James Nichols, Ph.D.
Dr. Jim Nichols conducts research on animal population dynamics and management
Recent Accomplishments
Education
- B.S. Wake Forest University, Biology, 1971
- M.S. Louisiana State University, Wildlife Management, 1973
- Ph.D. Michigan State University, Wildlife Ecology, 1976
Professional Studies/Experience
- Adaptive management and assessment of habitat changes on migratory birds
- Development of models of mallard population dynamics for adaptive harvest management
- Development of methods to estimate parameters associated with animal population dynamics
- Statistical methods for species richness estimation
- Technical Assistance -Tiger Monitoring and Population Research
- Development of methods for estimating patch occupancy and patch-dynamic parameters from detection-nondetection survey data
- Development of methods to estimate species richness and community-dynamic parameters from species list data
Mentorship/Outreach
Professional societies/affiliations/committees/editorial boardsScientific/Oral Presentations, Abstracts
Honors, awards, recognition, elected offices
- 2005 - U.S. Presidential Rank Award (Meritorious Senior Professional)
- 2004 - U.S. Geological Survey Meritorious Service Award
- 2004 - IFAS Scholar Award, University of Florida
- 1998 - Promoted to Senior Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey
- 1991 - The George W. Snedecor Award of the American Statistical Association
- 1991 - The Wildlife Society's Wildlife Publication Award for Monograph
- 1984 - Southeastern Section of the Wildlife Society, Outstanding Publication Award
Scientific/Oral Presentations, Abstracts
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 418
Occupancy as a surrogate for abundance estimation Occupancy as a surrogate for abundance estimation
In many monitoring programmes it may be prohibitively expensive to estimate the actual abundance of a bird species in a defined area, particularly at large spatial scales, or where birds occur at very low densities. Often it may be appropriate to consider the proportion of area occupied by the species as an alternative state variable. However, as with abundance estimation, issues of
Authors
D.I. MacKenzie, J.D. Nichols
Estimation of sex-specific survival from capture-recapture data when sex is not always known Estimation of sex-specific survival from capture-recapture data when sex is not always known
Many animals lack obvious sexual dimorphism, making assignment of sex difficult even for observed or captured animals. For many such species it is possible to assign sex with certainty only at some occasions; for example, when they exhibit certain types of behavior. A common approach to handling this situation in capture-recapture studies has been to group capture histories into those of...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, W. L. Kendall, J.E. Hines, J. A. Spendelow
Testing life history predictions in a long-lived seabird: A population matrix approach with improved parameter estimation Testing life history predictions in a long-lived seabird: A population matrix approach with improved parameter estimation
Life history theory and associated empirical generalizations predict that population growth rate (λ) in long-lived animals should be most sensitive to adult survival; the rates to which λ is most sensitive should be those with the smallest temporal variances; and stochastic environmental events should most affect the rates to which λ is least sensitive. To date, most analyses attempting...
Authors
P.F. Doherty, E.A. Schreiber, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines, W.A. Link, G.A. Schenk, R.W. Schreiber
Tigers and their prey: Predicting carnivore densities from prey abundance Tigers and their prey: Predicting carnivore densities from prey abundance
The goal of ecology is to understand interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms. In principle, ecologists should be able to identify a small number of limiting resources for a species of interest, estimate densities of these resources at different locations across the landscape, and then use these estimates to predict the density of the focal species at these...
Authors
K. U. Karanth, J.D. Nichols, S. Kumar, W.A. Link, J.E. Hines
Evolution of quantitative methods for the study and management of avian populations: on the importance of individual contributions Evolution of quantitative methods for the study and management of avian populations: on the importance of individual contributions
The EURING meetings and the scientists who have attended them have contributed substantially to the growth of knowledge in the field of estimating parameters of animal populations. The contributions of David R. Anderson to process modeling, parameter estimation and decision analysis are briefly reviewed. Metrics are considered for assessing individual contributions to a field of inquiry...
Authors
J.D. Nichols
Investigating species co-occurrence patterns when species are detected imperfectly Investigating species co-occurrence patterns when species are detected imperfectly
1. Over the last 30 years there has been a great deal of interest in investigating patterns of species co-occurrence across a number of locations, which has led to the development of numerous methods to determine whether there is evidence that a particular pattern may not have occurred by random chance. 2. A key aspect that seems to have been largely overlooked is the possibility that...
Authors
D.I. MacKenzie, L.L. Bailey, J.D. Nichols
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 418
Occupancy as a surrogate for abundance estimation Occupancy as a surrogate for abundance estimation
In many monitoring programmes it may be prohibitively expensive to estimate the actual abundance of a bird species in a defined area, particularly at large spatial scales, or where birds occur at very low densities. Often it may be appropriate to consider the proportion of area occupied by the species as an alternative state variable. However, as with abundance estimation, issues of
Authors
D.I. MacKenzie, J.D. Nichols
Estimation of sex-specific survival from capture-recapture data when sex is not always known Estimation of sex-specific survival from capture-recapture data when sex is not always known
Many animals lack obvious sexual dimorphism, making assignment of sex difficult even for observed or captured animals. For many such species it is possible to assign sex with certainty only at some occasions; for example, when they exhibit certain types of behavior. A common approach to handling this situation in capture-recapture studies has been to group capture histories into those of...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, W. L. Kendall, J.E. Hines, J. A. Spendelow
Testing life history predictions in a long-lived seabird: A population matrix approach with improved parameter estimation Testing life history predictions in a long-lived seabird: A population matrix approach with improved parameter estimation
Life history theory and associated empirical generalizations predict that population growth rate (λ) in long-lived animals should be most sensitive to adult survival; the rates to which λ is most sensitive should be those with the smallest temporal variances; and stochastic environmental events should most affect the rates to which λ is least sensitive. To date, most analyses attempting...
Authors
P.F. Doherty, E.A. Schreiber, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines, W.A. Link, G.A. Schenk, R.W. Schreiber
Tigers and their prey: Predicting carnivore densities from prey abundance Tigers and their prey: Predicting carnivore densities from prey abundance
The goal of ecology is to understand interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms. In principle, ecologists should be able to identify a small number of limiting resources for a species of interest, estimate densities of these resources at different locations across the landscape, and then use these estimates to predict the density of the focal species at these...
Authors
K. U. Karanth, J.D. Nichols, S. Kumar, W.A. Link, J.E. Hines
Evolution of quantitative methods for the study and management of avian populations: on the importance of individual contributions Evolution of quantitative methods for the study and management of avian populations: on the importance of individual contributions
The EURING meetings and the scientists who have attended them have contributed substantially to the growth of knowledge in the field of estimating parameters of animal populations. The contributions of David R. Anderson to process modeling, parameter estimation and decision analysis are briefly reviewed. Metrics are considered for assessing individual contributions to a field of inquiry...
Authors
J.D. Nichols
Investigating species co-occurrence patterns when species are detected imperfectly Investigating species co-occurrence patterns when species are detected imperfectly
1. Over the last 30 years there has been a great deal of interest in investigating patterns of species co-occurrence across a number of locations, which has led to the development of numerous methods to determine whether there is evidence that a particular pattern may not have occurred by random chance. 2. A key aspect that seems to have been largely overlooked is the possibility that...
Authors
D.I. MacKenzie, L.L. Bailey, J.D. Nichols