Schoenecker, K.A., and W.W. Shaw. 2008. Attitudes toward a proposed reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves in Arizona. Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 2(3): 42-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10871209709359101
Kate Schoenecker, Ph.D.
Science and Products
Date published: November 18, 2016
Herbivore-Ecosystem Interactions
Data from these studies help inform management decisions regarding ungulates on public lands, typically in large, jurisdictionally complex landscapes. Recent work involves investigations on the effects of herd size and movements of elk, bison, and wild horses on various ecosystem components. Specifically, scientific efforts include quantifying interactions among herbivores, plants, and soils;...
Contacts: Kate Schoenecker, Ph.D.
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: November 17, 2016
Where the Bison Roam: Public-Private Partnership Supports Potential Restoration
A little over one hundred years ago, plains bison were prolific in the Great American West. Reports describe herds containing thousands of animals migrating through the central and western states, totaling 20–30 million across their entire range. With commercial, unregulated hunting in the late 1800s came the rapid demise of bison to barely more than 1,000 by 18891. Recently, renewed interest...
Contacts: Kate Schoenecker, Ph.D.
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: October 27, 2016
Non-invasive Genetic Sampling of Free-roaming Horses to Estimate Population Size, Genetic Diversity, and Consumption of Invasive Species
Molecular tagging is a new application of molecular genetic techniques to traditional mark-recapture methodology designed to address situations where traditional methods fail. In such studies, non-invasively collected samples (such as feces, feathers, or fur) are used as a source of DNA that is then genotyped at multiple loci such that each individual animal can be uniquely identified. Thus,...
Contacts: Kate Schoenecker, Ph.D.
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: August 29, 2016
Elk and Bison Grazing Ecology in the San Luis Valley, Colorado
Managers need information on the grazing ecology of bison and elk in the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve to develop science-based management alternatives.
Contacts: Kate Schoenecker, Ph.D.
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: August 29, 2016
Wild Horse and Burro Population Management
Wild horse populations often increase at high rates on U.S. western rangelands, which in turn can lead to habitat degradation. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Land Management are cooperating on studies investigating the potential of fertility control drugs to reduce foaling rates. In addition, because nearly every management issue concerning wild horses depends on accurate herd...
Contacts: Kate Schoenecker, Ph.D.
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Date published: August 6, 2016
Molecular Tagging
Molecular tagging is a new application of molecular genetic techniques to traditional mark-recapture methodology designed to address situations where traditional methods fail. In such studies, non-invasively collected samples (such as feces, feathers, or fur) are used as a source of DNA that is then genotyped at multiple loci such that each individual animal can be uniquely identified. Thus,...
Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center
Year Published: 2018
Change in dominance determines herbivore effects on plant biodiversity
Herbivores alter plant biodiversity (species richness) in many of the world’s ecosystems, but the magnitude and the direction of herbivore effects on biodiversity vary widely within and among ecosystems. One current theory predicts that herbivores enhance plant biodiversity at high productivity but have the opposite effect at low productivity. Yet...
Koerner, Sally E.; Smith, Melinda D.; Burkepile, Deron E.; Hanan, Niall P.; Avolio, Meghan L.; Collins, Scott L.; Knapp, Alan K.; Lemoine, Nathan P.; Forrestel, Elisabeth J.; Eby, Stephanie; Thompson, Dave I.; Aguado-Santacruz, Gerardo A.; Anderson, John P.; Anderson, T. Michael; Angassa, Ayana; Bagchi, Sumanta; Bakker, Elisabeth S.; Bastin, Gary; Baur, Lauren E.; Beard, Karen H.; Beever, Erik A.; Bohlen, Patrick J.; Boughton, Elizabeth H.; Canestro, Don; Cesa, Ariela; Chaneton, Enrique; Cheng, Jimin; D'Antonio, Carla M.; Deleglise, Claire; Dembélé, Fadiala; Dorrough, Josh; Eldridge, David J.; Fernandez-Going, Barbara; Fernández-Lugo, Silvia; Fraser, Lauchlan H.; Freedman, Bill; García-Salgado, Gonzalo; Goheen, Jacob R.; Guo, Liang; Husheer, Sean; Karembé, Moussa; Knops, Johannes M. H.; Kraaij, Tineke; Kulmatiski, Andrew; Kytöviita, Minna-Maarit; Lezama, Felipe; Loucougaray, Gregory; Loydi, Alejandro; Milchunas, Daniel G.; Milton, Suzanne J.; Morgan, John W.; Moxham, Claire; Nehring, Kyle C.; Olff, Han; Palmer, Todd M.; Rebollo, Salvador; Riginos, Corinna; Risch, Anita C.; Rueda, Marta; Sankaran, Mahesh; Sasaki, Takehiro; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Schultz, Nick L.; Schütz, Martin; Schwabe, Angelika; Siebert, Frances; Smit, Christian; Stahlheber, Karen A.; Storm, Christian; Strong, Dustin J.; Su, Jishuai; Tiruvaimozhi, Yadugiri V.; Tyler, Claudia; Val, James; Vandegehuchte, Martijn L.; Veblen, Kari E.; Vermeire, Lance; Ward, David; Wu, Jianshuang; Young, Truman P.; Yu, Qiang; Zelikova, Tamara J.Attribution: Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK), Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Development of an aerial population survey method for elk (Cervus elaphus) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Executive SummarySince the early 1990s, substantial effort and funding have been expended to conduct research to guide development of a 20-year Elk and Vegetation Management Plan for Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in Colorado. One goal of the plan is to maintain the elk (Cervus elaphus) population size at the lower end of the natural range of...
Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Lubow, Bruce C.; Johnson, Therese L.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Schoenecker, K.A., Lubow, B.C., and Johnson, T.L., 2018, Development of an aerial population survey method for elk (Cervus elaphus) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open–File Report 2018–1085, 45 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181085.
Year Published: 2018
Perissodactyla diet
Perissodactyla (Schoch 1989) includes tapirs, rhinoceros, wild asses, horses, and zebras. It is the order of hoofed mammals referred to as “odd-toed ungulates” because its members have one to three weight-bearing toes and walk on hoofs or “ungules.” They are herbivores that are specialized to exploit grasslands and brushy habitat (rhinos, horses,...
Schoenecker, Kathryn A.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Schoenecker K.A. (2018) Perissodactyla Diet. In: Vonk J., Shackelford T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham
Year Published: 2016
Application of a hybrid model to reduce bias and improve precision in population estimates for elk (Cervus elaphus) inhabiting a cold desert ecosystem
Accurately estimating the size of wildlife populations is critical to wildlife management and conservation of species. Raw counts or “minimum counts” are still used as a basis for wildlife management decisions. Uncorrected raw counts are not only negatively biased due to failure to account for undetected animals, but also provide no estimate of...
Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Lubow, Bruce C.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Schoenecker, K.A. and B.C. Lubow. 2015. Application of a hybrid model to reduce bias and improve precision in population estimates for elk (Cervus elaphus) inhabiting a cold desert ecosystem. Journal of King Saud University-Science
Year Published: 2015
Development of a grazing monitoring program for Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
National parks in the United States face the difficult task of managing natural resources within park boundaries that are influenced to a large degree by historical land uses or by forces outside of the park’s protection and mandate. Among the many challenges faced by parks is management of wildlife populations that occupy larger landscapes...
Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Zeigenfuss, L.C., and Schoenecker, K.A., 2015, Development of a grazing monitoring program for Great Sand Dunes National Park: U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2015–1136, 44 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151136.
Year Published: 2015
Selection of vegetation types and density of bison in an arid ecosystem
Understanding species habitat selection and factors that drive selection are key components for conservation. We report the first resource selection functions (RSFs) for bison inhabiting an arid ecosystem and use them with density estimates of bison to estimate the number of bison that could be supported if the bison range were expanded to federal...
Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Nielsen, Scott E.; Pague, ChrisAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Schoenecker, K. A., Nielsen, S. E., Zeigenfuss, L. C. and Pague, C. A. (2015), Selection of vegetation types and density of bison in an arid ecosystem. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 79: 1117–1128. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.940
Year Published: 2015
Modeling elk and bison carrying capacity for Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy's Medano Ranch, Colorado
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and the neighboring Baca National Wildlife Refuge constitute an extraordinary setting that offers a variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation and natural resource preservation in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Adjacent to these federal lands, the Nature Conservancy (TNC) manages the historic...
Wockner, Gary; Boone, Randall; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Zeigenfuss, Linda C.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Wockner, Gary, Boone, Randall, Schoenecker, K.A., and Zeigenfuss, L.C., 2015, Modeling elk and bison carrying capacity for Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy’s Medano Ranch, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1200, 23 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141200.
Year Published: 2015
Estimating bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) abundance using noninvasive sampling at a mineral lick within a National Park Wilderness Area
Conservation of species requires accurate population estimates. We used genetic markers from feces to determine bighorn sheep abundance for a herd that was hypothesized to be declining and in need of population status monitoring. We sampled from a small but accessible portion of the population's range where animals naturally congregate at a...
Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Watry, Mary Kay; Ellison, Laura E.; Schwarz, Michael A.; Luikart, GordonAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Schoenecker, K. A., Watry, M. K., Ellison, L. E., Schwartz, M. K., & Luikart, G. (2015). Estimating Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Abundance Using Noninvasive Sampling at a Mineral Lick within a National Park Wilderness Area. Western North American Naturalist, 75(2), 181–191. doi:10.3398/064.075.0206
Year Published: 2014
Influence of nonnative and native ungulate biomass and seasonal precipitation on vegetation production in a Great Basin ecosystem
The negative effects of equid grazers in semiarid ecosystems of the American West have been considered disproportionate to the influence of native ungulates in these systems because of equids' large body size, hoof shape, and short history on the landscape relative to native ungulates. Tools that can analyze the degree of influence of various...
Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Ransom, Jason I.; Ignizio, Drew A.; Mask, TracyView Citation
Zeigenfuss, L.C., K.A. Schoenecker, J.I. Ransom, D.A. Ignizio and T. Mask. 2014. Influence of nonnative and native ungulate biomass and seasonal precipitation on vegetation production in a great basin ecosystem. Western North American Naturalist. 74(3): 286-298.
Year Published: 2013
Bison grazing ecology at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA) National Wildlife Refuge reintroduced bison to a small pasture in 2007. Refuge managers needed information on the effects of bison grazing on vegetation communities in the bison pasture as well as information on how bison might affect other management priorities at RMA. In particular, RMA managers were interested...
Germaine, Stephen S.; Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Bison grazing ecology at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado; 2013; OFR; 2013-1112; Germaine, Stephen ; Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.
Year Published: 2013
Fort Collins Science Center Ecosystem Dynamics branch--interdisciplinary research for addressing complex natural resource issues across landscapes and time
The Ecosystem Dynamics Branch of the Fort Collins Science Center offers an interdisciplinary team of talented and creative scientists with expertise in biology, botany, ecology, geology, biogeochemistry, physical sciences, geographic information systems, and remote-sensing, for tackling complex questions about natural resources. As demand for...
Bowen, Zachary H.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Wilson, Juliette T.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Fort Collins Science Center Ecosystem Dynamics branch--interdisciplinary research for addressing complex natural resource issues across landscapes and time; 2013; FS; 2013-3009; Bowen, Zachary H.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Wilson, Juliette T.
Year Published: 2012
Ecology of bison, elk, and vegetation in an arid ecosystem
Herbivory has profound effects on vegetation production and structure in many different plant communities. The influence of herbivory on plants and ultimately ecosystem processes is shaped by the types of plants consumed, the intensity of herbivory, the evolutionary history of grazing, and the availability of water and nutrients to plants. The...
Schoenecker, Kathryn A.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Ecology of bison, elk, and vegetation in an arid ecosystem; 2012; Thesis; Schoenecker, Kathryn A.; Advised by Hobbs, N. Thompson
Pre-USGS Publications
Schoenecker, K.A., and P.R. Krausman. 2002. Human Disturbance in Bighorn Sheep Habitat, Pusch Ridge Wilderness, Arizona. Arizona-Nevada Academy of Sciences. 34(1) 63-68.
Schoenecker, K.A., and P.R. Krausman. 2002. Human disturbance in bighorn sheep habitat, Pusch Ridge Wilderness, Arizona. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science. 34(1): 63-68.