Assistant Unit Leader - New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Research Interests
James' research interests are primarily in wildlife-habitat relationships, population ecology, and the influence of management practices on native wildlife species. He is interested in using a rigorous scientific approach to address both basic and applied questions related to wildlife ecology, conservation and management. In general, his research interests focus on understanding the effects of environmental heterogeneity on habitat selection, resource use, movements and the landscape-level distribution of mammals and birds. Specifically he is interested in studies on how spatial and temporal variation in habitat characteristics, resources and constraints on resource use (e.g., predation risk) influence the movement, habitat selection and distribution of wildlife. Furthermore, he is interested in determining how habitat selection, at the local and landscape scales, is related to demographic rates and population dynamics, including the relationships between habitat quality and metapopulation dynamics. Another area of research involves the influence of natural resource management activities on wildlife and he works with government agencies to assess the implications of current and future land use and management practices on conservation of wildlife populations and communities.
Teaching Interests
James has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to teach a range of courses and gain teaching experiences with diverse groups of students at both U.S. and international universities. His experiences include teaching courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level and include courses in Wildlife Management, Field Methods for Wildlife and Conservation, Quantitative Biology, Wildlife -habitat Relationships, and Population and Community Ecology. His teaching interests include courses in large mammal ecology and conservation, wildlife-habitat relationships, field methods, and wildlife conservation and management.
Professional Experience
Assistant Unit Leader, New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2010-
Education and Certifications
Ph D University of Arizona 2006
MS California State University-Sacramento 2001
BS Colorado State University 1997
Science and Products
Webinar: Foraging Decisions and Populations Dynamics: Ungulates under a Warmer Climate
Evaluating Adaptations of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Climate Change in the Southwestern U.S.
The Impacts of Drought on Fish and Wildlife in the Southwestern U.S.
The Effects of Drought on Southwestern Pronghorns
The Effects of Drought on Desert Bighorn Sheep
Genetic structure of American black bear populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico, 1994-2014
Detections of burros from helicopter aerial surveys in the southwestern US, 2016-2018
Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States, Volume 2
Evaluating Adaptive Capacity of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Climate Change: Identifying Genetic Links to Climate Adaptations
Extreme precipitation variability, forage quality and large herbivore diet selection in arid environments
Ungulate migrations of the western United States, volume 3
Pleistocene–Holocene vicariance, not Anthropocene landscape change, explains the genetic structure of American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico
Structured decision making
Ungulate migrations of the western United States, volume 2
Habitat diversity influences puma (Puma concolor) diet in the Chihuahuan Desert
A case for multiscale habitat selection studies of small mammals
Predicting spatial factors associated with cattle depredations by the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) with recommendations for depredation risk modeling
Estimating abundance and simulating fertility control in feral burros
Urbanization’s influence on the distribution of mange in a carnivore revealed with multistate occupancy models
Extreme drought and adaptive resource selection by a desert mammal
Investigation of bed and den site selection by American black bears (Ursus americanus) in a landscape impacted by forest restoration treatments and wildfires
Mule deer habitat selection following vegetation thinning treatments in New Mexico
Science and Products
- Science
Webinar: Foraging Decisions and Populations Dynamics: Ungulates under a Warmer Climate
View this webinar to learn how scientists are exploring the impacts of climate change on ungulates in the Southwest.Evaluating Adaptations of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Climate Change in the Southwestern U.S.
In the southwestern U.S., climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme droughts and cause an overall decrease in precipitation and increase in temperatures. These changes could impact a wide range of species in the region, even those adapted to living in arid environments. It’s possible that some species may be able to adapt to changing conditions by migrating to new locations o...The Impacts of Drought on Fish and Wildlife in the Southwestern U.S.
Species that inhabit the arid Southwest are adapted to living in hot, dry environments. Yet the increasing frequency and severity of drought in the region may create conditions that even these hardy species can’t survive. This project examined the impacts of drought in the southwestern U.S. on four of the region’s iconic species: desert bighorn sheep, American pronghorn, scaled quail, and Rio Gran...The Effects of Drought on Southwestern Pronghorns
The antelope-like pronghorn is the fastest land animal in North America and has the longest land migration in the continental U.S—in fact, the species has been dubbed “the true marathoners of the American West”. While pronghorns are numerous in parts of their range, such as Wyoming and northern Colorado, they are endangered in others, such as the Sonoran Desert. In the arid Southwest, pronghorn pThe Effects of Drought on Desert Bighorn Sheep
Native to the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico, the desert bighorn sheep is known for its ability to adapt to harsh, arid environments. However, this does not mean the species is immune to the effects of drought. In fact, the fragmented and isolated distribution of the desert mountain ranges that they inhabit means that they can’t follow distant rain storms without traversing broad valley... - Data
Genetic structure of American black bear populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico, 1994-2014
Microsatellite genotypes for American black bears collected by Gould et al. 2002 and used to assess the genetic structure of American black bear populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Genotypes are for Ursus americanus individuals.Detections of burros from helicopter aerial surveys in the southwestern US, 2016-2018
Feral burros (Equus asinus) and horses (E. ferus caballus) inhabiting public land in the western United States are intended to be managed at population levels established to promote a thriving, natural ecological balance. Like many large ungulate populations, management agencies employ aerial surveys to obtain estimates of horse and burro population sizes. Double-observer sightability (MDS) modelsUngulate Migrations of the Western United States, Volume 2
This is the data archive for the publication Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States, Volume 2 (Kauffman et al. 2022) and includes the collection of GIS map files that are mapped and described in the report. These map files are meant to provide a common spatial representation of the mapped migrations. This data release provides the means for ungulate migrations to be mapped and planned foEvaluating Adaptive Capacity of Desert Bighorn Sheep to Climate Change: Identifying Genetic Links to Climate Adaptations
Natural selection may result in local adaptation to different environmental conditions across the range of a species. Understanding local adaptation, in turn, informs management decisions such as translocation to restore locally-extinct populations. We used a landscape genomics approach to detect genetic signatures of selection related to climatic variation among desert bighorn sheep populations aExtreme precipitation variability, forage quality and large herbivore diet selection in arid environments
Nutritional ecology forms the interface between environmental variability and large herbivore behaviour, life history characteristics, and population dynamics. Forage conditions in arid and semi-arid regions are driven by unpredictable spatial and temporal patterns in rainfall. Diet selection by herbivores should be directed towards overcoming the most pressing nutritional limitation (i.e. energy, - Publications
Filter Total Items: 44
Ungulate migrations of the western United States, volume 3
Ungulates (hooved mammals) have a broad distribution across the western United States and play an important role in maintaining predator-prey dynamics, affecting vegetation communities, and providing economic benefits to regional communities through tourism and hunting. Throughout the diverse landscapes they occupy, many ungulate populations undertake seasonal migrations to exploit spatially and tAuthorsMatthew Kauffman, Blake Lowrey, Jodi Berg, Scott Bergen, Doug Brimeyer, Patrick Burke, Teal Cufaude, James W. Cain III, Jeffrey Cole, Alyson Courtemanch, Michelle Cowardin, Julie Cunningham, Melia DeVivo, Jennifer Diamond, Orrin Duvuvuei, Julien Fattebert, Joanna Ennis, Darby Finley, Jessica Fort, Gary Fralick, Eric Freeman, Jeff Gagnon, Julie Garcia, Emily Gelzer, Morgan Graham, Jacob Gray, Evan Greenspan, L. Embere Hall, Curtis Hendricks, Andy Holland, Brian Holmes, Katey Huggler, Mark A. Hurley, Emily Jeffreys, Aran Johnson, Lee Knox, Kevin Krasnow, Zack Lockyer, Hannah Manninen, Mike McDonald, Jennifer L. McKee, James Meacham, Jerod Merkle, Barb Moore, Tony W. Mong, Clayton Nielsen, Brendan Oates, Kim Olsen, Daniel Olson, Lucas Olson, Matt Pieron, Jake Powell, Annemarie Prince, Kelly Proffitt, Craig Reddell, Corinna Riginos, Robert Ritson, Sierra Robatcek, Shane Roberts, Hall Sawyer, Cody Schroeder, Jessie Shapiro, Nova Simpson, Scott Sprague, Alethea Steingisser, Nicole Tatman, Benjamin Turnock, Cody Wallace, Laura WolfPleistocene–Holocene vicariance, not Anthropocene landscape change, explains the genetic structure of American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico
The phylogeography of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) is characterized by isolation into glacial refugia, followed by population expansion and genetic admixture. Anthropogenic activities, including overharvest, habitat loss, and transportation infrastructure, have also influenced their landscape genetic structure. We describe the genetic structure of the American black bear in the AmeriAuthorsMatthew J. Gould, James W. Cain III, Todd C. Atwood, Larisa E. Harding, Heather E. Johnson, Dave P. Onorato, Frederic S. Winslow, Gary W. RoemerStructured decision making
No abstract available.AuthorsMichael C. Runge, J. Barry Grand, Michael S. MitchellUngulate migrations of the western United States, volume 2
Migration is widespread across taxonomic groups and increasingly recognized as fundamental to maintaining abundant wildlife populations and communities. Many ungulate herds migrate across the western United States to access food and avoid harsh environmental conditions. With the advent of global positioning system (GPS) collars, researchers can describe and map the year-round movements of ungulateAuthorsMatthew Kauffman, Blake Lowrey, Jeffrey Beck, Jodi Berg, Scott Bergen, Joel Berger, James W. Cain III, Sarah Dewey, Jennifer Diamond, Orrin Duvuvuei, Fattebert, Jeff Gagnon, Julia Garcia, Evan Greenspan, Embere Hall, Glenn Harper, Stan Harter, Kent Hersey, Pat Hnilicka, Mark Hurley, Lee Knox, Art Lawson, Eric Maichak, James Meacham, Jerod Merkle, Arthur Middleton, Daniel Olson, Lucas Olson, Craig Reddell, Benjamin Robb, Gabe Rozman, Hall Sawyer, Cody Schroeder, Brandon Scurlock, Jeff Short, Scott Sprague, Alethea Steingisser, Nicole TatmanHabitat diversity influences puma (Puma concolor) diet in the Chihuahuan Desert
Habitat heterogeneity and corresponding diversity in potential prey species should increase the diet breadth of generalist predators. Many previous studies describing puma Puma concolor diets in the arid regions of the southwestern United States were focused within largely xeric locations, overlooking the influence of heterogeneity created by riparian forests. Such habitat heterogeneity and corresAuthorsCharles H. Prude, James W. Cain IIIA case for multiscale habitat selection studies of small mammals
Habitat information for small mammals typically consists of anecdotal descriptions or infrequent analyses of habitat use, which often are reported erroneously as signifying habitat preference, requirements, or quality. Habitat preferences can be determined only by analysis of habitat selection, a behavioral process that results in the disproportionate use of one resource over other available resouAuthorsBrittany R. Schweiger, Jennifer K. Frey, James W. Cain IIIPredicting spatial factors associated with cattle depredations by the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) with recommendations for depredation risk modeling
AimPredation on livestock is one of the primary concerns for Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) recovery because it causes economic losses and negative attitudes toward wolves. Our objectives were to develop a spatial risk model of cattle depredation by Mexican wolves in the USA portion of their recovery area to help reduce the potential for future depredations.LocationArizona and New Mexico, USA.AuthorsReza Goljani Amirkhiz, Jennifer K. Frey, James W. Cain III, Stewart W. Breck, David L. BergmanEstimating abundance and simulating fertility control in feral burros
Overabundant populations of feral equids are negatively impacting rangelands in the western United States. To effectively manage these populations, robust estimates of abundance and demography are necessary, as well as cost-effective methods of reducing abundance. We used a double-observer-sightability aerial survey method to estimate the number of feral burros (Equus asinus) occupying the Fort IrAuthorsJay V. Gedir, James W. Cain III, Bruce C. Lubow, Talesha Karish, David K. Delaney, Gary W. RoemerUrbanization’s influence on the distribution of mange in a carnivore revealed with multistate occupancy models
Increasing urbanization and use of urban areas by synanthropic wildlife has increased human and domestic animal exposure to zoonotic diseases and exacerbated epizootics within wildlife populations. Consequently, there is a need to improve wildlife disease surveillance programs to rapidly detect outbreaks and refine inferences regarding spatiotemporal disease dynamics. Multistate occupancy models cAuthorsCraig D. Reddell, Fitsum Abadi, David K. Delaney, James W. Cain III, Gary W. RoemerExtreme drought and adaptive resource selection by a desert mammal
When animals select areas to occupy, decisions involve trade-offs between the fitness benefits of obtaining critical resources and minimizing costs of biotic and abiotic factors that constrain their use. These processes can be more dynamic and complex for species inhabiting desert environments, where highly variable spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation can create high intra- and inteAuthorsJay V. Gedir, James W. Cain III, Tyson Swetnam, Paul R. Krausman, John R. MorgartInvestigation of bed and den site selection by American black bears (Ursus americanus) in a landscape impacted by forest restoration treatments and wildfires
The combined effects of long-term fire suppression, logging, and overgrazing have negatively impacted many southwestern U.S. forests, resulting in decreased habitat quality for wildlife, and more frequent and severe wildfires. In response, land management agencies are implementing large-scale forest restoration treatments, but data on how wildlife respond to restoration treatments and wildfires arAuthorsSusan M. Bard, James W. Cain IIIMule deer habitat selection following vegetation thinning treatments in New Mexico
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) survival and population growth in north-central New Mexico, USA, was previously reported to be limited by nutritional constraints due to poor forage conditions in degraded habitats. Management recommendations suggested thinning of pinyon–juniper to improve habitat quality for mule deer. To evaluate the influence of these vegetation treatments, we monitored habitat sAuthorsGrant E. Sorensen, David W. Kramer, James W. Cain III, Chase A. Taylor, Philip S. Gipson, Mark C. Wallace, Robert D. Cox, Warren B. Ballard