John Severson, Ph.D.

Science and Products

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  November 8, 2022

  Selection and Survival of Greater Sage-Grouse Broods in Mesic Areas of Long Valley, California (2003 - 2018)

  We evaluated brood-rearing habitat selection and brood survival of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) in Long Valley, California, an area where the water rights are primarily owned by the city of Los Angeles and water is used locally to irrigate for livestock. This area thus represents a unique balance between the needs of wildlife and people that could increas

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  Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

  June 16, 2021

  Predicted Calving and Post-calving Season Resource Use of the Porcupine Caribou Herd During 2012-2018 With Future Projections for the 2030s, 2040s, and 2050s

  This dataset contains rasters and polygon shapefiles related to predicted resource use of the Porcupine Caribou Herd (PCH) during the calving (26 May-10 June) and post-calving (11-30 June) seasons in Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Resource selection was analyzed for each season using random forest models, which compared female caribou GPS collar locations (2012-2018) to available locations within

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  Alaska Science Center
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• Publications
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  December 26, 2022

  Moisture abundance and proximity mediate seasonal use of mesic areas and survival of greater sage-grouse broods

  Water is a critical and limited resource, particularly in the arid West, but water availability is projected to decline even while demand increases due to growing human populations and increases in duration and severity of drought. Mesic areas provide important water resources for numerous wildlife species, including the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse), an i

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  Ecosystems, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

  May 16, 2021

  Spring phenology drives range shifts in a migratory Arctic ungulate with key implications for the future

  Annual variation in phenology can have profound effects on the behavior of animals. As climate change advances spring phenology in ecosystems around the globe, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how animals respond to variation in the timing of seasonal events and how their responses may shift in the future. We investigated the influence of spring phenology on the behavior of migr

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  Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

  January 16, 2020

  Population and habitat analyses for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the bi-state distinct population segment—2018 update

  Executive SummaryThe Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (Bi-State DPS) of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereinafter “sage-grouse”) represents a genetically distinct and geographically isolated population that straddles the border between Nevada and California. The primary threat to these sage-grouse populations is the expansion of single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) and Utah

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  Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

  October 3, 2019

  Estimating sightability of greater sage-grouse at leks using an aerial infrared system and N-mixture models

  Counts of grouse present at leks (breeding grounds) during spring are widely used to monitor population numbers and assess trends. However, only a proportion of birds available to count are detected resulting in a biased population index. We designed a study using an aerial integrated infrared imaging system (AIRIS) and experimental pseudo-leks to quantify sightability (proportion of birds detecte

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  Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

  August 13, 2019

  Global positioning system tracking devices can decrease Greater Sage-Grouse survival

  Reliable demographic estimates hinge on the assumption that marking animals does not alter their behavior, reproduction, or survival. Violations can bias inference and are especially egregious for species of high conservation concern. Global positioning system (GPS) devices represent a recent technological advancement that has contributed greatly to avian ecological studies compared with tradition

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  Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

  February 21, 2019

  Assessing lek attendance of male greater sage‐grouse using fine‐resolution GPS data: Implications for population monitoring of lek mating grouse

  Counts of males displaying on breeding grounds are the primary management tool used to assess population trends in lekking grouse species. Despite the importance of male lek attendance (i.e., proportion of males on leks available for detection) influencing lek counts, patterns of within season and between season variability in attendance rates are not well understood. We used high‐frequency global

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  Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

  Non-USGS Publications**

  Kaweck, M. M., J. P. Severson, and K. L. Launchbaugh. 2018. Impacts of wild horses, cattle, and wildlife on riparian areas in Idaho. Rangelands 40:45–52.

  Severson, J. P., C. A. Hagen, J. D. Tack, J. D. Maestas, D. E. Naugle, J. T. Forbes, and K. P. Reese. 2017. Better living through conifer removal: a demographic analysis of sage-grouse vital rates. PLoS ONE 12:e0174347.

  Severson, J. P., C. A. Hagen, J. D. Maestas, D. E. Naugle, J. T. Forbes, and K. P. Reese. 2017. Restoring sage-grouse nesting habitat through removal of early successional conifer. Restoration Ecology 25:1026–1034.

  Severson, J. P., C. A. Hagen, J. D. Maestas, D. E. Naugle, J. T. Forbes, and K. P. Reese. 2017. Short-term response of sage-grouse nesting to conifer removal in the northern Great Basin. Rangeland Ecology and Management 70:50–58.

  Severson, J. P., C. A. Hagen, J. D. Maestas, D. E. Naugle, J. T. Forbes, and K. P. Reese. 2017. Effects of conifer expansion on greater sage-grouse nesting habitat selection. Journal of Wildlife Management 81:86–95.

  Clawson, M. V., J. R. Skalski, J. M. Lady, C. A. Hagen, J. J. Millspaugh, D. Budeau, and J. P. Severson. 2017. Performing statistical population reconstruction using program PopRecon 2.0. Wildlife Society Bulletin 41:581–589.

  Baruch-Mordo, S., J. S. Evans, J. P. Severson, D. E. Naugle, J. D. Maestas, J. M. Kiesecker, M. J. Falkowski, C. A. Hagen, and K. P. Reese. 2013. Saving sage-grouse from the trees: a proactive solution to reducing a key threat to a candidate species. Biological Conservation 167:233–241.

  Moore, S., J. R. Nawrot, and J. P. Severson. 2009. Wetland-scale habitat determinants influencing least bittern use of created wetlands. Waterbirds 32:16–24.

  Severson, J. P., J. R. Nawrot, and M. W. Eichholz. 2009. Shoreline stabilization using riprap breakwaters on a Midwestern reservoir. Lake and Reservoir Management 25:208–216.

  **Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.