Joel A Schmutz, Ph.D.
Biography
Education
Ph.D. 2000 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK Biology
M.S. 1988 Colorado State University Wildlife Biology
B.S. 1985 University of Vermont Wildlife and Fisheries Biology
Science and Products
Changing Arctic ecosystems - measuring and forecasting the response of Alaska's terrestrial ecosystem to a warming climate
The Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska is a complex landscape of lakes, streams, and wetlands scattered across low relief tundra that is underlain by permafrost. This region of the Arctic has experienced a warming trend over the past three decades, leading to thawing of on-shore permafrost and the disappearance of sea ice at an unprecedented...
Pearce, John M.; DeGange, Anthony R.; Flint, Paul L.; Fondell, Tom F.; Gustine, David D.; Holland-Bartels, Leslie E.; Hope, Andrew G.; Hupp, Jerry W.; Koch, Joshua C.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Talbot, Sandra L.; Ward, David H.; Whalen, Mary E.
Molecular detection of hematozoa infections in tundra swans relative to migration patterns and ecological conditions at breeding grounds
Tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus) are broadly distributed in North America, use a wide variety of habitats, and exhibit diverse migration strategies. We investigated patterns of hematozoa infection in three populations of tundra swans that breed in Alaska using satellite tracking to infer host movement and molecular techniques to assess the...
Ramey, Andrew M.; Ely, Craig R.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Pearce, John M.; Heard, Darryl J. Process-based coastal erosion modeling for Drew Point (North Slope, Alaska)
A predictive, coastal erosion/shoreline change model has been developed for a small coastal segment near Drew Point, Beaufort Sea, Alaska. This coastal setting has experienced a dramatic increase in erosion since the early 2000’s. The bluffs at this site are 3-4 m tall and consist of ice-wedge bounded blocks of fine-grained sediments cemented by...
Ravens, Thomas M.; Jones, Benjamin M.; Zhang, Jinlin; Arp, Christopher D.; Schmutz, Joel A. Using body mass dynamics to examine long-term habitat shifts of arctic-molting geese: Evidence for ecological change
From 1976 onward, molting brant geese (Branta bernicla) within the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area, Alaska, shifted from inland, freshwater lakes toward coastal wetlands. Two hypotheses explained this redistribution: (1) ecological change: redistribution of molting brant reflects improvements in coastal foraging habitats, which have undergone a...
Lewis, Tyler L.; Flint, Paul L.; Derksen, Dirk V.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Taylor, Eric J.; Bollinger, Karen S. An adaptive-management framework for optimal control of hiking near golden eagle nests in Denali National Park
Unintended effects of recreational activities in protected areas are of growing concern. We used an adaptive-management framework to develop guidelines for optimally managing hiking activities to maintain desired levels of territory occupancy and reproductive success of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Denali National Park (Alaska, U.S.A.)....
Martin, Julien; Fackler, Paul L.; Nichols, James D.; Runge, Michael C.; McIntyre, Carol L.; Lubow, Bruce L.; McCluskie, Maggie C.; Schmutz, Joel A. Fine scale movements and habitat use of black brant during the flightless Wing Molt in Arctic Alaska
Thousands of Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) migrate annually to the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area (TLSA), Alaska, to undergo the flightless wing molt on tundra lakes and wetlands. GPS transmitters were attached to Brant over two summers (2007–2008) to examine patterns of movement and habitat use of molting Brant, including variation by...
Lewis, Tyler L.; Flint, Paul L.; Derksen, Dirk V.; Schmutz, Joel A. Data logging of body temperatures provides precise information on phenology of reproductive events in a free-living arctic hibernator
Precise measures of phenology are critical to understanding how animals organize their annual cycles and how individuals and populations respond to climate-induced changes in physical and ecological stressors. We show that patterns of core body temperature (T b) can be used to precisely determine the timing of key seasonal events including...
Williams, C.T.; Sheriff, M.J.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Kohl, F.; Toien, O.; Buck, C.L.; Barnes, B.M. Two mechanisms of aquatic and terrestrial habitat change along an Alaskan Arctic coastline
Arctic habitats at the interface between land and sea are particularly vulnerable to climate change. The northern Teshekpuk Lake Special Area (N-TLSA), a coastal plain ecosystem along the Beaufort Sea in northern Alaska, provides habitat for migratory waterbirds, caribou, and potentially, denning polar bears. The 60-km coastline of N-TLSA is...
Arp, Christopher D.; Jones, Benjamin M.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Urban, Frank E.; Jorgenson, M. Torre Pre‐moult patterns of habitat use and moult site selection by Brent Geese Branta bernicla nigricans: Individuals prospect for moult sites
In environments where habitat quality varies, the mechanism by which individuals assess and select habitats has significant consequences on their spatial distribution and ability to respond to environmental change. Each year, thousands of Black Brent Geese Branta bernicla nigricans migrate to the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area (TLSA), Alaska, to...
Lewis, Tyler; Flint, Paul L.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Derksen, Dirk V. Temporal and spatial shifts in habitat use by Black Brant immediately following flightless molt
Each year thousands of Pacific Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) undergo flightless wing molt in the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area (TLSA), Alaska, in two distinct habitats: inland, freshwater lakes and coastal, brackish wetlands. Brant lose body mass during wing molt and likely must add reserves upon regaining flight to help fuel their 2,500...
Lewis, Tyler L.; Flint, Paul L.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Derksen, Dirk V. Dynamic multistate site occupancy models to evaluate hypotheses relevant to conservation of Golden Eagles in Denali National Park, Alaska
The recent development of multistate site occupancy models offers great opportunities to frame and solve decision problems for conservation that can be viewed in terms of site occupancy. These models have several characteristics (e.g., they account for detectability) that make them particularly well suited for addressing management and...
Martin, Julien; McIntyre, Carol L.; Hines, James E.; Nichols, James D.; Schmutz, Joel A.; MacCluskie, Margaret C.
Model-Based Predictions of the Effects of Harvest Mortality on Population Size and Trend of Yellow-Billed Loons
Yellow-billed loons (Gavia adamsii) breed in low densities in northern tundra habitats in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. They migrate to coastal marine habitats at mid to high latitudes where they spend their winters. Harvest may occur throughout the annual cycle, but of particular concern are recent reports of harvest from the Bering Strait region,...
Schmutz, Joel A.