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Jay Diffendorfer

I'm an applied ecologist working at the Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center.

Trained as an ecologist, I originally worked on spatial ecology and conservation biology, including a USGS-funded post doc at University of Miami modelling reptile and amphibian responses to possible restoration scenarios in the Everglades.  I then worked as an assistant and full professor at San Diego State University, studying relationships between urbanization, fire, and invasive species on a native flora and fauna in southern California. This field-oriented research involved radiotelemetry, capture-recapture, and vegetation studies.  I left San Diego State University and spent 4 years at the Illinois Natural History Survey where my research began to expand into disease ecology and agro-ecosystems.  Since arriving at USGS in 2008, I have continued to expand my research focus and currently work on science related to the energy-environment nexus, ecosystem services, and applied ecology.

 

Professional Experience

  • 2014-            Research Scientist and Supervisor, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, USGS, Lakewood, Colorado

  • 2008-2014    Research Scientist, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, USGS, Lakewood, Colorado

  • 2004-2008    Associate Scientist, Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois

  • 1998-2004    Assistant/Associate Professor, San Diego State University, San Diego, California

  • 1995-1998    Postdoctoral research with USGS, University of Miami, Miami, Florida

Education and Certifications

  • University of Kansas, Ph.D., (Ecology), 1995

  • Ohio University, BS, (Wildlife Biology), 1989

Science and Products

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USGS science for a changing world logo

Using Jupyter Notebooks to tell data stories and create reproducible workflows

Increasingly, USGS scientists seek to share and collaborate while working on data and code. Furthermore, these scientists often require advanced computing resources. Jupyter Notebooks are one such tool for creating these workflows. The files are interactive, code “notebooks” which allow users to combine code and text in one document, enabling scientists to share the stories held within their data...
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Community for Data Integration (CDI)
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Using Jupyter Notebooks to tell data stories and create reproducible workflows

Increasingly, USGS scientists seek to share and collaborate while working on data and code. Furthermore, these scientists often require advanced computing resources. Jupyter Notebooks are one such tool for creating these workflows. The files are interactive, code “notebooks” which allow users to combine code and text in one document, enabling scientists to share the stories held within their data...
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wind turbines

Wind Energy

The United States Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) provides the locations of land-based and offshore wind turbines in the United States, corresponding wind project information, and turbine technical specifications. The creation of this database was jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) via the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)...
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Energy Resources Program
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Wind Energy

The United States Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) provides the locations of land-based and offshore wind turbines in the United States, corresponding wind project information, and turbine technical specifications. The creation of this database was jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) via the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)...
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Pine Tree Wind facility with hardened road lines, points, polygons, and a surface disturbance buffer.

Effects of Energy Development Strategies

Energy is a cornerstone issue for humanity, nations, and individuals. How we create and use energy impacts the consequences it embodies. The critical issue facing humanity involves meeting our massive and growing energy needs, without undermining human and natural capital. Facing the challenge of long-term, sustainable energy for the nation and world requires understanding the consequences of...
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Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
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Effects of Energy Development Strategies

Energy is a cornerstone issue for humanity, nations, and individuals. How we create and use energy impacts the consequences it embodies. The critical issue facing humanity involves meeting our massive and growing energy needs, without undermining human and natural capital. Facing the challenge of long-term, sustainable energy for the nation and world requires understanding the consequences of...
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Image: Monarch Butterfly

Spatial Subsidies: Quantifying Linkages between Human and Natural Systems with Migratory Species

Animal migration occurs because it allows animals to exploit resources where and when they are most abundant by moving seasonally between habitats. Where humans have come to exploit, enjoy or otherwise benefit from migratory species, we too are capitalizing on the seasonal bounty of distant ecosystems. The benefits we derive from migratory species are economically and culturally important; they...
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Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
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Spatial Subsidies: Quantifying Linkages between Human and Natural Systems with Migratory Species

Animal migration occurs because it allows animals to exploit resources where and when they are most abundant by moving seasonally between habitats. Where humans have come to exploit, enjoy or otherwise benefit from migratory species, we too are capitalizing on the seasonal bounty of distant ecosystems. The benefits we derive from migratory species are economically and culturally important; they...
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Close up of Monarch

Monarch Conservation Science Partnership

The ChallengeOver the last two decades, the Eastern migratory population of monarch butterflies has declined by about 80%, leading many scientists to consider how to best conserve and rebuild monarch populations. Conservation efforts can be challenging to design and execute because of the multi-generational migration of monarchs that spans North America. Conservationists must consider many...
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Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Wildlife Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
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Monarch Conservation Science Partnership

The ChallengeOver the last two decades, the Eastern migratory population of monarch butterflies has declined by about 80%, leading many scientists to consider how to best conserve and rebuild monarch populations. Conservation efforts can be challenging to design and execute because of the multi-generational migration of monarchs that spans North America. Conservationists must consider many...
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USGS science for a changing world logo

Animal Migration and Spatial Subsidies: Establishing a Framework for Conservation Markets

Migratory species may provide more ecosystem goods and services to humans in certain parts of their range than others. These areas may or may not coincide with the locations of habitat on which the species is most dependent for its continued population viability. This situation can present significant policy challenges, as locations that most support a given species may be in effect subsidizing th
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John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis
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Animal Migration and Spatial Subsidies: Establishing a Framework for Conservation Markets

Migratory species may provide more ecosystem goods and services to humans in certain parts of their range than others. These areas may or may not coincide with the locations of habitat on which the species is most dependent for its continued population viability. This situation can present significant policy challenges, as locations that most support a given species may be in effect subsidizing th
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USGS science for a changing world logo

Developing the next generation of USGS resource assessments

Resource assessments constitute a key part of the USGS mission, and represent a crucial contribution toward Department of the Interior (DOI) and broader Federal objectives. Current USGS energy and mineral assessment methods evaluate total technically recoverable resources (energy) or economically exploitable materials (minerals); the fiscal year 2010 budget for this work is $82M. To help stakehol
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John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis
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Developing the next generation of USGS resource assessments

Resource assessments constitute a key part of the USGS mission, and represent a crucial contribution toward Department of the Interior (DOI) and broader Federal objectives. Current USGS energy and mineral assessment methods evaluate total technically recoverable resources (energy) or economically exploitable materials (minerals); the fiscal year 2010 budget for this work is $82M. To help stakehol
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Multi-species, multi-country analysis reveals North Americans are willing to pay for transborder migratory species conservation, data

Migratory species often provide ecosystem service benefits to people in one country while receiving habitat support in other countries. The multinational cooperation necessary to ensure continued provisioning of these benefits by migrational processes may be informed by understanding the benefits that people in different countries derive from migratory wildlife. We conducted stated preferences sur
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Multi-species, multi-country analysis reveals North Americans are willing to pay for transborder migratory species conservation, code

Migratory species often provide ecosystem service benefits to people in one country while receiving habitat support in other countries. The multinational cooperation necessary to ensure continued provisioning of these benefits by migrational processes may be informed by understanding the benefits that people in different countries derive from migratory wildlife. We conducted stated preferences sur
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

United States Wind Turbine Database

This data provides locations and technical specifications of legacy and current versions (ver. 1.0 - ver. 4.2) of the United States Wind Turbines database. Almost all of which are utility-scale. Utility-scale turbines are ones that generate power and feed it into the grid, supplying a utility with energy. They are usually much larger than turbines that would feed a homeowner or business. Each re
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

In Support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 3-Bat Species Status Assessment: Predicted Wind Take Allocated To Hibernacula Each Year Under Current and Future Scenarios

Through the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), United States Geological Survey (USGS) provided technical and science support to assist in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ (USFWS) Species Status Assessment (“SSA”) for the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), and tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). USGS facilitated t
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Fort Collins Science Center

Data release for Geographic context affects the landscape change and fragmentation caused by wind energy facilities

Wind energy generation causes transformation of landscapes as new roads, pads, and transmission lines are constructed. We mapped, quantified, and analyzed the effects of facilities' geographic context on road networks and changes in landscape patterns by digitizing the footprints of 39 wind facilities and the surrounding land cover using high-resolution imagery of before and after construction. Th
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Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Data release for the Historical land use and land cover for assessing the northern Colorado Front Range urban landscape

The dataset was generated to describe historical land-use and land-cover (LULC)for the northern Colorado urban Front Range (which includes the cities of Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley, and Denver) for an area covering approximately 1,023,660 hectares. The Front Range urban landscape is diverse and interspersed with highly productive agriculture as well as natural land cover types including evergre
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Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Masticophis occupancy in southern California, 1995-2000

These data are CSV files comprised of a heading and tables from Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 in the accompanying paper. The tables show the sampling dates and locations for the coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum) and striped racer (Masticophis lateralis) in pit-fall arrays (Fisher et al. 2008) monitored in southern California from 1995-2000. GPS data are shown in decimal degrees and were collected in t
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Data release for ecosystem service flows from a migratory species: spatial subsidies of the northern pintail

Migratory species provide important benefits to society, but their cross-border conservation poses serious challenges. By quantifying the economic value of ecosystem services (ES) provided across a species range and ecological data on a species habitat dependence, we estimate spatial subsidieshow different regions support ES provided by a species across its range. We illustrate this method for mig
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Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Historical land use and land cover for assessing the northern Colorado Front Range urban landscape

We describe historical land-use and land-cover (LULC) maps for the northern Colorado urban Front Range. The Front Range urban landscape is diverse and interspersed with highly productive agriculture as well as natural land cover types including evergreen forest in the Rocky Mountain foothills and Great Plains grassland. To understand the dynamics of urban growth, raster maps were created at a 1 me
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Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
Filter Total Items: 81

TrendPowerTool: A lookup tool for estimating the statistical power of a monitoring program to detect population trends

A simulation-based power analysis can be used to estimate the sample sizes needed for a successful monitoring program, but requires technical expertise and sometimes extensive computing resources. We developed a web-based lookup app, called TrendPowerTool (https://www.usgs.gov/apps/TrendPowerTool/), to provide guidance for ecological monitoring programs when resources are not available for a simul
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Ecosystems, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Quantifying the contribution of habitats and pathways to a spatially structured population facing environmental change

The consequences of environmental disturbance and management are difficult to quantify for spatially structured populations because changes in one location carry through to other areas as a result of species movement. We develop a metric, G, for measuring the contribution of a habitat or pathway to network-wide population growth rate in the face of environmental change. This metric is different fr
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Ecosystems, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Learning from real-world experience to understand renewable energy impacts to wildlife

The project team sought to use real-world data to understand adverse effects to wildlife of renewable energy production that is critical to meeting California’s climate and clean energy goals. The project had three main components. First, a systematic literature review studied 20 peer-reviewed publications and 612 reports from other nonreviewed sources from 231 wind and solar facilities in North A
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Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Assessing population-level consequences of anthropogenic stressors for terrestrial wildlife

Human activity influences wildlife. However, the ecological and conservation significances of these influences are difficult to predict and depend on their population‐level consequences. This difficulty arises partly because of information gaps, and partly because the data on stressors are usually collected in a count‐based manner (e.g., number of dead animals) that is difficult to translate into
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Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

A continuously updated, geospatially rectified database of utility-scale wind turbines in the United States

Nearly 60,000 utility-scale wind turbines are installed in the United States as of July, 2019, representing over 97 gigawatts of electric power capacity; US wind turbine installations continue to grow at a rapid pace. Yet, until April 2018, no publicly-available, regularly updated data source existed to describe those turbines and their locations. Under a cooperative research and development agree
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Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Challenges for leveraging citizen science to support statistically robust monitoring programs

Large samples and long time series are often needed for effective broad-scale monitoring of status and trends in wild populations. Obtaining those sample sizes can be more feasible when volunteers contribute to the dataset, but volunteer-selected sites are not always representative of a population. Previous work to account for biased site selection has relied on knowledge of covariates to explain
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Ecosystems, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Limitations, lack of standardization, and recommended best practices in studies of renewable energy effects on birds and bats

Increasing global energy demand is fostering the development of renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. However, renewable energy facilities may adversely affect wildlife. Facility siting guidelines recommend or require project developers complete pre‐ and postconstruction wildlife surveys to predict risk and estimate effects of proposed projects. Despite this, there are no published s
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Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Is the timing, pace and success of the monarch migration associated with sun angle?

A basic question concerning the monarch butterfly’s fall migration is which monarchs succeed in reaching overwintering sites in Mexico, which fail—and why. We document the timing and pace of the fall migration, ask whether the sun’s position in the sky is associated with the pace of the migration, and whether timing affects success in completing the migration. Using data from the Monarch Watch tag
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Ecosystems, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Challenges for monitoring the extent and land use/cover changes in monarch butterflies’ migratory habitat across the United States and Mexico

This paper presents a synopsis of the challenges and limitations presented by existing and emerging land use/ land cover (LULC) digital data sets when used to analyze the extent, habitat quality, and LULC changes of the monarch (Danaus plexippus) migratory habitat across the United States of America (US) and Mexico. First, the characteristics, state of the knowledge, and issues related to this hab
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Ecosystems, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Review of indicators for comparing environmental effects across energy sources

Robust, quantitative comparisons of environmental effects across energy sources can support development of energy planning strategies that meet growing demand while managing and minimizing undesirable effects on environmental resources. Multicriteria analyses of energy systems often use a suite of indicators to make such comparisons, but those indicators and their units of measure vary among studi
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Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Quantifying source and sink habitats and pathways in spatially structured populations: A generalized modelling approach

The ability to classify habitats and movement pathways as sources or sinks is an important part of the decision making process for the conservation of spatially structured populations. Diverse approaches have been used to quantify the importance of habitats and pathways in a spatial network, however these approaches have been limited by a lack of general applicability across life histories and mov
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Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey core science systems strategy: characterizing, synthesizing, and understanding the critical zone through a modular science framework

Executive SummaryCore Science Systems is a new mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that resulted from the 2007 Science Strategy, “Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges: U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017.” This report describes the Core Science Systems vision and outlines a strategy to facilitate integrated characterization and understanding of the complex Earth system. The vis
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Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Community for Data Integration (CDI), Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Coastal Changes and Impacts

Pre-USGS Publications

Lips, K.A., Diffendorfer, J.E., Mendelson J.R., and Sears, M.W., 2008, Riding the wave: reconciling the role of disease and climate change in amphibian declines: Public Library of Science Biology, v.6, issue 3: e72. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060072.
Sears, M.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Lips, K.A., and Mendelson, J.R., 2008, Amphibian declines and issues of inference: response to Parmesan and Singer. Public Library of Science Biology.
Kelly, A.C., Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Diffendorfer, J.E., Jewell, E., Ruiz, M.O., Killefer, J., Shelton, P., Beissel, T., and Novakofski, J., 2008, Prion sequence polymorphisms and chronic wasting disease resistance in Illinois white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus): Prion, v. 2, p. 1-9.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Fleming, G.M., Duggan, J.M., Chapman, R.E., Rahn, M.E., Mitrovitch, M.J., and Fisher, R.N., 2007, Developing terrestrial, multi-taxon indices of biological integrity: An example from coastal sage scrub: Biological Conservation, v. 140, p. 130-141.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Spencer, W.S., Tremor, S., and Beyers, J., 2007, Effects of fire severity and distance from unburned edge on mammalian community post-fire recovery: Final Report for project 04-2-1-94 to the Joint Fire Sciences Program: 37 p.
Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Novakofski, J.E., Kelly, A., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pinkerton, M., Whittington, J.K., and Ruiz, M., 2007, W-146-R-02 Annual federal aid performance report, wildlife and chronic wasting disease surveillance: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 19p.
Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Novakofski, J.E., Kelly, A., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pinkerton, M., Whittington, J.K., and Ruiz, M., 2006, W-146-R-01 Annual Federal Aid Performance Report, wildlife and chronic wasting disease surveillance: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 34p.
Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Novakofski, J.E., Diffendorfer, J.E., Killefer, J., 2006, Genetic relatedness and gene flow of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the chronic wasting disease prevalent region of Illinois: Illinois Department of Natural Resources and International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA).
Rahn, M.E., Doremus, H., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 2006, Species coverage in multispecies habitat conservation plans: Where's the science? BioScience, v. 56, p. 613-619.
Mendelson, J.R., Lips, K.R., Gagliardo, R.W., Rabb, G. B., Collins, J.P., Diffendorfer, J.E., Daszak, P., D Ibáñez, R., Zippel, K.C., Lawson, D.P., Wright, K.M., Stuart, S.N., Gascon, C., da Silva, H.R., Burrowes, P.A., Joglar, R.L., La Marca, E., Lötters, S., du Preez, L.H., Weldon, C., Hyatt, A., Rodriguez-Mahecha, J.V., Hunt, S., Robertson, H. Lock, B., Raxworthy, C.J., Frost, D.R., Lacy, R.C., Alford, R.A., Campbell, J.A., Parra-Olea, G. Bolaños, F, Domingo, J.J.C., Halliday, T., Murphy, J.B., Wake, M.H., Coloma, L.A., Kuzmin, S.L., Price, M.S., Howell, K.M., Lau, M., Pethiyagoda, R., Boone, M., Lannoo, M. J., Blaustein, A. R., Dobson, A., Griffiths, R.A., Wake, D.B., Brodie Jr E.D., 2006, Confronting amphibian declines and extinctions: Science, v. 313, 48 p.
Mendelson, J.R., Lips, K.R., Diffendorfer, J.E., Gagliardo, R.W., Rabb, G.B., Collins, J.P., , Daszak, P., Ibáñez, R., Zippel, K.C., Stuart, S.N., Gascon, C., da Silva, Burrowes, P.A., Lacy, R.C., Bolaños, F, Coloma, L.A., Wright, K.M., Wake, D. B. 2006. Response to: Pounds et al.: responding to amphibian loss: Science, v. 314, p. 1541-1542.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Rochester, C., Fisher, R.N., and Brown, T.K., 2005, Movement and space use by coastal rosy boas (Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca) in Coastal Southern California: Journal of Herpetology, v. 39, p. 24-36.
Morris, D.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Lundberg, P., 2004, Dispersal among habitats varying in fitness: reciprocating migration through ideal habitat selection: Oikos, v. 107, p. 559-575.
Morris D.W., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 2004, Reciprocating dispersal by habitat-selecting white-footed mice: Oikos v. 107, p. 549-558.
Diffendorfer, J.E., and Doherty P.F., 2004, Lifting Cassandra's curse: Conservation Biology v. 18, p. 600.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Fleming G.M., Duggan, J., Chapman R., Hogan, D., 2004, Final report for creating and index of biological integrity for coastal sage scrub: A tool for habitat quality assessment and monitoring: Prepared for California Department of Fish and Game. 248 p.
Gaines, M.S., Sasso, C.R., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Beck, H., 2003, Effects of tree island size and water on the population dynamics of small mammals in the Everglades: in van der Valk, A., and Sklar, F., ed., Tree Islands of the Everglades: Kluwer Academic.
Betzler, J., Diffendorfer, J.E., Fleury, S., Hawke, M., Klein, M., Morrison, S., Nichols, G., Oberbauer, T., Rochester, C., Webb, M., and Williams, K., 2003, A summary of affected flora and fauna in the San Diego County fires of 2003: Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Program Reports, 36 p. + Appendices.
Diffendorfer, J.E. and Deutschman D.D., 2003, Monitoring the Stephen’s kangaroo rat: An analysis of monitoring methods and recommendations for future monitoring. Prepared for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 51 p.
Diffendorfer, J.E. Chapman, R.E., Duggan, J.M., Fleming G.M., Mitrovitch M., Rahn M.E., and Rosario, R. del., 2002, Coastal Sage Scrub response to disturbance: A literature review and annotated bibliography. Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, 87 p.
Diffendorfer, J.E. and Rosario, R. del., 2002, Assessing habitat quality and disturbance in Coastal Sage Scrub using an index of biological integrity: Prepared for California Department of Fish and Game, 29 p.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Chapman, R.E., Duggan, J.M., Fleming, G.M., 2002, An analysis of monitoring data in light of small mammal, plant, and bird responses to disturbance in CSS and the development of an Index of Biological Integrity: Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, 33 p.
Diffendorfer, J.E., and Slade, N.S., 2002, Long-distance movements in Cotton Rats (Sigmodon hispidus) and Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogaster) in Northeastern Kansas: American Midland Naturalist, v. 148, p. 309-319.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Richards, P.M., Dalrymple, G.H., and DeAngelis, D.L., 2001, Applying linear programming to estimate fluxes in ecosystems or food webs: an example from the herpetological assemblages of freshwater Everglades: Ecological Modeling, v. 144, p. 99-120.
Noss R., Allen E., Ballmer, G., Diffendorfer, J.E., Soulé M., Tracy R., and Webb R., 2001, Independent science advisors review: Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan/natural communities conservation plan (MSHCP/NCCP): Prepared for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game, 53 p.
Rochester, C.J., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Fisher, R.N., 2001, Natural history of the Rosy Boa (Charina trivirgata): Prepared for U.S. Geological Survey-Species at Risk Technical Report. 71p.
Schweiger, E.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Holt, R.D., Pierotti, R., and Gaines, M.S., 2000, The interaction of habitat fragmentation plant, and small mammal succession in an old field: Ecological Monographs, v. 70, p. 383-400.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Gaines, M.S., and Holt, R.D., 1999, Patterns and impacts of movements at different scales on small mammals: in Barrett, G.W., and Peles, J., eds., The landscape ecology of small mammals: New York, Springer-Verlag, p. 63-88.
Schweiger, E.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pierotti, R., and Holt, R.D., 1999, The relative importance of small-scale and landscape-level heterogeneity in structuring small mammal distribution: in Barrett, G.W., and Peles, J.D., ed., landscape ecology of small mammals: Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., p. 175-207.
Diffendorfer, J.E., 1998, Testing models of source-sink dynamics and balanced dispersal: Oikos, v. 81, p. 417-433.
Gaines, M.S., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Lind, L., 1998, The effects of high water on small mammal populations inhabiting hammock islands in Everglades National Park: in Ecological assessment of the 1994-1995 high water conditions in the southern Everglades, National Park Service.
Bassett, A., DeAngelis, D.L., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 1997, The effect of functional response on stability of a grazer population on a landscape: Ecological Modelling, v. 101, p. 153-162.
Gaines, M.S., Diffendorfer, J.E., Tamarin, R.H., and Whittam, T.S., 1997, The effects of habitat fragmentation on the genetic structure of small mammal populations: Journal of Heredity, v. 88, p. 294-304.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Holt, R.D., Slade, N.A., and Gaines, M.S., 1996, Small mammal community patterns in old fields; distinguishing site-specific from regional processes: in Cody, M.L., and Smallwood, J.A., eds., Long-term studies of vertebrate communities: San Diego, CA, Academic Press.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Gaines, M.S. and Holt, R.D., 1995, Habitat fragmentation and the movements of three small mammals (Sigmodon hispidus, Microtus ochrogaster, and Peromyscus maniculatus): Ecology, v. 76, p. 837-839.
Diffendorfer, J.E., Slade, N.A., Gaines, M.S., and Holt, R.D., 1995, Population dynamics of small mammals in fragmented and continuous old-field habitat: in Lidicker, W.Z., ed., Landscape approaches in mammalian ecology and conservation: Minneapolis, USA, University of Minnesota Press, p. 175-199.
Diffendorfer, J.E., 1995, The spatial ecology of small mammals in old fields: a study of movement, demography and community structure in a fragmented landscape: University of Kansas, Ph.D. dissertation, 202 p.
Gaines, M.S., Diffendorfer, J.E., Foster, J., Wray, F.P., and Holt, R.D., 1994, The effects of habitat fragmentation on populations of three species of small mammals in Eastern Kansas: Polish Ecological Studies, v. 20, p. 163-175.
Holt, R.D., Debinski, D.M., Diffendorfer, J.E., Gaines, M.S., and Martinko, E.A., 1994, Perspectives from an experimental study of habitat fragmentation in an agroecosystem: in Glen, D.M., Greaves, M.P., and Anderson, H.M., eds., Ecology and Integrated Farming Systems: New York, Wiley and Sons.
Gaines, M.S., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 1992. Physiological plasticity of electromorphs of blood proteins in free-ranging Microtus ochrogaster: a second look: Ecology, v. 73, p. 1915-1917.
Gaines, M.S., Foster, J., Diffendorfer, J.E., Sera, W.E., Holt, R.D., and Robinson, G.R., 1992, Population processes and biological diversity: Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference, v. 57, p. 252-262.
Gaines, M.S., Robinson, G.R., Diffendorfer, J.E., Holt, R.D., and Johnson, M.L., 1992, The effects of habitat fragmentation on small mammal populations: in McCullough, D.R., and Barret, R.H., eds., Wildlife 2001: Populations: London, Elsevier Applied Science, p. 875-885.
Kelly, A., Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Beissel, T., Diffendorfer, J.E., Killefer, J., Novakofski, J., Shelton, P., 2007, Development of a panel of microsatellite markers for the assessment of genetic structure in white-tailed deer in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin: Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 66:433.
Schweiger, E.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pierotti, R., Holt, R.D., 1999, The relative importance of small-scale and level heterogeneity in structuring small mammal distribution, in Barrett, G.W., and Peles, J.D., ed., Landscape ecology of small mammals: Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 175-207.
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New Study Helps Wind Industry, Wildlife Managers Identify Risks to Certain Raptors from Collisions with Wind Turbines

A recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oklahoma State University study shows not all raptor species are equally impacted by collisions with wind...

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Learning From Real-World Experience to Understand Renewable Energy Impacts to Wildlife

A comprehensive analysis of how renewable energy facilities affect wildlife could inform efforts to predict and reduce these impacts. A team of...

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Demographic Consequences of Human Stressors on Wildlife Populations

Predicting the ecological and conservation significances of human influences on wildlife populations is difficult. However, methodological...

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Examination of Surveys to Measure Renewable Energy Effects on Birds and Bats

Although renewable energy facilities are often required to complete wildlife surveys before and after constructing facilities, there is a lack of...

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U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Department of Energy Release Online Public Dataset and Viewer of U.S. Wind Turbine Locations and Characteristics

Today, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and...

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Preliminary Wind Energy Impacts Assessment Methodology Released

USGS has released a preliminary methodology to assess the population level impacts of onshore wind energy development on birds and bats. This wind...

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Science and Products

  • Science
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    USGS science for a changing world logo

    Using Jupyter Notebooks to tell data stories and create reproducible workflows

    Increasingly, USGS scientists seek to share and collaborate while working on data and code. Furthermore, these scientists often require advanced computing resources. Jupyter Notebooks are one such tool for creating these workflows. The files are interactive, code “notebooks” which allow users to combine code and text in one document, enabling scientists to share the stories held within their data...
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    Community for Data Integration (CDI)
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    Using Jupyter Notebooks to tell data stories and create reproducible workflows

    Increasingly, USGS scientists seek to share and collaborate while working on data and code. Furthermore, these scientists often require advanced computing resources. Jupyter Notebooks are one such tool for creating these workflows. The files are interactive, code “notebooks” which allow users to combine code and text in one document, enabling scientists to share the stories held within their data...
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    wind turbines

    Wind Energy

    The United States Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) provides the locations of land-based and offshore wind turbines in the United States, corresponding wind project information, and turbine technical specifications. The creation of this database was jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) via the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)...
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    Energy Resources Program
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    Wind Energy

    The United States Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) provides the locations of land-based and offshore wind turbines in the United States, corresponding wind project information, and turbine technical specifications. The creation of this database was jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) via the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)...
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    Pine Tree Wind facility with hardened road lines, points, polygons, and a surface disturbance buffer.

    Effects of Energy Development Strategies

    Energy is a cornerstone issue for humanity, nations, and individuals. How we create and use energy impacts the consequences it embodies. The critical issue facing humanity involves meeting our massive and growing energy needs, without undermining human and natural capital. Facing the challenge of long-term, sustainable energy for the nation and world requires understanding the consequences of...
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    Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
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    Effects of Energy Development Strategies

    Energy is a cornerstone issue for humanity, nations, and individuals. How we create and use energy impacts the consequences it embodies. The critical issue facing humanity involves meeting our massive and growing energy needs, without undermining human and natural capital. Facing the challenge of long-term, sustainable energy for the nation and world requires understanding the consequences of...
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    Image: Monarch Butterfly

    Spatial Subsidies: Quantifying Linkages between Human and Natural Systems with Migratory Species

    Animal migration occurs because it allows animals to exploit resources where and when they are most abundant by moving seasonally between habitats. Where humans have come to exploit, enjoy or otherwise benefit from migratory species, we too are capitalizing on the seasonal bounty of distant ecosystems. The benefits we derive from migratory species are economically and culturally important; they...
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    Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
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    Spatial Subsidies: Quantifying Linkages between Human and Natural Systems with Migratory Species

    Animal migration occurs because it allows animals to exploit resources where and when they are most abundant by moving seasonally between habitats. Where humans have come to exploit, enjoy or otherwise benefit from migratory species, we too are capitalizing on the seasonal bounty of distant ecosystems. The benefits we derive from migratory species are economically and culturally important; they...
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    Close up of Monarch

    Monarch Conservation Science Partnership

    The ChallengeOver the last two decades, the Eastern migratory population of monarch butterflies has declined by about 80%, leading many scientists to consider how to best conserve and rebuild monarch populations. Conservation efforts can be challenging to design and execute because of the multi-generational migration of monarchs that spans North America. Conservationists must consider many...
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    Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Wildlife Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
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    Monarch Conservation Science Partnership

    The ChallengeOver the last two decades, the Eastern migratory population of monarch butterflies has declined by about 80%, leading many scientists to consider how to best conserve and rebuild monarch populations. Conservation efforts can be challenging to design and execute because of the multi-generational migration of monarchs that spans North America. Conservationists must consider many...
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    USGS science for a changing world logo

    Animal Migration and Spatial Subsidies: Establishing a Framework for Conservation Markets

    Migratory species may provide more ecosystem goods and services to humans in certain parts of their range than others. These areas may or may not coincide with the locations of habitat on which the species is most dependent for its continued population viability. This situation can present significant policy challenges, as locations that most support a given species may be in effect subsidizing th
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    John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis
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    Animal Migration and Spatial Subsidies: Establishing a Framework for Conservation Markets

    Migratory species may provide more ecosystem goods and services to humans in certain parts of their range than others. These areas may or may not coincide with the locations of habitat on which the species is most dependent for its continued population viability. This situation can present significant policy challenges, as locations that most support a given species may be in effect subsidizing th
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    USGS science for a changing world logo

    Developing the next generation of USGS resource assessments

    Resource assessments constitute a key part of the USGS mission, and represent a crucial contribution toward Department of the Interior (DOI) and broader Federal objectives. Current USGS energy and mineral assessment methods evaluate total technically recoverable resources (energy) or economically exploitable materials (minerals); the fiscal year 2010 budget for this work is $82M. To help stakehol
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    John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis
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    Developing the next generation of USGS resource assessments

    Resource assessments constitute a key part of the USGS mission, and represent a crucial contribution toward Department of the Interior (DOI) and broader Federal objectives. Current USGS energy and mineral assessment methods evaluate total technically recoverable resources (energy) or economically exploitable materials (minerals); the fiscal year 2010 budget for this work is $82M. To help stakehol
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  • Data

    Multi-species, multi-country analysis reveals North Americans are willing to pay for transborder migratory species conservation, data

    Migratory species often provide ecosystem service benefits to people in one country while receiving habitat support in other countries. The multinational cooperation necessary to ensure continued provisioning of these benefits by migrational processes may be informed by understanding the benefits that people in different countries derive from migratory wildlife. We conducted stated preferences sur
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    Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

    Multi-species, multi-country analysis reveals North Americans are willing to pay for transborder migratory species conservation, code

    Migratory species often provide ecosystem service benefits to people in one country while receiving habitat support in other countries. The multinational cooperation necessary to ensure continued provisioning of these benefits by migrational processes may be informed by understanding the benefits that people in different countries derive from migratory wildlife. We conducted stated preferences sur
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    Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

    United States Wind Turbine Database

    This data provides locations and technical specifications of legacy and current versions (ver. 1.0 - ver. 4.2) of the United States Wind Turbines database. Almost all of which are utility-scale. Utility-scale turbines are ones that generate power and feed it into the grid, supplying a utility with energy. They are usually much larger than turbines that would feed a homeowner or business. Each re
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    Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

    In Support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 3-Bat Species Status Assessment: Predicted Wind Take Allocated To Hibernacula Each Year Under Current and Future Scenarios

    Through the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), United States Geological Survey (USGS) provided technical and science support to assist in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ (USFWS) Species Status Assessment (“SSA”) for the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), and tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). USGS facilitated t
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    Fort Collins Science Center

    Data release for Geographic context affects the landscape change and fragmentation caused by wind energy facilities

    Wind energy generation causes transformation of landscapes as new roads, pads, and transmission lines are constructed. We mapped, quantified, and analyzed the effects of facilities' geographic context on road networks and changes in landscape patterns by digitizing the footprints of 39 wind facilities and the surrounding land cover using high-resolution imagery of before and after construction. Th
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    Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    Data release for the Historical land use and land cover for assessing the northern Colorado Front Range urban landscape

    The dataset was generated to describe historical land-use and land-cover (LULC)for the northern Colorado urban Front Range (which includes the cities of Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley, and Denver) for an area covering approximately 1,023,660 hectares. The Front Range urban landscape is diverse and interspersed with highly productive agriculture as well as natural land cover types including evergre
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    Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    Masticophis occupancy in southern California, 1995-2000

    These data are CSV files comprised of a heading and tables from Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 in the accompanying paper. The tables show the sampling dates and locations for the coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum) and striped racer (Masticophis lateralis) in pit-fall arrays (Fisher et al. 2008) monitored in southern California from 1995-2000. GPS data are shown in decimal degrees and were collected in t
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    Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

    Data release for ecosystem service flows from a migratory species: spatial subsidies of the northern pintail

    Migratory species provide important benefits to society, but their cross-border conservation poses serious challenges. By quantifying the economic value of ecosystem services (ES) provided across a species range and ecological data on a species habitat dependence, we estimate spatial subsidieshow different regions support ES provided by a species across its range. We illustrate this method for mig
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    Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
  • Maps

    Historical land use and land cover for assessing the northern Colorado Front Range urban landscape

    We describe historical land-use and land-cover (LULC) maps for the northern Colorado urban Front Range. The Front Range urban landscape is diverse and interspersed with highly productive agriculture as well as natural land cover types including evergreen forest in the Rocky Mountain foothills and Great Plains grassland. To understand the dynamics of urban growth, raster maps were created at a 1 me
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    Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
  • Publications
    Filter Total Items: 81

    TrendPowerTool: A lookup tool for estimating the statistical power of a monitoring program to detect population trends

    A simulation-based power analysis can be used to estimate the sample sizes needed for a successful monitoring program, but requires technical expertise and sometimes extensive computing resources. We developed a web-based lookup app, called TrendPowerTool (https://www.usgs.gov/apps/TrendPowerTool/), to provide guidance for ecological monitoring programs when resources are not available for a simul
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    Ecosystems, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

    Quantifying the contribution of habitats and pathways to a spatially structured population facing environmental change

    The consequences of environmental disturbance and management are difficult to quantify for spatially structured populations because changes in one location carry through to other areas as a result of species movement. We develop a metric, G, for measuring the contribution of a habitat or pathway to network-wide population growth rate in the face of environmental change. This metric is different fr
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    Ecosystems, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

    Learning from real-world experience to understand renewable energy impacts to wildlife

    The project team sought to use real-world data to understand adverse effects to wildlife of renewable energy production that is critical to meeting California’s climate and clean energy goals. The project had three main components. First, a systematic literature review studied 20 peer-reviewed publications and 612 reports from other nonreviewed sources from 231 wind and solar facilities in North A
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    Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    Assessing population-level consequences of anthropogenic stressors for terrestrial wildlife

    Human activity influences wildlife. However, the ecological and conservation significances of these influences are difficult to predict and depend on their population‐level consequences. This difficulty arises partly because of information gaps, and partly because the data on stressors are usually collected in a count‐based manner (e.g., number of dead animals) that is difficult to translate into
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    Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    A continuously updated, geospatially rectified database of utility-scale wind turbines in the United States

    Nearly 60,000 utility-scale wind turbines are installed in the United States as of July, 2019, representing over 97 gigawatts of electric power capacity; US wind turbine installations continue to grow at a rapid pace. Yet, until April 2018, no publicly-available, regularly updated data source existed to describe those turbines and their locations. Under a cooperative research and development agree
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    Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    Challenges for leveraging citizen science to support statistically robust monitoring programs

    Large samples and long time series are often needed for effective broad-scale monitoring of status and trends in wild populations. Obtaining those sample sizes can be more feasible when volunteers contribute to the dataset, but volunteer-selected sites are not always representative of a population. Previous work to account for biased site selection has relied on knowledge of covariates to explain
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    Ecosystems, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

    Limitations, lack of standardization, and recommended best practices in studies of renewable energy effects on birds and bats

    Increasing global energy demand is fostering the development of renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. However, renewable energy facilities may adversely affect wildlife. Facility siting guidelines recommend or require project developers complete pre‐ and postconstruction wildlife surveys to predict risk and estimate effects of proposed projects. Despite this, there are no published s
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    Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Is the timing, pace and success of the monarch migration associated with sun angle?

    A basic question concerning the monarch butterfly’s fall migration is which monarchs succeed in reaching overwintering sites in Mexico, which fail—and why. We document the timing and pace of the fall migration, ask whether the sun’s position in the sky is associated with the pace of the migration, and whether timing affects success in completing the migration. Using data from the Monarch Watch tag
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    Ecosystems, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

    Challenges for monitoring the extent and land use/cover changes in monarch butterflies’ migratory habitat across the United States and Mexico

    This paper presents a synopsis of the challenges and limitations presented by existing and emerging land use/ land cover (LULC) digital data sets when used to analyze the extent, habitat quality, and LULC changes of the monarch (Danaus plexippus) migratory habitat across the United States of America (US) and Mexico. First, the characteristics, state of the knowledge, and issues related to this hab
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    Ecosystems, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

    Review of indicators for comparing environmental effects across energy sources

    Robust, quantitative comparisons of environmental effects across energy sources can support development of energy planning strategies that meet growing demand while managing and minimizing undesirable effects on environmental resources. Multicriteria analyses of energy systems often use a suite of indicators to make such comparisons, but those indicators and their units of measure vary among studi
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    Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    Quantifying source and sink habitats and pathways in spatially structured populations: A generalized modelling approach

    The ability to classify habitats and movement pathways as sources or sinks is an important part of the decision making process for the conservation of spatially structured populations. Diverse approaches have been used to quantify the importance of habitats and pathways in a spatial network, however these approaches have been limited by a lack of general applicability across life histories and mov
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    Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    U.S. Geological Survey core science systems strategy: characterizing, synthesizing, and understanding the critical zone through a modular science framework

    Executive SummaryCore Science Systems is a new mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that resulted from the 2007 Science Strategy, “Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges: U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017.” This report describes the Core Science Systems vision and outlines a strategy to facilitate integrated characterization and understanding of the complex Earth system. The vis
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    Core Science Systems, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Community for Data Integration (CDI), Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Coastal Changes and Impacts

    Pre-USGS Publications

    Lips, K.A., Diffendorfer, J.E., Mendelson J.R., and Sears, M.W., 2008, Riding the wave: reconciling the role of disease and climate change in amphibian declines: Public Library of Science Biology, v.6, issue 3: e72. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060072.
    Sears, M.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Lips, K.A., and Mendelson, J.R., 2008, Amphibian declines and issues of inference: response to Parmesan and Singer. Public Library of Science Biology.
    Kelly, A.C., Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Diffendorfer, J.E., Jewell, E., Ruiz, M.O., Killefer, J., Shelton, P., Beissel, T., and Novakofski, J., 2008, Prion sequence polymorphisms and chronic wasting disease resistance in Illinois white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus): Prion, v. 2, p. 1-9.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Fleming, G.M., Duggan, J.M., Chapman, R.E., Rahn, M.E., Mitrovitch, M.J., and Fisher, R.N., 2007, Developing terrestrial, multi-taxon indices of biological integrity: An example from coastal sage scrub: Biological Conservation, v. 140, p. 130-141.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Spencer, W.S., Tremor, S., and Beyers, J., 2007, Effects of fire severity and distance from unburned edge on mammalian community post-fire recovery: Final Report for project 04-2-1-94 to the Joint Fire Sciences Program: 37 p.
    Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Novakofski, J.E., Kelly, A., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pinkerton, M., Whittington, J.K., and Ruiz, M., 2007, W-146-R-02 Annual federal aid performance report, wildlife and chronic wasting disease surveillance: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 19p.
    Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Novakofski, J.E., Kelly, A., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pinkerton, M., Whittington, J.K., and Ruiz, M., 2006, W-146-R-01 Annual Federal Aid Performance Report, wildlife and chronic wasting disease surveillance: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 34p.
    Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Novakofski, J.E., Diffendorfer, J.E., Killefer, J., 2006, Genetic relatedness and gene flow of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the chronic wasting disease prevalent region of Illinois: Illinois Department of Natural Resources and International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA).
    Rahn, M.E., Doremus, H., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 2006, Species coverage in multispecies habitat conservation plans: Where's the science? BioScience, v. 56, p. 613-619.
    Mendelson, J.R., Lips, K.R., Gagliardo, R.W., Rabb, G. B., Collins, J.P., Diffendorfer, J.E., Daszak, P., D Ibáñez, R., Zippel, K.C., Lawson, D.P., Wright, K.M., Stuart, S.N., Gascon, C., da Silva, H.R., Burrowes, P.A., Joglar, R.L., La Marca, E., Lötters, S., du Preez, L.H., Weldon, C., Hyatt, A., Rodriguez-Mahecha, J.V., Hunt, S., Robertson, H. Lock, B., Raxworthy, C.J., Frost, D.R., Lacy, R.C., Alford, R.A., Campbell, J.A., Parra-Olea, G. Bolaños, F, Domingo, J.J.C., Halliday, T., Murphy, J.B., Wake, M.H., Coloma, L.A., Kuzmin, S.L., Price, M.S., Howell, K.M., Lau, M., Pethiyagoda, R., Boone, M., Lannoo, M. J., Blaustein, A. R., Dobson, A., Griffiths, R.A., Wake, D.B., Brodie Jr E.D., 2006, Confronting amphibian declines and extinctions: Science, v. 313, 48 p.
    Mendelson, J.R., Lips, K.R., Diffendorfer, J.E., Gagliardo, R.W., Rabb, G.B., Collins, J.P., , Daszak, P., Ibáñez, R., Zippel, K.C., Stuart, S.N., Gascon, C., da Silva, Burrowes, P.A., Lacy, R.C., Bolaños, F, Coloma, L.A., Wright, K.M., Wake, D. B. 2006. Response to: Pounds et al.: responding to amphibian loss: Science, v. 314, p. 1541-1542.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Rochester, C., Fisher, R.N., and Brown, T.K., 2005, Movement and space use by coastal rosy boas (Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca) in Coastal Southern California: Journal of Herpetology, v. 39, p. 24-36.
    Morris, D.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Lundberg, P., 2004, Dispersal among habitats varying in fitness: reciprocating migration through ideal habitat selection: Oikos, v. 107, p. 559-575.
    Morris D.W., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 2004, Reciprocating dispersal by habitat-selecting white-footed mice: Oikos v. 107, p. 549-558.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., and Doherty P.F., 2004, Lifting Cassandra's curse: Conservation Biology v. 18, p. 600.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Fleming G.M., Duggan, J., Chapman R., Hogan, D., 2004, Final report for creating and index of biological integrity for coastal sage scrub: A tool for habitat quality assessment and monitoring: Prepared for California Department of Fish and Game. 248 p.
    Gaines, M.S., Sasso, C.R., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Beck, H., 2003, Effects of tree island size and water on the population dynamics of small mammals in the Everglades: in van der Valk, A., and Sklar, F., ed., Tree Islands of the Everglades: Kluwer Academic.
    Betzler, J., Diffendorfer, J.E., Fleury, S., Hawke, M., Klein, M., Morrison, S., Nichols, G., Oberbauer, T., Rochester, C., Webb, M., and Williams, K., 2003, A summary of affected flora and fauna in the San Diego County fires of 2003: Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Program Reports, 36 p. + Appendices.
    Diffendorfer, J.E. and Deutschman D.D., 2003, Monitoring the Stephen’s kangaroo rat: An analysis of monitoring methods and recommendations for future monitoring. Prepared for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 51 p.
    Diffendorfer, J.E. Chapman, R.E., Duggan, J.M., Fleming G.M., Mitrovitch M., Rahn M.E., and Rosario, R. del., 2002, Coastal Sage Scrub response to disturbance: A literature review and annotated bibliography. Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, 87 p.
    Diffendorfer, J.E. and Rosario, R. del., 2002, Assessing habitat quality and disturbance in Coastal Sage Scrub using an index of biological integrity: Prepared for California Department of Fish and Game, 29 p.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Chapman, R.E., Duggan, J.M., Fleming, G.M., 2002, An analysis of monitoring data in light of small mammal, plant, and bird responses to disturbance in CSS and the development of an Index of Biological Integrity: Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, 33 p.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., and Slade, N.S., 2002, Long-distance movements in Cotton Rats (Sigmodon hispidus) and Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogaster) in Northeastern Kansas: American Midland Naturalist, v. 148, p. 309-319.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Richards, P.M., Dalrymple, G.H., and DeAngelis, D.L., 2001, Applying linear programming to estimate fluxes in ecosystems or food webs: an example from the herpetological assemblages of freshwater Everglades: Ecological Modeling, v. 144, p. 99-120.
    Noss R., Allen E., Ballmer, G., Diffendorfer, J.E., Soulé M., Tracy R., and Webb R., 2001, Independent science advisors review: Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan/natural communities conservation plan (MSHCP/NCCP): Prepared for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game, 53 p.
    Rochester, C.J., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Fisher, R.N., 2001, Natural history of the Rosy Boa (Charina trivirgata): Prepared for U.S. Geological Survey-Species at Risk Technical Report. 71p.
    Schweiger, E.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Holt, R.D., Pierotti, R., and Gaines, M.S., 2000, The interaction of habitat fragmentation plant, and small mammal succession in an old field: Ecological Monographs, v. 70, p. 383-400.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Gaines, M.S., and Holt, R.D., 1999, Patterns and impacts of movements at different scales on small mammals: in Barrett, G.W., and Peles, J., eds., The landscape ecology of small mammals: New York, Springer-Verlag, p. 63-88.
    Schweiger, E.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pierotti, R., and Holt, R.D., 1999, The relative importance of small-scale and landscape-level heterogeneity in structuring small mammal distribution: in Barrett, G.W., and Peles, J.D., ed., landscape ecology of small mammals: Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., p. 175-207.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., 1998, Testing models of source-sink dynamics and balanced dispersal: Oikos, v. 81, p. 417-433.
    Gaines, M.S., Diffendorfer, J.E., and Lind, L., 1998, The effects of high water on small mammal populations inhabiting hammock islands in Everglades National Park: in Ecological assessment of the 1994-1995 high water conditions in the southern Everglades, National Park Service.
    Bassett, A., DeAngelis, D.L., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 1997, The effect of functional response on stability of a grazer population on a landscape: Ecological Modelling, v. 101, p. 153-162.
    Gaines, M.S., Diffendorfer, J.E., Tamarin, R.H., and Whittam, T.S., 1997, The effects of habitat fragmentation on the genetic structure of small mammal populations: Journal of Heredity, v. 88, p. 294-304.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Holt, R.D., Slade, N.A., and Gaines, M.S., 1996, Small mammal community patterns in old fields; distinguishing site-specific from regional processes: in Cody, M.L., and Smallwood, J.A., eds., Long-term studies of vertebrate communities: San Diego, CA, Academic Press.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Gaines, M.S. and Holt, R.D., 1995, Habitat fragmentation and the movements of three small mammals (Sigmodon hispidus, Microtus ochrogaster, and Peromyscus maniculatus): Ecology, v. 76, p. 837-839.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., Slade, N.A., Gaines, M.S., and Holt, R.D., 1995, Population dynamics of small mammals in fragmented and continuous old-field habitat: in Lidicker, W.Z., ed., Landscape approaches in mammalian ecology and conservation: Minneapolis, USA, University of Minnesota Press, p. 175-199.
    Diffendorfer, J.E., 1995, The spatial ecology of small mammals in old fields: a study of movement, demography and community structure in a fragmented landscape: University of Kansas, Ph.D. dissertation, 202 p.
    Gaines, M.S., Diffendorfer, J.E., Foster, J., Wray, F.P., and Holt, R.D., 1994, The effects of habitat fragmentation on populations of three species of small mammals in Eastern Kansas: Polish Ecological Studies, v. 20, p. 163-175.
    Holt, R.D., Debinski, D.M., Diffendorfer, J.E., Gaines, M.S., and Martinko, E.A., 1994, Perspectives from an experimental study of habitat fragmentation in an agroecosystem: in Glen, D.M., Greaves, M.P., and Anderson, H.M., eds., Ecology and Integrated Farming Systems: New York, Wiley and Sons.
    Gaines, M.S., and Diffendorfer, J.E., 1992. Physiological plasticity of electromorphs of blood proteins in free-ranging Microtus ochrogaster: a second look: Ecology, v. 73, p. 1915-1917.
    Gaines, M.S., Foster, J., Diffendorfer, J.E., Sera, W.E., Holt, R.D., and Robinson, G.R., 1992, Population processes and biological diversity: Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference, v. 57, p. 252-262.
    Gaines, M.S., Robinson, G.R., Diffendorfer, J.E., Holt, R.D., and Johnson, M.L., 1992, The effects of habitat fragmentation on small mammal populations: in McCullough, D.R., and Barret, R.H., eds., Wildlife 2001: Populations: London, Elsevier Applied Science, p. 875-885.
    Kelly, A., Mateus-Pinilla, N.E., Beissel, T., Diffendorfer, J.E., Killefer, J., Novakofski, J., Shelton, P., 2007, Development of a panel of microsatellite markers for the assessment of genetic structure in white-tailed deer in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin: Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 66:433.
    Schweiger, E.W., Diffendorfer, J.E., Pierotti, R., Holt, R.D., 1999, The relative importance of small-scale and level heterogeneity in structuring small mammal distribution, in Barrett, G.W., and Peles, J.D., ed., Landscape ecology of small mammals: Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 175-207.
  • News
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    New Study Helps Wind Industry, Wildlife Managers Identify Risks to Certain Raptors from Collisions with Wind Turbines

    A recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oklahoma State University study shows not all raptor species are equally impacted by collisions with wind...

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    Learning From Real-World Experience to Understand Renewable Energy Impacts to Wildlife

    A comprehensive analysis of how renewable energy facilities affect wildlife could inform efforts to predict and reduce these impacts. A team of...

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    Demographic Consequences of Human Stressors on Wildlife Populations

    Predicting the ecological and conservation significances of human influences on wildlife populations is difficult. However, methodological...

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    Examination of Surveys to Measure Renewable Energy Effects on Birds and Bats

    Although renewable energy facilities are often required to complete wildlife surveys before and after constructing facilities, there is a lack of...

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    U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Department of Energy Release Online Public Dataset and Viewer of U.S. Wind Turbine Locations and Characteristics

    Today, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and...

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    Preliminary Wind Energy Impacts Assessment Methodology Released

    USGS has released a preliminary methodology to assess the population level impacts of onshore wind energy development on birds and bats. This wind...

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