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
Higher temporal variability of forest breeding bird communities in fragmented landscapes Higher temporal variability of forest breeding bird communities in fragmented landscapes
Understanding the relationship between animal community dynamics and landscape structure has become a priority for biodiversity conservation. In particular, predicting the effects of habitat destruction that confine species to networks of small patches is an important prerequisite to conservation plan development. Theoretical models that predict the occurrence of species in fragmented...
Authors
T. Boulinier, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, John R. Sauer, Curtis H. Flather, Kenneth H. Pollock
Estimating species richness: The importance of heterogeneity in species detectability Estimating species richness: The importance of heterogeneity in species detectability
Estimating species richness (i.e., the actual number of species present in a given area) is a basic objective of many field studies carried out in community ecology and is also of crucial concern when dealing with the conservation and management of biodiversity. In most studies, the total number of species recorded in an area at a given time is taken as a measure of species richness...
Authors
T. Boulinier, James D. Nichols, John R. Sauer, James E. Hines, K. H. Pollock
Modeling colony site dynamics: A case study of gull-billed terns (Sterna nilotica) in coastal Virginia Modeling colony site dynamics: A case study of gull-billed terns (Sterna nilotica) in coastal Virginia
We developed a Markov process model for colony-site dynamics of Gull-billed Terns (Sterna nilotica). From 1993 through 1996, we monitored breeding numbers of Gull-billed Terns and their frequent colony associates, Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) and Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger), at colony sites along 80 km of the barrier island region of coastal Virginia. We also monitored flooding...
Authors
R.M. Erwin, J.D. Nichols, T.B. Eyler, Daniel B. Stotts, B.R. Truitt
Inference methods for spatial variation in species richness and community composition when not all species are detected Inference methods for spatial variation in species richness and community composition when not all species are detected
Inferences about spatial variation in species richness and community composition are important both to ecological hypotheses about the structure and function of communities and to community-level conservation and management. Few sampling programs for animal communities provide censuses, and usually some species in surveyed areas are not detected. Thus, counts of species detected...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, T. Boulinier, J.E. Hines, K. H. Pollock, J.R. Sauer
Size-sex variation in survival rates and abundance of pig frogs, Rana grylio, in northern Florida wetlands Size-sex variation in survival rates and abundance of pig frogs, Rana grylio, in northern Florida wetlands
During 1991-1993, we conducted capture-recapture studies on pig frogs, Rana grylio, in seven study locations in northcentral Florida. Resulting data were used to test hypotheses about variation in survival probability over different size-sex classes of pig frogs. We developed multistate capture-recapture models for the resulting data and used them to estimate survival rates and frog...
Authors
K.V. Wood, J.D. Nichols, H.F. Percival, J.E. Hines
Estimating rates of local species extinction, colonization and turnover in animal communities Estimating rates of local species extinction, colonization and turnover in animal communities
Species richness has been identified as a useful state variable for conservation and management purposes. Changes in richness over time provide a basis for predicting and evaluating community responses to management, to natural disturbance, and to changes in factors such as community composition (e.g., the removal of a keystone species). Probabilistic capture-recapture models have been...
Authors
James D. Nichols, T. Boulinier, J.E. Hines, K. H. Pollock, J.R. Sauer
Demography of forest birds in Panama: How do transients affect estimates of survival rates? Demography of forest birds in Panama: How do transients affect estimates of survival rates?
Estimates of annual survival rates for a multispecies sample of neotropical birds from Panama have proven controversial. Traditionally, tropical birds were thought to have high survival rates for their size, but analyses by Kart et al. (1990. Am. Nat. 136:277-91) contradicted that view, suggesting tropical birds may not have systematically high survival rates. A persistent criticism of...
Authors
J. D. Brawn, J.R. Karr, J.D. Nichols, W.D. Robinson
Tests for senescent decline in annual survival probabilities of common pochards, Aythya ferina Tests for senescent decline in annual survival probabilities of common pochards, Aythya ferina
Senescent decline in survival probabilities of animals is a topic about which much has been written but little is known. Here, we present formal tests of senescence hypotheses, using 1373 recaptures from 8877 duckling (age 0) and 504 yearling Common Pochards (Aythya ferina) banded at a Latvian study site, 1975-1992. The tests are based on capture-recapture models that explicitly...
Authors
James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Peter Blums
Estimating temporary emigration using capture-recapture data with Pollock's robust design Estimating temporary emigration using capture-recapture data with Pollock's robust design
Statistical inference for capture–recapture studies of open animal populations typically relies on the assumption that all emigration from the studied population is permanent. However, there are many instances in which this assumption is unlikely to be met. We define two general models for the process of temporary emigration: completely random and Markovian. We then consider effects of...
Authors
W. L. Kendall, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines
Ecology and management of subdivided animal populations Ecology and management of subdivided animal populations
No abstract available.
Authors
J.D. Lebreton, J.D. Nichols
Capture-recapture analysis of a wintering black-capped chickadee population in Connecticut, 1958-1993 Capture-recapture analysis of a wintering black-capped chickadee population in Connecticut, 1958-1993
We investigated the dynamics of a wintering population of Black-capped Chickadees (Parus atricapillus) using data from a long-term capture-recapture study. Goodness-of-fit and likelihood-ratio tests indicated that the standard Jolly-Seber model was inadequate for the data, so we explored different parameterizations of a model in which survival probability for new captures differed from...
Authors
G. Loery, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines
Recent numerical changes in North American roseate terns and their conjectured cause Recent numerical changes in North American roseate terns and their conjectured cause
No abstract available.
Authors
J.J. Hatch, J. A. Spendelow, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 417
Higher temporal variability of forest breeding bird communities in fragmented landscapes Higher temporal variability of forest breeding bird communities in fragmented landscapes
Understanding the relationship between animal community dynamics and landscape structure has become a priority for biodiversity conservation. In particular, predicting the effects of habitat destruction that confine species to networks of small patches is an important prerequisite to conservation plan development. Theoretical models that predict the occurrence of species in fragmented...
Authors
T. Boulinier, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, John R. Sauer, Curtis H. Flather, Kenneth H. Pollock
Estimating species richness: The importance of heterogeneity in species detectability Estimating species richness: The importance of heterogeneity in species detectability
Estimating species richness (i.e., the actual number of species present in a given area) is a basic objective of many field studies carried out in community ecology and is also of crucial concern when dealing with the conservation and management of biodiversity. In most studies, the total number of species recorded in an area at a given time is taken as a measure of species richness...
Authors
T. Boulinier, James D. Nichols, John R. Sauer, James E. Hines, K. H. Pollock
Modeling colony site dynamics: A case study of gull-billed terns (Sterna nilotica) in coastal Virginia Modeling colony site dynamics: A case study of gull-billed terns (Sterna nilotica) in coastal Virginia
We developed a Markov process model for colony-site dynamics of Gull-billed Terns (Sterna nilotica). From 1993 through 1996, we monitored breeding numbers of Gull-billed Terns and their frequent colony associates, Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) and Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger), at colony sites along 80 km of the barrier island region of coastal Virginia. We also monitored flooding...
Authors
R.M. Erwin, J.D. Nichols, T.B. Eyler, Daniel B. Stotts, B.R. Truitt
Inference methods for spatial variation in species richness and community composition when not all species are detected Inference methods for spatial variation in species richness and community composition when not all species are detected
Inferences about spatial variation in species richness and community composition are important both to ecological hypotheses about the structure and function of communities and to community-level conservation and management. Few sampling programs for animal communities provide censuses, and usually some species in surveyed areas are not detected. Thus, counts of species detected...
Authors
J.D. Nichols, T. Boulinier, J.E. Hines, K. H. Pollock, J.R. Sauer
Size-sex variation in survival rates and abundance of pig frogs, Rana grylio, in northern Florida wetlands Size-sex variation in survival rates and abundance of pig frogs, Rana grylio, in northern Florida wetlands
During 1991-1993, we conducted capture-recapture studies on pig frogs, Rana grylio, in seven study locations in northcentral Florida. Resulting data were used to test hypotheses about variation in survival probability over different size-sex classes of pig frogs. We developed multistate capture-recapture models for the resulting data and used them to estimate survival rates and frog...
Authors
K.V. Wood, J.D. Nichols, H.F. Percival, J.E. Hines
Estimating rates of local species extinction, colonization and turnover in animal communities Estimating rates of local species extinction, colonization and turnover in animal communities
Species richness has been identified as a useful state variable for conservation and management purposes. Changes in richness over time provide a basis for predicting and evaluating community responses to management, to natural disturbance, and to changes in factors such as community composition (e.g., the removal of a keystone species). Probabilistic capture-recapture models have been...
Authors
James D. Nichols, T. Boulinier, J.E. Hines, K. H. Pollock, J.R. Sauer
Demography of forest birds in Panama: How do transients affect estimates of survival rates? Demography of forest birds in Panama: How do transients affect estimates of survival rates?
Estimates of annual survival rates for a multispecies sample of neotropical birds from Panama have proven controversial. Traditionally, tropical birds were thought to have high survival rates for their size, but analyses by Kart et al. (1990. Am. Nat. 136:277-91) contradicted that view, suggesting tropical birds may not have systematically high survival rates. A persistent criticism of...
Authors
J. D. Brawn, J.R. Karr, J.D. Nichols, W.D. Robinson
Tests for senescent decline in annual survival probabilities of common pochards, Aythya ferina Tests for senescent decline in annual survival probabilities of common pochards, Aythya ferina
Senescent decline in survival probabilities of animals is a topic about which much has been written but little is known. Here, we present formal tests of senescence hypotheses, using 1373 recaptures from 8877 duckling (age 0) and 504 yearling Common Pochards (Aythya ferina) banded at a Latvian study site, 1975-1992. The tests are based on capture-recapture models that explicitly...
Authors
James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Peter Blums
Estimating temporary emigration using capture-recapture data with Pollock's robust design Estimating temporary emigration using capture-recapture data with Pollock's robust design
Statistical inference for capture–recapture studies of open animal populations typically relies on the assumption that all emigration from the studied population is permanent. However, there are many instances in which this assumption is unlikely to be met. We define two general models for the process of temporary emigration: completely random and Markovian. We then consider effects of...
Authors
W. L. Kendall, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines
Ecology and management of subdivided animal populations Ecology and management of subdivided animal populations
No abstract available.
Authors
J.D. Lebreton, J.D. Nichols
Capture-recapture analysis of a wintering black-capped chickadee population in Connecticut, 1958-1993 Capture-recapture analysis of a wintering black-capped chickadee population in Connecticut, 1958-1993
We investigated the dynamics of a wintering population of Black-capped Chickadees (Parus atricapillus) using data from a long-term capture-recapture study. Goodness-of-fit and likelihood-ratio tests indicated that the standard Jolly-Seber model was inadequate for the data, so we explored different parameterizations of a model in which survival probability for new captures differed from...
Authors
G. Loery, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines
Recent numerical changes in North American roseate terns and their conjectured cause Recent numerical changes in North American roseate terns and their conjectured cause
No abstract available.
Authors
J.J. Hatch, J. A. Spendelow, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Hines