:
John Bradford, Research Ecologist, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center
Jake Weltzin, Acting Senior Science Advisor,...
Will the early bird still get the worm?
For migrating birds, timing is everything. Showing up at breeding grounds at the right time can ensure a great nesting spot with plenty of food. But recent changes in the conditions and foods that birds depend on makes this timing harder to get right.
Just HOW EARLY is spring arriving in your neighborhood? Find out . . .
Get your flip-flops and shorts out because spring is arriving very early this year . . . at least 2-3 weeks early across almost the entire Southeast, from San Antonio to Atlanta to Washington, D.C. This unusually early spring is likely to keep rolling north, already bringing surprising signs of spring to portions of the central Midwest and northeastern states.