Voorhees, H., R. Sparks, H. P. Huntington, and K. D. Rode. 2014. Traditional knowledge of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in Northwestern Alaska. Arctic 67(4):523-436. doi:10.14430/arctic4425.
Karyn Rode, Ph.D.
Nutritional, physiological and population ecology of large mammals with particular focus on polar bears, black bears, grizzly bears, and Pacific walrus and anthropogenic effects on large mammals.
Biography
Education
Ph.D. Washington State University Zoology
M.S. Washington State University Zoology
B.S. Colorado State University Wildlife Biology
Professional Experience
Mar 2012 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist, Alaska Science Center, US Geological Survey
Oct 2006 - Feb 2012 Wildlife Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service Polar Bear Program, Anchorage, Alaska
Jan 2006 - Oct 2006 Research Associate, Cornell University, Forest Elephant program
June 2002 - Dec 2005 Contract wildlife biologist - Alaska Department of Fish and Game/PhD candidate - Washington State University
Professional Activities and/or Memberships
2020 - present Vice President- Americas, International Association of Bear Research and Management
2017 - present International Association of Bear Research and Management Grants Review Committee
2017 - present Member of the American Zoological Association’s Polar Bear Research Council
2015 - present Member of Science/TEK working group of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Polar Bear Recovery Team
2009 - 2010 Secretary/Treasurer of the Alaska chapter of the Wildlife Society
2008 - present Member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Polar bear specialist group
2007 - present Member of the Scientific/TEK working group under the US-Russia polar bear commission
Science and Products
Year Published: 2015
Validation of mercury tip-switch and accelerometer activity sensors for identifying resting and active behavior in bears
Activity sensors are often included in wildlife transmitters and can provide information on the behavior and activity patterns of animals remotely. However, interpreting activity-sensor data relative to animal behavior can be difficult if animals cannot be continuously observed. In this study, we examined the performance of a mercury tip-switch...
Jasmine Ware; Rode, Karyn D.; Pagano, Anthony M.; Bromaghin, Jeffrey F.; Robbins, Charles T.; Joy Erlenbach; Shannon Jensen; Amy Cutting; Nicassio-Hiskey, Nicole; Amy Hash; Owen, Megan A.; Heiko Jansen
Year Published: 2015
Gene transcription in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from disparate populations
Polar bears in the Beaufort (SB) and Chukchi (CS) Seas experience different environments due primarily to a longer history of sea ice loss in the Beaufort Sea. Ecological differences have been identified as a possible reason for the generally poorer body condition and reproduction of Beaufort polar bears compared to those from the Chukchi, but the...
Bowen, Lizabeth; Miles, A. Keith; Waters, Shannon C.; Meyerson, Randi; Rode, Karyn D.; Atwood, Todd C.View Citation
Bowen, L, AK Miles, S Waters, R Meyerson, K Rode, T Atwood. 2015. Gene transcription in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from disparate populations. Polar Biology 38(9): 1413-1427. doi: 10.1007/s00300-015-1705-0
Year Published: 2015
Changing Arctic Ecosystems: Updated forecast: Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions required to improve polar bear outlook
The Arctic is warming faster than other regions of the world due to the loss of snow and ice, which increases the amount of solar energy absorbed by the region. The most visible consequence has been the rapid decline in sea ice over the last 3 decades-a decline projected to bring long ice-free summers if greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not...
Oakley, Karen L.; Atwood, Todd C.; Mugel, Douglas N.; Rode, Karyn D.; Whalen, Mary E.View Citation
Oakley, K., Atwood, T., Douglas, D., Rode, K., and Whalen, M., 2015, Changing Arctic Ecosystems—Updated forecast: Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions required to improve polar bear outlook: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2015–3042, 2 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20153042.
Year Published: 2015
Can polar bears use terrestrial foods to offset lost ice-based hunting opportunities?
Increased land use by polar bears (Ursus maritimus) due to climate-change-induced reduction of their sea-ice habitat illustrates the impact of climate change on species distributions and the difficulty of conserving a large, highly specialized carnivore in the face of this global threat. Some authors have suggested that terrestrial food...
Rode, Karyn D.; Robbins, Charles T.; Nelson, Lynne; Amstrup, Steven C.View Citation
Rode, Karyn D., C.T. Robbins, Lynne Nelson, and Steven C Amstrup. 2015. Can polar bears use terrestrial foods to offset lost ice-based hunting opportunities? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 13:138-145.
Year Published: 2015
Resilience and risk: a demographic model to inform conservation planning for polar bears
Climate change is having widespread ecological effects, including loss of Arctic sea ice. This has led to listing of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) and other ice-dependent marine mammals under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Methods are needed to evaluate the effects of climate change on population persistence to inform recovery planning...
Regehr, Eric V.; Wilson, Ryan R.; Rode, Karyn D.; Runge, Michael C.View Citation
Regehr, E.V., Wilson, R.R., Rode, K.D., and Runge, M.C., 2015, Resilience and risk—A demographic model to inform conservation planning for polar bears: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015-1029, 56 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151029.
Year Published: 2015
Distance measures and optimization spaces in quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis has become an important method of diet estimation in ecology, especially marine ecology. Controlled feeding trials to validate the method and estimate the calibration coefficients necessary to account for differential metabolism of individual fatty acids have been conducted with several species from...
Bromaghin, Jeffrey F.; Rode, Karyn D.; Budge, Suzanne M.; Thiemann, Gregory W.View Citation
Bromaghin, J. F., K. D. Rode, S. M. Budge, and G. W. Thiemann. 2015. Distance measures and optimization spaces in quantitative fatty acid signature analysis. Ecology and Evolution 5(6):1249-1262.
Year Published: 2015
Evaluating and ranking threats to the long-term persistence of polar bears
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) was listed as a globally threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2008, mostly due to the significant threat to their future population viability from rapidly declining Arctic sea ice. A core mandate of the ESA is the development of a recovery plan that identifies steps to maintain viable...
Atwood, Todd C.; Marcot, Bruce G.; Douglas, David C.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Rode, Karyn D.; Durner, George M.; Bromaghin, Jeffrey F.View Citation
Atwood, T.C., Marcot, B.G., Douglas, D.C., Amstrup, S.C., Rode, K.D., Durner, G.M., and Bromaghin, J.F., 2015, Evaluating and ranking threats to the long-term persistence of polar bears: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014-1254, 114 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141254.
Year Published: 2014
Effects of capturing and collaring on polar bears: findings from long-term research on the southern Beaufort Sea population
Context: The potential for research methods to affect wildlife is an increasing concern among both scientists and the public. This topic has a particular urgency for polar bears because additional research is needed to monitor and understand population responses to rapid loss of sea ice habitat.Aims: This study used data collected from...
Rode, Karyn D.; Pagano, Anthony M.; Bromaghin, Jeffrey F.; Atwood, Todd C.; Durner, George M.; Simac, Kristin S.; Amstrup, Steven C.
Year Published: 2014
Identifying polar bear resource selection patterns to inform offshore development in a dynamic and changing Arctic
Although sea ice loss is the primary threat to polar bears (Ursus maritimus), little can be done to mitigate its effects without global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Other factors, however, could exacerbate the impacts of sea ice loss on polar bears, such as exposure to increased industrial activity. The Arctic Ocean has enormous oil...
Wilson, Ryan R.; Horne, Jon S.; Rode, Karyn D.; Regehr, Eric V.; Durner, George M.
Year Published: 2014
Polar bears exhibit genome-wide signatures of bioenergetic adaptation to life in the Arctic environment
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) face extremely cold temperatures and periods of fasting, which might result in more severe energetic challenges than those experienced by their sister species, the brown bear (U. arctos). We have examined the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of polar and brown bears to investigate if polar bears demonstrate lineage-...
Welch, Andreanna J.; Bedoya-Reina, Oscar C.; Carretero-Paulet, Lorenzo; Miller, Webb; Rode, Karyn D.; Lindqvist, CharlotteView Citation
Welch, A. J., O. C. Bedoya-Reina, L. Carretro-Paulet, W. Miller, K. D. Rode, and C. Lindqvist. 2014. Polar bears exhibit genome-wide signatures of bioenergetic adaptation to life in the Arctic environment. Genome Biology and Evolution 6(2):433-450. doi:10.1093/gbe/evu025
Year Published: 2014
Variation in the response of an Arctic top predator experiencing habitat loss: Feeding and reproductive ecology of two polar bear populations
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have experienced substantial changes in the seasonal availability of sea ice habitat in parts of their range, including the Beaufort, Chukchi, and Bering Seas. In this study, we compared the body size, condition, and recruitment of polar bears captured in the Chukchi and Bering Seas (CS) between two periods (1986–1994...
Rode, Karyn D.; Regehr, Eric V.; Douglas, David C.; Durner, George M.; Derocher, Andrew E.; Thiemann, Gregory W.; Budge, Suzanne M.View Citation
Variation in the response of an Arctic top predator experiencing habitat loss: feeding and reproductive ecology of two polar bear populations; 2014; Article; Journal; Global Change Biology; Rode, Karyn D.; Regehr, Eric V.; Douglas, David C.; Durner, George; Derocher, Andrew E.; Thiemann, Gregory W.; Budge, Suzanne M.
Year Published: 2013
Carbon routing in the polar bear: insights from the lipid and protein pathways
No abstract available.
Striker, C.A.; Rode, Karyn D.; Erlenbach, J.; Robbins, C.T.View Citation
Carbon routing in the polar bear: insights from the lipid and protein pathways; 2013; Abstract or summary; Striker, C. A.; Rode, K. D.; Erlenbach, J.; Robbins, C. T.
Pre-USGS Publications
Erlenbach, J. A., K. D. Rode, D. Raubenheimer, and C. M. Robbins. 2014. Macronutrient optimization and energy maximization determine diets of brown bears. Journal of Mammalogy 95(1):160-168. doi:10.1644/13-MAMM-A-161.
Robbins, C. T., C. Lopez-Alfaro, K. D. Rode, Ø. Tøien, and O. L. Nelson. 2012. Hibernation and seasonal fasting in bears: the energetic costs and consequences for polar bears. Journal of Mammalogy 93(6):1493-1503. doi:10.1644/11-MAMM-A-406.1.
Whiteman, J. P., K. A. Greller, H. J. Harlow, L. A. Felicetti, K. D. Rode, and M. Ben-David. 2012. Carbon isotopes in exhaled breath track metabolic substrates in brown bears (Ursus arctos). Journal of Mammalogy 93:413-421. doi:10.1644/11-MAMM-S-178.1.
Gleason, J. S. and K. D. Rode. 2009. Polar bear distribution and habitat association reflect long-term changes in fall sea ice conditions in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea. Arctic 62(4):405-417.
Schliebe, S. L., K. D. Rode, J. S. Gleason, J. Wilder, K. M. Proffitt, T. J. Evans, and S. Miller. 2008. Effects of sea ice extent and food availability on spatial and temporal distribution of polar bears during the fall open-water period in the Southern Beaufort Sea. Polar Biology 31(8):999-1010. doi:10.1007/s00300-008-0439-7.
Stirling, I., A. E. Derocher, W. Gough, and K. D. Rode. 2008. Response to Dyck et al. (2007) on polar bears and climate change in western Hudson Bay. Ecological Complexity 5(3):193-201. doi:10.1016/j.ecocom.2008.01.004.
Polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea III: Stature, mass, and cub recruitment in relationship to time and sea ice extent between 1982 and 2006
Rode, K. D., S. C. Amstrup, and E. V. Regehr. 2007. Polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea III: Stature, mass, and cub recruitment in relationship to time and sea ice extent between 1982 and 2006. USGS Administrative Report, 31 p.
Robbins, C. T., J. K. Fortin, K. D. Rode, S. D. Farley, L. A. Shipley, and L. A. Felicetti. 2007. Optimizing protein intake as a foraging strategy to maximize mass gain in an omnivore. Oikos 116(10):1675-1682. doi:10.1111/j.0030-1299.2007.16140.x.
Fortin, J. K., S. D. Farley, C. T. Robbins, and K. D. Rode. 2007. The role of salmon and berries in determining fall weight gains in brown bears. Ursus 18(1):19-29. doi:10.2192/1537-6176(2007)18[19:DASOBS]2.0.CO;2.
Rode, K. D., S. D. Farley, and C. T. Robbins. 2006. Behavioral responses of brown bears mediate nutritional impacts of experimentally introduced tourism. Biological Conservation 133(1):70-80. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2006.05.021.
Rode, K. D., C. A. Chapman, L. D. McDowell, and C. A. Stricker. 2006. Nutritional mechanisms of population regulation across habitats and logging intensities in redtail monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius). Biotropica 38:625-634. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2006.00183.x.
Rode, K. D., P. I. Chiyo, C. A. Chapman, and L. D. McDowell. 2006. Nutritional ecology of elephants in Kibale National Park, Uganda, and its relationship with crop raiding behaviour. Journal of Tropical Ecology 22(4):441-449. doi:10.1017/S0266467406003233. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467406003233
Rode, K. D., S. D. Farley, and C. T. Robbins. 2006. Sexual dimorphism, reproductive strategy, and human activities determine resource use by brown bears. Ecology 87(10):2636-2646. doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2006)87[2636:SDRSAH]2.0.CO;2.
The role of sugar content in diet selection in redtail and red colobus monkeys
Danish, L., C. A. Chapman, C. O'Driscoll Worman, K. D. Rode, and M. B. Hall. 2006. The role of sugar content in diet selection in redtail and red colobus monkeys. In Feeding Ecology in apes and other primates. Cambridge University Press, UK.
Chapman, C. A., L. J. Chapman, K. D. Rode, and L. D. McDowell. 2003. Variation in the nutritional value of primate foods: Among trees, time periods, and areas. International Journal of Primatology 24(2):317-337. doi:10.1023/A:1023049200150.
Rode, K. D., C. A. Chapman, L. J. Chapman, and L. D. McDowell. 2003. Mineral resource availability and consumption by colobus monkeys in Kibale National Park, Uganda. International Journal of Primatology 24(3):541-573. doi:10.1023/A:1023788330155.
Variation in the Diets of Cercopithecus Species: Differences Within Forests, Among Forests, and Across Species
Chapman, C. A., L. J. Chapman, M. Cords, M. Gauthua, A. Gautier-Hion, J. E. Lambert, K. D. Rode, C. E. G. Tutin, and L. J. T. White. 2002. Variation in the Diets of Cercopithecus Species: Differences Within Forests, Among Forests, and Across Species. In The Guenons: Diversity and Adaptation in African Monkeys. M. Glenn and M. Cords (eds.). Plenum Press New York City, NY, USA.
Rode, K. D., C. T. Robbins, and L. A. Shipley. 2001. The constraints on herbivory by bears. Oecologia 128(1):62-71. doi:10.1007/s004420100637.
Rode, K. D. and C. T. Robbins. 2000. Why bears consume mixed diets during fruit abundance. Canadian Journal of Zoology 78(9):1-6. doi:10.1139/z00-082.