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: 417
Consideraciones para la estimacion de abundancia de poblaciones de mamiferos. [Considerations for the estimation of abundance of mammal populations.] Consideraciones para la estimacion de abundancia de poblaciones de mamiferos. [Considerations for the estimation of abundance of mammal populations.]
Estimation of abundance of mammal populations is essential for monitoring programs and for many ecological investigations. The first step for any study of variation in mammal abundance over space or time is to define the objectives of the study and how and why abundance data are to be used. The data used to estimate abundance are count statistics in the form of counts of animals or their...
Authors
R.S. Walker, A.J. Novare, J.D. Nichols
Ecological status and conservation of tigers in India. Final Technical Report (February 1995 to January 2000) Ecological status and conservation of tigers in India. Final Technical Report (February 1995 to January 2000)
No abstract available.
Authors
K. U. Karanth, J.D. Nichols
Monitoring is not enough: on the need for a model-based approach to migratory bird management Monitoring is not enough: on the need for a model-based approach to migratory bird management
Informed management requires information about system state and about effects of potential management actions on system state. Population monitoring can provide the needed information about system state, as well as information that can be used to investigate effects of management actions. Three methods for investigating effects of management on bird populations are (1) retrospective...
Authors
J.D. Nichols
The role of population monitoring in the management of North American waterfowl The role of population monitoring in the management of North American waterfowl
Despite the effort and expense devoted to large-scale monitoring programs, few existing programs have been designed with specific objectives in mind and few permit strong inferences about the dynamics of monitored systems. The waterfowl population monitoring programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service and state and provincial agencies provide a nice example...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, B. Kenneth Williams, Fred A. Johnson
A removal model for estimating detection probabilities from point-count surveys A removal model for estimating detection probabilities from point-count surveys
We adapted a removal model to estimate detection probability during point count surveys. The model assumes one factor influencing detection during point counts is the singing frequency of birds. This may be true for surveys recording forest songbirds when most detections are by sound. The model requires counts to be divided into several time intervals. We used time intervals of 2, 5, and...
Authors
G.L. Farnsworth, K. H. Pollock, J.D. Nichols, T.R. Simons, J.E. Hines, J.R. Sauer
Estimates of population change in selected species of tropical birds using mark-recapture data Estimates of population change in selected species of tropical birds using mark-recapture data
The population biology of tropical birds is known for a only small sample of species; especially in the Neotropics. Robust estimates of parameters such as survival rate and finite rate of population change (A) are crucial for conservation purposes and useful for studies of avian life histories. We used methods developed by Pradel (1996, Biometrics 52:703-709) to estimate A for 10 species...
Authors
J. Brawn, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines, J. Nesbitt
A double-observer approach for estimating detection probability and abundance from point counts A double-observer approach for estimating detection probability and abundance from point counts
Although point counts are frequently used in ornithological studies, basic assumptions about detection probabilities often are untested. We apply a double-observer approach developed to estimate detection probabilities for aerial surveys (Cook and Jacobson 1979) to avian point counts. At each point count, a designated 'primary' observer indicates to another ('secondary') observer all...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines, J.R. Sauer, F.W. Fallon, J.E. Fallon, P.J. Heglund
Relative species richness and community completeness: avian communities and urbanization in the mid-Atlantic states Relative species richness and community completeness: avian communities and urbanization in the mid-Atlantic states
The idea that local factors govern local richness has been dominant for years, but recent theoretical and empirical studies have stressed the influence of regional factors on local richness. Fewer species at a site could reflect not only the influence of local factors, but also a smaller regional pool. The possible dependency of local richness on the regional pool should be taken into...
Authors
E. Cam, J.D. Nichols, J.R. Sauer, J.E. Hines, C.H. Flather
Geographic analysis of species richness and community attributes of forest birds from survey data in the mid-Atlantic integrated assessment region Geographic analysis of species richness and community attributes of forest birds from survey data in the mid-Atlantic integrated assessment region
Species richness of local communities is a state variable commonly used in community ecology and conservation biology. Investigation of spatial and temporal variations in richness and identification of factors associated with these variations form a basis for specifying management plans, evaluating these plans, and for testing hypotheses of theoretical interest. However, estimation of...
Authors
Emmanuelle Cam, John R. Sauer, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Curtis H. Flather
The AOU Conservation Committee Review of the biology, status, and management of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows: Final report The AOU Conservation Committee Review of the biology, status, and management of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows: Final report
The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) was listed as an original member of the federal list of endangered species in 1968. It is restricted to seasonally flooded prairies of extreme southern Florida and is disjunct from all other conspecific breeding populations (Kushlan et al 1982, McDonald 1988). Since the subspecies was described in 1919, its populations have...
Authors
J. R. Walters, S.R. Beissenger, J.W. Fitzpatrick, R. Greenberg, J.D. Nichols, H.R. Pulliam, D.W. Winkler
Evolution of harvest management for North American waterfowl: Selective pressures and preadaptations for adaptive harvest management Evolution of harvest management for North American waterfowl: Selective pressures and preadaptations for adaptive harvest management
No abstract available.
Authors
James D. Nichols
Annual survival and site fidelity of Stellar's Eiders molting along the Alaska Peninsula Annual survival and site fidelity of Stellar's Eiders molting along the Alaska Peninsula
Populations of Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) molting and wintering along the Alaska Peninsula have declined since the 1960's. We captured and marked a large sample of Steller's eiders molting in 2 lagoons along the Alaska Peninsula between 1975-97. We used mark-recapture analysis techniques to estimate annual survival and movement probabilities within and among lagoons for male...
Authors
Paul L. Flint, Margaret R. Petersen, Christian P. Dau, James E. Hines, James D. Nichols
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 417
Consideraciones para la estimacion de abundancia de poblaciones de mamiferos. [Considerations for the estimation of abundance of mammal populations.] Consideraciones para la estimacion de abundancia de poblaciones de mamiferos. [Considerations for the estimation of abundance of mammal populations.]
Estimation of abundance of mammal populations is essential for monitoring programs and for many ecological investigations. The first step for any study of variation in mammal abundance over space or time is to define the objectives of the study and how and why abundance data are to be used. The data used to estimate abundance are count statistics in the form of counts of animals or their...
Authors
R.S. Walker, A.J. Novare, J.D. Nichols
Ecological status and conservation of tigers in India. Final Technical Report (February 1995 to January 2000) Ecological status and conservation of tigers in India. Final Technical Report (February 1995 to January 2000)
No abstract available.
Authors
K. U. Karanth, J.D. Nichols
Monitoring is not enough: on the need for a model-based approach to migratory bird management Monitoring is not enough: on the need for a model-based approach to migratory bird management
Informed management requires information about system state and about effects of potential management actions on system state. Population monitoring can provide the needed information about system state, as well as information that can be used to investigate effects of management actions. Three methods for investigating effects of management on bird populations are (1) retrospective...
Authors
J.D. Nichols
The role of population monitoring in the management of North American waterfowl The role of population monitoring in the management of North American waterfowl
Despite the effort and expense devoted to large-scale monitoring programs, few existing programs have been designed with specific objectives in mind and few permit strong inferences about the dynamics of monitored systems. The waterfowl population monitoring programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service and state and provincial agencies provide a nice example...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, B. Kenneth Williams, Fred A. Johnson
A removal model for estimating detection probabilities from point-count surveys A removal model for estimating detection probabilities from point-count surveys
We adapted a removal model to estimate detection probability during point count surveys. The model assumes one factor influencing detection during point counts is the singing frequency of birds. This may be true for surveys recording forest songbirds when most detections are by sound. The model requires counts to be divided into several time intervals. We used time intervals of 2, 5, and...
Authors
G.L. Farnsworth, K. H. Pollock, J.D. Nichols, T.R. Simons, J.E. Hines, J.R. Sauer
Estimates of population change in selected species of tropical birds using mark-recapture data Estimates of population change in selected species of tropical birds using mark-recapture data
The population biology of tropical birds is known for a only small sample of species; especially in the Neotropics. Robust estimates of parameters such as survival rate and finite rate of population change (A) are crucial for conservation purposes and useful for studies of avian life histories. We used methods developed by Pradel (1996, Biometrics 52:703-709) to estimate A for 10 species...
Authors
J. Brawn, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines, J. Nesbitt
A double-observer approach for estimating detection probability and abundance from point counts A double-observer approach for estimating detection probability and abundance from point counts
Although point counts are frequently used in ornithological studies, basic assumptions about detection probabilities often are untested. We apply a double-observer approach developed to estimate detection probabilities for aerial surveys (Cook and Jacobson 1979) to avian point counts. At each point count, a designated 'primary' observer indicates to another ('secondary') observer all...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines, J.R. Sauer, F.W. Fallon, J.E. Fallon, P.J. Heglund
Relative species richness and community completeness: avian communities and urbanization in the mid-Atlantic states Relative species richness and community completeness: avian communities and urbanization in the mid-Atlantic states
The idea that local factors govern local richness has been dominant for years, but recent theoretical and empirical studies have stressed the influence of regional factors on local richness. Fewer species at a site could reflect not only the influence of local factors, but also a smaller regional pool. The possible dependency of local richness on the regional pool should be taken into...
Authors
E. Cam, J.D. Nichols, J.R. Sauer, J.E. Hines, C.H. Flather
Geographic analysis of species richness and community attributes of forest birds from survey data in the mid-Atlantic integrated assessment region Geographic analysis of species richness and community attributes of forest birds from survey data in the mid-Atlantic integrated assessment region
Species richness of local communities is a state variable commonly used in community ecology and conservation biology. Investigation of spatial and temporal variations in richness and identification of factors associated with these variations form a basis for specifying management plans, evaluating these plans, and for testing hypotheses of theoretical interest. However, estimation of...
Authors
Emmanuelle Cam, John R. Sauer, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Curtis H. Flather
The AOU Conservation Committee Review of the biology, status, and management of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows: Final report The AOU Conservation Committee Review of the biology, status, and management of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows: Final report
The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) was listed as an original member of the federal list of endangered species in 1968. It is restricted to seasonally flooded prairies of extreme southern Florida and is disjunct from all other conspecific breeding populations (Kushlan et al 1982, McDonald 1988). Since the subspecies was described in 1919, its populations have...
Authors
J. R. Walters, S.R. Beissenger, J.W. Fitzpatrick, R. Greenberg, J.D. Nichols, H.R. Pulliam, D.W. Winkler
Evolution of harvest management for North American waterfowl: Selective pressures and preadaptations for adaptive harvest management Evolution of harvest management for North American waterfowl: Selective pressures and preadaptations for adaptive harvest management
No abstract available.
Authors
James D. Nichols
Annual survival and site fidelity of Stellar's Eiders molting along the Alaska Peninsula Annual survival and site fidelity of Stellar's Eiders molting along the Alaska Peninsula
Populations of Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) molting and wintering along the Alaska Peninsula have declined since the 1960's. We captured and marked a large sample of Steller's eiders molting in 2 lagoons along the Alaska Peninsula between 1975-97. We used mark-recapture analysis techniques to estimate annual survival and movement probabilities within and among lagoons for male...
Authors
Paul L. Flint, Margaret R. Petersen, Christian P. Dau, James E. Hines, James D. Nichols