Population biology and predator/prey relationships of Alaskan large mammals.
Professional Experience
2022 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist Emeritus USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1993 - 2022 Research Wildlife Biologist USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1985 - 1993 Regional Research Wildlife Biologist, US National Park Service, Anchorage, Alaska
1980 - 1985 Wildlife Management Biologist, Bureau of Land Management, Fairbanks, Alaska
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 1996 University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN Wildlife Conservation
M.S. 1981 Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO Wildlife Biology
B.S. 1976 Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO Wildlife Biology
Affiliations and Memberships*
IUCN Species Survival Commission, Wolf Specialist Group (2001-2013)
The Wildlife Society
Arctic Institute of North America
American Society of Mammalogists
Science and Products
Terrestrial Mammal Ecology Research
Understanding the population dynamics, predator/prey relationships and habitat ecology of terrestrial mammals, such as caribou and muskoxen, is critical for the management of these species and their habitats in Alaska.
Serological Data on Influenza A from Birds and Mammals on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Northern Alaska, 2011-2017
These data (in two spreadsheets) are the results of screening for influenza A viruses (IAV) in blood from wild animals that utilize the Arctic region of Alaska. 758 blood samples from nine wildlife species (3 mammal, 6 waterbird) were collected in Arctic Alaska, 2011-2017. Two different tests were used and the results are presented in separate spreadsheets. All blood samples were screened for IAV
Caribou Forage and Soil Data, North Slope of Alaska, 2011-2014
These data are nutrient concentrations of seven key forage-plant species in the ranges of three caribou herds, in northern Alaska. During the growing seasons of 2011-2014, we collected forage samples from 21 plots within the ranges of three caribou herds: Central Arctic Herd (2011-2013), Teshekpuk (2011-2013), Western Arctic (2013-2014). We also analyzed stable isotopes of carbon (13C), nitrogen (
Filter Total Items: 59
A serological survey of Francisella tularensis exposure in wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Tularemia is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by one of several subspecies of Francisella tularensis bacteria. Infections by F. tularensis are common throughout the northern hemisphere and have been detected in more than 250 wildlife species. In Alaska, US, where the pathogen was first identified in 1938, studies have identified F. tularensis antibodies in a diverse suite of taxa, including i
Authors
Matthew M. Smith, Caroline R. Van Hemert, Todd C. Atwood, David R. Sinnett, Jerry W. Hupp, Brandt W Meixell, David D. Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Andrew M. Ramey
Survival and reproduction in Arctic caribou are associated with summer forage and insect harassment
Investigators have speculated that the climate-driven “greening of the Arctic” may benefit barren-ground caribou populations, but paradoxically many populations have declined in recent years. This pattern has raised concerns about the influence of summer habitat conditions on caribou demographic rates, and how populations may be impacted in the future. The short Arctic summer provides caribou with
Authors
Heather E. Johnson, Beth Lenart, Dave Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Perry Barboza
Dynamic selection for forage quality and quantity in response to phenology and insects in an Arctic ungulate
Spatiotemporal variation in forage is a primary driver of ungulate behavior, yet little is known about the nutritional components they select, and how selection varies across the growing season with changes in forage quality and quantity. We addressed these uncertainties in barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus), which experience their most important foraging opportunities during the short Arct
Authors
Heather E. Johnson, Trevor Golden, Layne G. Adams, David Gustine, Elizabeth A. Lenart, Perry Barboza
Novel insights into serodiagnosis and epidemiology of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a newly recognized pathogen in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus)
Muskoxen are a key species of Arctic ecosystems and are important for food security and
socio-economic well-being of many Indigenous communities in the Arctic and Subarctic.
Between 2009 and 2014, the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated for the
first time in this species in association with multiple mortality events in Canada and Alaska,
raising questions regarding the spatiotempor
Authors
F. Mavrot, K. Orsel, W. Hutchins, Layne G. Adams, K. Beckmen, J. Blake, S. Checkley, T. Davison, J. Di Francesco, B. Elkin, L. Leclerc, A. Schneider, M. Tomaselli, S. Kutz
Caribou use of habitat near energy development in Arctic Alaska
Increasing demands for energy have generated interest in expanding oil and gas production on the North Slope of Alaska, raising questions about the resilience of barren-ground caribou populations to new development. Although the amount of habitat lost directly to energy development in the Arctic will likely be relatively small, there are significant concerns about habitat that may be indirectly im
Authors
Heather E. Johnson, Trevor Golden, Layne G. Adams, David Gustine, Elizabeth A. Lenart
Evaluation of maternal penning to improve calf survival in the Chisana Caribou Herd
Predation is a major limiting factor for most small sedentary caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations, particularly those that are threatened or endangered across the southern extent of the species’ range. Thus, reducing predation impacts is often a management goal for improving the status of small caribou populations, and lethal predator removal is the primary approach that has been applied. Give
Authors
Layne G. Adams, Richard G. Farnell, Michelle P. Oakley, Thomas Jung, Lorne Larocque, Grant Lortie, Jamie McLelland, Mason Reid, Gretchen H. Roffler, Don Russell
Survey of Arctic Alaskan wildlife for influenza A antibodies: Limited evidence for exposure of mammals
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are maintained in wild waterbirds and have the potential to infect a broad range of species, including wild mammals. The Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska supports a diverse suite of species, including waterfowl that are common hosts of IAVs. Mammals co-occur with geese and other migratory waterbirds during the summer breeding season, providing a plausible mechanism for int
Authors
Caroline R. Van Hemert, Timothy J. Spivey, Brian D. Uher-Koch, Todd C. Atwood, David R. Sinnett, Brandt W. Meixell, Jerry W. Hupp, Kaijun Jiang, Layne G. Adams, David D. Gustine, Andrew M. Ramey, Xiu-Feng Wan
Summary of wildlife-related research on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2002–17
We summarize recent (2002–17) publicly available information from studies within the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as terrestrial and coastal ecosystems elsewhere on the Arctic Coastal Plain that are relevant to the 1002 Area. This report provides an update on earlier research summaries on caribou (Rangifer tarandus), forage quality and quantity, polar bears (Ursus marit
Authors
John M. Pearce, Paul L. Flint, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Layne G. Adams, Heather E. Johnson, Stephen M. Arthur, Christopher J. Latty
Advancing the match-mismatch framework for large herbivores in the Arctic: Evaluating the evidence for a trophic mismatch in caribou
Climate-induced shifts in plant phenology may adversely affect animals that cannot or do not shift the timing of their reproductive cycle. The realized effect of potential trophic “mismatches” between a consumer and its food varies with the degree to which species rely on dietary income and stored capital. Large Arctic herbivores rely heavily on maternal capital to reproduce and give birth near th
Authors
David D. Gustine, Perry Barboza, Layne G. Adams, Brad Griffith, Raymond D. Cameron, Kenneth R. Whitten
Summer habitat selection by Dall’s sheep in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Sexual segregation occurs frequently in sexually dimorphic species, and it may be influenced by differential habitat requirements between sexes or by social or evolutionary mechanisms that maintain separation of sexes regardless of habitat selection. Understanding the degree of sex-specific habitat specialization is important for management of wildlife populations and the design of monitoring and
Authors
Gretchen H. Roffler, Layne G. Adams, Mark Hebblewhite
Bacterial genomics reveal the complex epidemiology of an emerging pathogen in arctic and boreal ungulates
Northern ecosystems are currently experiencing unprecedented ecological change, largely driven by a rapidly changing climate. Pathogen range expansion, and emergence and altered patterns of infectious disease, are increasingly reported in wildlife at high latitudes. Understanding the causes and consequences of shifting pathogen diversity and host-pathogen interactions in these ecosystems is import
Authors
Taya L. Forde, Karin Orsel, Ruth N. Zadoks, Roman Biek, Layne G. Adams, Sylvia L. Checkley, Tracy Davison, Jeroen De Buck, Mathieu Dumond, Brett T. Elkin, Laura Finnegan, Bryan J. Macbeth, Cait Nelson, Amanda Niptanatiak, Shane Sather, Helen M. Schwantje, Frank van der Meer, Susan J. Kutz
Identification of landscape features influencing gene flow: How useful are habitat selection models?
Understanding how dispersal patterns are influenced by landscape heterogeneity is critical for modeling species connectivity. Resource selection function (RSF) models are increasingly used in landscape genetics approaches. However, because the ecological factors that drive habitat selection may be different from those influencing dispersal and gene flow, it is important to consider explicit assump
Authors
Gretchen H. Roffler, Michael K. Schwartz, Kristy L. Pilgrim, Sandra L. Talbot, George K. Sage, Layne G. Adams, Gordon Luikart
Science and Products
- Science
Terrestrial Mammal Ecology Research
Understanding the population dynamics, predator/prey relationships and habitat ecology of terrestrial mammals, such as caribou and muskoxen, is critical for the management of these species and their habitats in Alaska. - Data
Serological Data on Influenza A from Birds and Mammals on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Northern Alaska, 2011-2017
These data (in two spreadsheets) are the results of screening for influenza A viruses (IAV) in blood from wild animals that utilize the Arctic region of Alaska. 758 blood samples from nine wildlife species (3 mammal, 6 waterbird) were collected in Arctic Alaska, 2011-2017. Two different tests were used and the results are presented in separate spreadsheets. All blood samples were screened for IAVCaribou Forage and Soil Data, North Slope of Alaska, 2011-2014
These data are nutrient concentrations of seven key forage-plant species in the ranges of three caribou herds, in northern Alaska. During the growing seasons of 2011-2014, we collected forage samples from 21 plots within the ranges of three caribou herds: Central Arctic Herd (2011-2013), Teshekpuk (2011-2013), Western Arctic (2013-2014). We also analyzed stable isotopes of carbon (13C), nitrogen ( - Publications
Filter Total Items: 59
A serological survey of Francisella tularensis exposure in wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Tularemia is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by one of several subspecies of Francisella tularensis bacteria. Infections by F. tularensis are common throughout the northern hemisphere and have been detected in more than 250 wildlife species. In Alaska, US, where the pathogen was first identified in 1938, studies have identified F. tularensis antibodies in a diverse suite of taxa, including iAuthorsMatthew M. Smith, Caroline R. Van Hemert, Todd C. Atwood, David R. Sinnett, Jerry W. Hupp, Brandt W Meixell, David D. Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Andrew M. RameySurvival and reproduction in Arctic caribou are associated with summer forage and insect harassment
Investigators have speculated that the climate-driven “greening of the Arctic” may benefit barren-ground caribou populations, but paradoxically many populations have declined in recent years. This pattern has raised concerns about the influence of summer habitat conditions on caribou demographic rates, and how populations may be impacted in the future. The short Arctic summer provides caribou withAuthorsHeather E. Johnson, Beth Lenart, Dave Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Perry BarbozaDynamic selection for forage quality and quantity in response to phenology and insects in an Arctic ungulate
Spatiotemporal variation in forage is a primary driver of ungulate behavior, yet little is known about the nutritional components they select, and how selection varies across the growing season with changes in forage quality and quantity. We addressed these uncertainties in barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus), which experience their most important foraging opportunities during the short ArctAuthorsHeather E. Johnson, Trevor Golden, Layne G. Adams, David Gustine, Elizabeth A. Lenart, Perry BarbozaNovel insights into serodiagnosis and epidemiology of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a newly recognized pathogen in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus)
Muskoxen are a key species of Arctic ecosystems and are important for food security and socio-economic well-being of many Indigenous communities in the Arctic and Subarctic. Between 2009 and 2014, the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated for the first time in this species in association with multiple mortality events in Canada and Alaska, raising questions regarding the spatiotemporAuthorsF. Mavrot, K. Orsel, W. Hutchins, Layne G. Adams, K. Beckmen, J. Blake, S. Checkley, T. Davison, J. Di Francesco, B. Elkin, L. Leclerc, A. Schneider, M. Tomaselli, S. KutzCaribou use of habitat near energy development in Arctic Alaska
Increasing demands for energy have generated interest in expanding oil and gas production on the North Slope of Alaska, raising questions about the resilience of barren-ground caribou populations to new development. Although the amount of habitat lost directly to energy development in the Arctic will likely be relatively small, there are significant concerns about habitat that may be indirectly imAuthorsHeather E. Johnson, Trevor Golden, Layne G. Adams, David Gustine, Elizabeth A. LenartEvaluation of maternal penning to improve calf survival in the Chisana Caribou Herd
Predation is a major limiting factor for most small sedentary caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations, particularly those that are threatened or endangered across the southern extent of the species’ range. Thus, reducing predation impacts is often a management goal for improving the status of small caribou populations, and lethal predator removal is the primary approach that has been applied. GiveAuthorsLayne G. Adams, Richard G. Farnell, Michelle P. Oakley, Thomas Jung, Lorne Larocque, Grant Lortie, Jamie McLelland, Mason Reid, Gretchen H. Roffler, Don RussellSurvey of Arctic Alaskan wildlife for influenza A antibodies: Limited evidence for exposure of mammals
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are maintained in wild waterbirds and have the potential to infect a broad range of species, including wild mammals. The Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska supports a diverse suite of species, including waterfowl that are common hosts of IAVs. Mammals co-occur with geese and other migratory waterbirds during the summer breeding season, providing a plausible mechanism for intAuthorsCaroline R. Van Hemert, Timothy J. Spivey, Brian D. Uher-Koch, Todd C. Atwood, David R. Sinnett, Brandt W. Meixell, Jerry W. Hupp, Kaijun Jiang, Layne G. Adams, David D. Gustine, Andrew M. Ramey, Xiu-Feng WanSummary of wildlife-related research on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2002–17
We summarize recent (2002–17) publicly available information from studies within the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as terrestrial and coastal ecosystems elsewhere on the Arctic Coastal Plain that are relevant to the 1002 Area. This report provides an update on earlier research summaries on caribou (Rangifer tarandus), forage quality and quantity, polar bears (Ursus maritAuthorsJohn M. Pearce, Paul L. Flint, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Layne G. Adams, Heather E. Johnson, Stephen M. Arthur, Christopher J. LattyAdvancing the match-mismatch framework for large herbivores in the Arctic: Evaluating the evidence for a trophic mismatch in caribou
Climate-induced shifts in plant phenology may adversely affect animals that cannot or do not shift the timing of their reproductive cycle. The realized effect of potential trophic “mismatches” between a consumer and its food varies with the degree to which species rely on dietary income and stored capital. Large Arctic herbivores rely heavily on maternal capital to reproduce and give birth near thAuthorsDavid D. Gustine, Perry Barboza, Layne G. Adams, Brad Griffith, Raymond D. Cameron, Kenneth R. WhittenSummer habitat selection by Dall’s sheep in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Sexual segregation occurs frequently in sexually dimorphic species, and it may be influenced by differential habitat requirements between sexes or by social or evolutionary mechanisms that maintain separation of sexes regardless of habitat selection. Understanding the degree of sex-specific habitat specialization is important for management of wildlife populations and the design of monitoring andAuthorsGretchen H. Roffler, Layne G. Adams, Mark HebblewhiteBacterial genomics reveal the complex epidemiology of an emerging pathogen in arctic and boreal ungulates
Northern ecosystems are currently experiencing unprecedented ecological change, largely driven by a rapidly changing climate. Pathogen range expansion, and emergence and altered patterns of infectious disease, are increasingly reported in wildlife at high latitudes. Understanding the causes and consequences of shifting pathogen diversity and host-pathogen interactions in these ecosystems is importAuthorsTaya L. Forde, Karin Orsel, Ruth N. Zadoks, Roman Biek, Layne G. Adams, Sylvia L. Checkley, Tracy Davison, Jeroen De Buck, Mathieu Dumond, Brett T. Elkin, Laura Finnegan, Bryan J. Macbeth, Cait Nelson, Amanda Niptanatiak, Shane Sather, Helen M. Schwantje, Frank van der Meer, Susan J. KutzIdentification of landscape features influencing gene flow: How useful are habitat selection models?
Understanding how dispersal patterns are influenced by landscape heterogeneity is critical for modeling species connectivity. Resource selection function (RSF) models are increasingly used in landscape genetics approaches. However, because the ecological factors that drive habitat selection may be different from those influencing dispersal and gene flow, it is important to consider explicit assumpAuthorsGretchen H. Roffler, Michael K. Schwartz, Kristy L. Pilgrim, Sandra L. Talbot, George K. Sage, Layne G. Adams, Gordon Luikart - News
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government