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Manuela M Huso

I am a Research Statistician Emerita with the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center in Corvallis, OR.

I have a courtesy faculty appointment in the Department of Statistics at Oregon State University (OSU). Before coming to the USGS, I spent more than 20 years as a consulting statistician at OSU. 

Education and Certifications

  • M.S., Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR (1988)

  • M.S., Theoretical Ecology, University of Oregon, Corvallis, OR (1984)

  • B.A., Biology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA (1978)

Science and Products

If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

GenEst statistical models—A generalized estimator of mortality

IntroductionGenEst (a generalized estimator of mortality) is a suite of statistical models and software tools for generalized mortality estimation. It was specifically designed for estimating the number of bird and bat fatalities at solar and wind power facilities, but both the software (Dalthorp and others, 2018) and the underlying statistical models are general enough to be useful in various sit
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
Filter Total Items: 34

A review of supervised learning methods for classifying animal behavioural states from environmental features

Accurately predicting behavioural modes of animals in response to environmental features is important for ecology and conservation. Supervised learning (SL) methods are increasingly common in animal movement ecology for classifying behavioural modes. However, few examples exist of applying SL to classify polytomous animal behaviour from environmental features especially in the context of millions
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Classifying behavior from short-interval biologging data: An example with GPS tracking of birds

Recent advances in digital data collection have spurred accumulation of immense quantities of data that have potential to lead to remarkable ecological insight, but that also present analytic challenges. In the case of biologging data from birds, common analytical approaches to classifying movement behaviors are largely inappropriate for these massive data sets.We apply a framework for using K-mea
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Relative energy production determines effect of repowering on wildlife mortality at wind energy facilities

Reduction in wildlife mortality is often cited as a potential advantage to repowering wind facilities, that is, replacing smaller, lower capacity, closely spaced turbines, with larger, higher capacity ones, more widely spaced. Wildlife mortality rates, however, are affected by more than just size and spacing of turbines, varying with turbine operation, seasonal and daily weather and habitat, all o
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Performance of the GenEst Mortality Estimator Compared to The Huso and Shoenfeld Estimators

The impacts of wind power development on bat and bird populations are commonly assessed by estimating the number of fatalities at wind power facilities through post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies. Standard methodology involves periodic carcass searches on plots beneath turbines (Strickland et al. 2011, US Fish and Wildlife Service 2012). The resulting counts are adjusted to compensate for b
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Comparing methods to estimate the proportion of turbine-induced bird and bat mortality in the search area under a road and pad search protocol

Estimating bird and bat mortality at wind facilities typically involves searching for carcasses on the ground near turbines. Some fraction of carcasses inevitably lie outside the search plots, and accurate mortality estimation requires accounting for those carcasses using models to extrapolate from searched to unsearched areas. Such models should account for variation in carcass density with dista
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Some approaches to accounting for incidental carcass discoveries in non-monitored years using the Evidence of Absence model

Executive SummaryWe evaluate three approaches to accounting for incidental carcasses when estimating an upper bound on total mortality (𝑀) as 𝑀∗ using the Evidence of Absence model (EoA; Dalthorp and others, 2017) to assess compliance with an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) (Dalthorp & Huso, 2015) under a monitoring protocol that includes formal, dedicated carcass surveys that achieve an overall dete
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Wind energy: An ecological challenge

No abstract available.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Estimating population size with imperfect detection using a parametric bootstrap

We develop a novel method of estimating population size from imperfectly detected counts of individuals and a separate estimate of detection probability. Observed counts are separated into classes within which detection probability is assumed constant. Within a detection class, counts are modeled as a single binomial observation X with success probability p where the goal is to estimate index N. W
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Impacts to wildlife of wind energy siting and operation in the United States

Electricity from wind energy is a major contributor to the strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use and thus reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Wind energy, like all power sources, can have adverse impacts on wildlife. After nearly 25 years of focused research, these impacts are much better understood, although uncertainty remains. In this report, we summarize p
By
Species Management Research Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Wildlife mortality at wind facilities: How we know what we know how we might mislead ourselves, and how we set our future course

To accurately estimate per turbine – or per megawatt – annual wildlife mortality at wind facilities, the raw counts of carcasses found must be adjusted for four major sources of imperfect detection: (1) fatalities that occur outside the monitoring period; (2) carcasses that land outside the monitored area; (3) carcasses that are removed by scavengers or deteriorate beyond recognition prior to dete
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

GenEst user guide—Software for a generalized estimator of mortality

GenEst (Generalized Estimator) is a software tool for estimating the total number of individuals arriving in an area during a specific time period when their detection probability is unknown but estimable. Its development was motivated by the need to accurately estimate the total number of bird and bat fatalities occurring at wind and solar energy facilities, but it is applicable in a variety of o
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

GenEst statistical models—A generalized estimator of mortality

IntroductionGenEst (a generalized estimator of mortality) is a suite of statistical models and software tools for generalized mortality estimation. It was specifically designed for estimating the number of bird and bat fatalities at solar and wind power facilities, but both the software (Dalthorp and others, 2018) and the underlying statistical models are general enough to be useful in various sit
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Kibler, K.M., Skaugset, A.E., Ganio, L.M., Huso, M.M., 2013, Effect of contemporary forest harvesting practices on headwater stream temperatures- Initial response of the Hinkle Creek catchment, Pacific Northwest, USA: Forest Ecology and Management, v. 310, p. 680-691, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.09.009
Arnett, E.B., Huso, M.M., Schirmacher, M.R., Hayes, J.P., 2011, Altering turbine speed reduces bat mortality at wind-energy facilities: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, v. 9, no. 4, p. 209-214.
Huso, M.M., 2010, An estimator of wildlife fatality from observed carcasses: Environmetrics, p. 1-19, https://doi.org/10.1002/env.1052.
Betts, M.G., Ganio, L., Huso, M.M., Som, N., Huettmann, F., Bowman, J., Wintle, B.A., 2009, Comment on ‘‘Methods to account for spatial autocorrelation in the analysis of species distributional data- a review’’: Ecography, v. 32, p. 374-378.
Boland, J.L., Hayes, J.P., Smith, W.P., Huso, M.M., 2009, Selection of day-roosts by Keen's myotis (Myotis keenii) at multiple spatial scales: Journal of Mammalogy, v. 90, no. 1, p. 222-234.
Shaw, D.C., Huso, M.M., Bruner, H., 2008, Basal area growth impacts of dwarf mistletoe on western hemlock in an old-growth forest: Canadian Journal of Forest Research, v. 38, p. 576-583.
Waldien, D.L., Hayes, J.P., Huso, M.M., 2006, Use of downed wood by Townsend's Chipmunks (Tamias Townsendii) in western Oregon: Journal of Mammalogy, v. 87, no. 3, p. 454-460, https://doi.org/10.1644/05-MAMM-A-136R1.1
Kelsey, R.G., Hennon, P.E., Huso, M.M., Karchesy, J.J., 2005, Changes in heartwood chemistry of dead yellow-cedar trees that remain standing for 80 years or more in southeast Alaska: Journal of Chemical Ecology, v. 31, no. 11, p. 2653-2669.
Krankina, O.N., Houghton, R.A., Harmon, M.E., Hogg, E.H., Butman, D., Yatskov, M., Huso, M.M., Treyfeld, R.F., Razuvaev, V.N., Spycher, G., 2005, Effects of climate, disturbance and species on forest biomass across Russia: Canadian Journal of Forest Research, v. 35, no. 9, p. 2821-2293, https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-151.
Grotta, A.T., Gartner, B.L., Radosevich, S.R., Huso, M.M., 2005, Influence of red alder competition on cambial phenology and latewood formation in Douglas-fir: International Association of Wood Anatomists Journal, v. 26, no. 3, p. 309-324.
HyperLinkHayes, J.P., Weikel, J., Huso, M.M., Erickson, J., 2003, Response of Birds to Thinning Young Douglas-fir Forests: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 033-03 p. 2, https://doi.org/10.3133/fs03303
Hayes, J.P., Weikel, J., Huso, M.M., 2003, Response of birds to thinning young Douglas-fir forests: Ecological Applications, v. 13, no. 5, p. 1222-1232, https://doi.org/10.1890/02-5068
Clausnitzer, D., Huso, M.M., Pyke, D.A., Belnap, J., Graham, T.B., Sanford, R.L., Phillips, S.L., 2003, Interactions of cattle grazing and climate change- hierarchical data analysis In Allsopp, N., Walker, N., eds., VIIth International Rangeland Conference Proceedings, 26 July-1 August 2003,: Durban, South Africa, The Congress, p. 1062-1064
McEvoy, P.B., Rudd, N.T., Cox, C.S., Huso, M.M., 2002, Disturbance, competition, and herbivory effects on ragwort Senecio jacobaea populations: Ecological Monographs, v. 63, no. 1, p. 55-75.
Smith, J.E., Molina, R., Huso, M.M., Luoma, D.L., McKay, D., Castellano, M.A., Lebel, T., Valachovic, Y., 2002, Species richness, abundance and composition of hypogeous and epigeous ectomycorrhizal fungal sporocarps in young, rotation-age and old-growth stands of Douglas-fir (Psedotsuga menziesii) in the Cascade Range of Oregon: Canadian Journal of Botany, v. 80, p. 186-204, https://doi.org/10.1139/B02-003.
Smith, J.E., Molina, R., Huso, M.M., Larsen, M.J., 2000, Occurrence of Piloderma fallax in young, rotation-age, and old-growth stands of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in the Cascade Range of Oregon, U.S.A.: Canadian Journal of Botany, v. 78, p. 995-1001, https://doi.org/10.1139/b00-085.
Csuti, B., Polansky, S., Williams, P.H., Pressey, R.L., Camm, J.D., Kershaw, M., Kiester, A.R., Downs, B., Hamilton, R., Huso, M.M., Sahr, K., 1997, A comparison of reserve selection algorithms using data on terrestrial vertebrates in Oregon: Biological Conservation, v. 80, p. 83-97.
Csuti, B., Kimerling, A.J., O'Neil, T.A., Shaughnessy, M.M., Gaines, E.P., Huso, M.M., 1997, Atlas of Oregon Wildlife- distribution, habitat, and natural history: Corvallis, OR, Oregon State University Press, p. 498.
Arthur, J.L., Hachey, M., Sahr, K., Huso, M.M., Kiester, A.R., 1997, Finding all optimal solutions to the reserve site selection problem- formulation and computational analysis: Environmental and Ecological Statistics, v. 4, no. 2, p. 153-165, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018570311399.
Reams, G.A., Huso, M.M., Vong, R.J., McCollum, J.M., 1997, Kriging direct and indirect estimates of sulfate deposition- a comparison: USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station Research Paper SRS-7, p. 8, https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-RP-7
Reams, G.A., Huso, M.M., 1990, Stand history - an alternative explanation of red spruce radial growth reduction: Canadian Journal of Forest Research, v. 20, p. 250-253.
McEvoy, P.B., Rudd, N.T., Cox, C.S., Huso, M.M., 1993, Disturbance, competition, and herbivory effects on ragwort Senecio jacobaea populations: Ecological Monographs, v. 63, no. 1, p. 55-75.

**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.

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wind turbine next to a dilapidated barn

Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
Learn More
link
GenEst cover art

A Generalized Estimator for Estimating Bird and Bat Mortality at Renewable Energy Facilities - GenEst

GenEst - One estimator for accurate bird and bat fatality estimates
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
link

A Generalized Estimator for Estimating Bird and Bat Mortality at Renewable Energy Facilities - GenEst

GenEst - One estimator for accurate bird and bat fatality estimates
Learn More
link
Array of photovoltaic cells and a wind energy facility

Statistical Tools for Wind and Solar Energy Development and Operations

Solar and wind power development is increasing exponentially in the United States. However, these energy sources may affect wildlife, either directly from collisions with the turbine blades or photovoltaic arrays or indirectly from loss of habitat and migration routes. An important component to understanding the effects of these renewable energy projects on wildlife is accurate and precise...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
link

Statistical Tools for Wind and Solar Energy Development and Operations

Solar and wind power development is increasing exponentially in the United States. However, these energy sources may affect wildlife, either directly from collisions with the turbine blades or photovoltaic arrays or indirectly from loss of habitat and migration routes. An important component to understanding the effects of these renewable energy projects on wildlife is accurate and precise...
Learn More
link
wind turbine next to a dilapidated barn

Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
link

Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
Learn More
link
Tall windmills on a semi-arid landscape with snow-covered mountains in the background

Effects of Wind and Solar Energy Development on Wildlife

This research theme informs adaptive management and siting decsions in relation to bats at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
By
Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
link

Effects of Wind and Solar Energy Development on Wildlife

This research theme informs adaptive management and siting decsions in relation to bats at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
Learn More
link
wind turbines around a farm house

Applied Statistical Methods and Tools

This research theme addresses several issues important in deriving accurate and precise estimates of fatality at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
By
Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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Applied Statistical Methods and Tools

This research theme addresses several issues important in deriving accurate and precise estimates of fatality at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
Learn More

If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area Repower Data (2018-2019)

Variation in avian and bat mortality as a function of turbine size was investigated in the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area near Palm Springs, CA. Five sites were monitored for carcasses by dog-handler teams every 3 days from May 2018 to April 2019. The data consist of six tables used for analyses on mortality rates including: specifications on selected wind turbines (including energy capacity
By
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

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link

If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

Density-weighted proportion (dwp) tool suite

Estimating the number of birds or bats killed at a wind power facility involves adjusting observed carcass counts to account for imperfect detection. To account for carcasses that lie outside the searched area, the count is adjusted by dividing by the estimated proportion of carcasses lying within the searched area or the density-weighted proportion (dwp). The dwp package provides tools for estima
By
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

GenEst - A Generalized Estimator of Mortality

GenEst, a generalized estimator of wildlife mortality at renewable energy facilities.

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Generalized Mortality Estimator (GenEst) - R code & GUI

GenEst is a tool for estimating mortalities from efficiency, persistence, and carcass data.
By
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Evidence of Absence (EoA) Software and User's Guide

Software to Estimate Bird and Bat Fatality at Wind Farms

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Fatality Estimator Software

Tool to Evaluate Wildlife Fatalities at Wind-Power Facilities

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.

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Classifying Animal Behavior States from Environmental Features

Understanding an animal’s response to its environment and predicting its behavior is a common goal of animal movement ecology and conservation...

Read Article
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Wildlife Mortality from Wind Turbines Scales with Energy Production

Older wind facilities are being “repowered,” which involves replacing smaller, closely spaced turbines with larger ones, more widely spaced.

Read Article
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Estimating Turbine-Induced Bird and Bat Fatalities on Roads and Pads

Estimating wildlife mortality at wind facilities is complicated, partially because carcasses may not be detected in thick vegetation, rivers, or lakes...

Read Article
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Some Approaches to Accounting for Incidental Carcass Discoveries in Non-Monitored Years using the Evidence of Absence Model

The software tool “Evidence of Absence” (EoA) was published in 2014 to help interpret evidence that the number of fatalities of protected species (PS)...

Read Article
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Estimating Population Size with Imperfect Detection Using a Parametric Bootstrap

Methods exist for estimating the size of a population of imperfectly detected individuals, yet problems arise when the detection probability and the...

Read Article
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Developing a Model to Estimate Golden Eagle Take at Wind-Power Facilities

Simple counts of carcasses found at wind farms do not reflect actual fatalities because some are removed by scavengers, or are overlooked by or fall...

Read Article
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Raptor Interactions with Wind Energy: Case Studies from Around the World

Attempts to measure and mitigate the effects of wind turbines on wildlife have been an integral part of wind energy development.

Read Article
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Designing Mortality Monitoring at Solar Facilities

Addressing a need for wildlife monitoring at solar power facilities

Read Article

Science and Products

  • Publications

    If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

    GenEst statistical models—A generalized estimator of mortality

    IntroductionGenEst (a generalized estimator of mortality) is a suite of statistical models and software tools for generalized mortality estimation. It was specifically designed for estimating the number of bird and bat fatalities at solar and wind power facilities, but both the software (Dalthorp and others, 2018) and the underlying statistical models are general enough to be useful in various sit
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
    Filter Total Items: 34

    A review of supervised learning methods for classifying animal behavioural states from environmental features

    Accurately predicting behavioural modes of animals in response to environmental features is important for ecology and conservation. Supervised learning (SL) methods are increasingly common in animal movement ecology for classifying behavioural modes. However, few examples exist of applying SL to classify polytomous animal behaviour from environmental features especially in the context of millions
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Classifying behavior from short-interval biologging data: An example with GPS tracking of birds

    Recent advances in digital data collection have spurred accumulation of immense quantities of data that have potential to lead to remarkable ecological insight, but that also present analytic challenges. In the case of biologging data from birds, common analytical approaches to classifying movement behaviors are largely inappropriate for these massive data sets.We apply a framework for using K-mea
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Relative energy production determines effect of repowering on wildlife mortality at wind energy facilities

    Reduction in wildlife mortality is often cited as a potential advantage to repowering wind facilities, that is, replacing smaller, lower capacity, closely spaced turbines, with larger, higher capacity ones, more widely spaced. Wildlife mortality rates, however, are affected by more than just size and spacing of turbines, varying with turbine operation, seasonal and daily weather and habitat, all o
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Performance of the GenEst Mortality Estimator Compared to The Huso and Shoenfeld Estimators

    The impacts of wind power development on bat and bird populations are commonly assessed by estimating the number of fatalities at wind power facilities through post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies. Standard methodology involves periodic carcass searches on plots beneath turbines (Strickland et al. 2011, US Fish and Wildlife Service 2012). The resulting counts are adjusted to compensate for b
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Comparing methods to estimate the proportion of turbine-induced bird and bat mortality in the search area under a road and pad search protocol

    Estimating bird and bat mortality at wind facilities typically involves searching for carcasses on the ground near turbines. Some fraction of carcasses inevitably lie outside the search plots, and accurate mortality estimation requires accounting for those carcasses using models to extrapolate from searched to unsearched areas. Such models should account for variation in carcass density with dista
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Some approaches to accounting for incidental carcass discoveries in non-monitored years using the Evidence of Absence model

    Executive SummaryWe evaluate three approaches to accounting for incidental carcasses when estimating an upper bound on total mortality (𝑀) as 𝑀∗ using the Evidence of Absence model (EoA; Dalthorp and others, 2017) to assess compliance with an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) (Dalthorp & Huso, 2015) under a monitoring protocol that includes formal, dedicated carcass surveys that achieve an overall dete
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Wind energy: An ecological challenge

    No abstract available.
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

    Estimating population size with imperfect detection using a parametric bootstrap

    We develop a novel method of estimating population size from imperfectly detected counts of individuals and a separate estimate of detection probability. Observed counts are separated into classes within which detection probability is assumed constant. Within a detection class, counts are modeled as a single binomial observation X with success probability p where the goal is to estimate index N. W
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Impacts to wildlife of wind energy siting and operation in the United States

    Electricity from wind energy is a major contributor to the strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use and thus reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Wind energy, like all power sources, can have adverse impacts on wildlife. After nearly 25 years of focused research, these impacts are much better understood, although uncertainty remains. In this report, we summarize p
    By
    Species Management Research Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

    Wildlife mortality at wind facilities: How we know what we know how we might mislead ourselves, and how we set our future course

    To accurately estimate per turbine – or per megawatt – annual wildlife mortality at wind facilities, the raw counts of carcasses found must be adjusted for four major sources of imperfect detection: (1) fatalities that occur outside the monitoring period; (2) carcasses that land outside the monitored area; (3) carcasses that are removed by scavengers or deteriorate beyond recognition prior to dete
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    GenEst user guide—Software for a generalized estimator of mortality

    GenEst (Generalized Estimator) is a software tool for estimating the total number of individuals arriving in an area during a specific time period when their detection probability is unknown but estimable. Its development was motivated by the need to accurately estimate the total number of bird and bat fatalities occurring at wind and solar energy facilities, but it is applicable in a variety of o
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    GenEst statistical models—A generalized estimator of mortality

    IntroductionGenEst (a generalized estimator of mortality) is a suite of statistical models and software tools for generalized mortality estimation. It was specifically designed for estimating the number of bird and bat fatalities at solar and wind power facilities, but both the software (Dalthorp and others, 2018) and the underlying statistical models are general enough to be useful in various sit
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Non-USGS Publications**

    Kibler, K.M., Skaugset, A.E., Ganio, L.M., Huso, M.M., 2013, Effect of contemporary forest harvesting practices on headwater stream temperatures- Initial response of the Hinkle Creek catchment, Pacific Northwest, USA: Forest Ecology and Management, v. 310, p. 680-691, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.09.009
    Arnett, E.B., Huso, M.M., Schirmacher, M.R., Hayes, J.P., 2011, Altering turbine speed reduces bat mortality at wind-energy facilities: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, v. 9, no. 4, p. 209-214.
    Huso, M.M., 2010, An estimator of wildlife fatality from observed carcasses: Environmetrics, p. 1-19, https://doi.org/10.1002/env.1052.
    Betts, M.G., Ganio, L., Huso, M.M., Som, N., Huettmann, F., Bowman, J., Wintle, B.A., 2009, Comment on ‘‘Methods to account for spatial autocorrelation in the analysis of species distributional data- a review’’: Ecography, v. 32, p. 374-378.
    Boland, J.L., Hayes, J.P., Smith, W.P., Huso, M.M., 2009, Selection of day-roosts by Keen's myotis (Myotis keenii) at multiple spatial scales: Journal of Mammalogy, v. 90, no. 1, p. 222-234.
    Shaw, D.C., Huso, M.M., Bruner, H., 2008, Basal area growth impacts of dwarf mistletoe on western hemlock in an old-growth forest: Canadian Journal of Forest Research, v. 38, p. 576-583.
    Waldien, D.L., Hayes, J.P., Huso, M.M., 2006, Use of downed wood by Townsend's Chipmunks (Tamias Townsendii) in western Oregon: Journal of Mammalogy, v. 87, no. 3, p. 454-460, https://doi.org/10.1644/05-MAMM-A-136R1.1
    Kelsey, R.G., Hennon, P.E., Huso, M.M., Karchesy, J.J., 2005, Changes in heartwood chemistry of dead yellow-cedar trees that remain standing for 80 years or more in southeast Alaska: Journal of Chemical Ecology, v. 31, no. 11, p. 2653-2669.
    Krankina, O.N., Houghton, R.A., Harmon, M.E., Hogg, E.H., Butman, D., Yatskov, M., Huso, M.M., Treyfeld, R.F., Razuvaev, V.N., Spycher, G., 2005, Effects of climate, disturbance and species on forest biomass across Russia: Canadian Journal of Forest Research, v. 35, no. 9, p. 2821-2293, https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-151.
    Grotta, A.T., Gartner, B.L., Radosevich, S.R., Huso, M.M., 2005, Influence of red alder competition on cambial phenology and latewood formation in Douglas-fir: International Association of Wood Anatomists Journal, v. 26, no. 3, p. 309-324.
    HyperLinkHayes, J.P., Weikel, J., Huso, M.M., Erickson, J., 2003, Response of Birds to Thinning Young Douglas-fir Forests: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 033-03 p. 2, https://doi.org/10.3133/fs03303
    Hayes, J.P., Weikel, J., Huso, M.M., 2003, Response of birds to thinning young Douglas-fir forests: Ecological Applications, v. 13, no. 5, p. 1222-1232, https://doi.org/10.1890/02-5068
    Clausnitzer, D., Huso, M.M., Pyke, D.A., Belnap, J., Graham, T.B., Sanford, R.L., Phillips, S.L., 2003, Interactions of cattle grazing and climate change- hierarchical data analysis In Allsopp, N., Walker, N., eds., VIIth International Rangeland Conference Proceedings, 26 July-1 August 2003,: Durban, South Africa, The Congress, p. 1062-1064
    McEvoy, P.B., Rudd, N.T., Cox, C.S., Huso, M.M., 2002, Disturbance, competition, and herbivory effects on ragwort Senecio jacobaea populations: Ecological Monographs, v. 63, no. 1, p. 55-75.
    Smith, J.E., Molina, R., Huso, M.M., Luoma, D.L., McKay, D., Castellano, M.A., Lebel, T., Valachovic, Y., 2002, Species richness, abundance and composition of hypogeous and epigeous ectomycorrhizal fungal sporocarps in young, rotation-age and old-growth stands of Douglas-fir (Psedotsuga menziesii) in the Cascade Range of Oregon: Canadian Journal of Botany, v. 80, p. 186-204, https://doi.org/10.1139/B02-003.
    Smith, J.E., Molina, R., Huso, M.M., Larsen, M.J., 2000, Occurrence of Piloderma fallax in young, rotation-age, and old-growth stands of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in the Cascade Range of Oregon, U.S.A.: Canadian Journal of Botany, v. 78, p. 995-1001, https://doi.org/10.1139/b00-085.
    Csuti, B., Polansky, S., Williams, P.H., Pressey, R.L., Camm, J.D., Kershaw, M., Kiester, A.R., Downs, B., Hamilton, R., Huso, M.M., Sahr, K., 1997, A comparison of reserve selection algorithms using data on terrestrial vertebrates in Oregon: Biological Conservation, v. 80, p. 83-97.
    Csuti, B., Kimerling, A.J., O'Neil, T.A., Shaughnessy, M.M., Gaines, E.P., Huso, M.M., 1997, Atlas of Oregon Wildlife- distribution, habitat, and natural history: Corvallis, OR, Oregon State University Press, p. 498.
    Arthur, J.L., Hachey, M., Sahr, K., Huso, M.M., Kiester, A.R., 1997, Finding all optimal solutions to the reserve site selection problem- formulation and computational analysis: Environmental and Ecological Statistics, v. 4, no. 2, p. 153-165, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018570311399.
    Reams, G.A., Huso, M.M., Vong, R.J., McCollum, J.M., 1997, Kriging direct and indirect estimates of sulfate deposition- a comparison: USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station Research Paper SRS-7, p. 8, https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-RP-7
    Reams, G.A., Huso, M.M., 1990, Stand history - an alternative explanation of red spruce radial growth reduction: Canadian Journal of Forest Research, v. 20, p. 250-253.
    McEvoy, P.B., Rudd, N.T., Cox, C.S., Huso, M.M., 1993, Disturbance, competition, and herbivory effects on ragwort Senecio jacobaea populations: Ecological Monographs, v. 63, no. 1, p. 55-75.

    **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.

  • Science
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    wind turbine next to a dilapidated barn

    Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

    FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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    Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

    FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
    Learn More
    link
    GenEst cover art

    A Generalized Estimator for Estimating Bird and Bat Mortality at Renewable Energy Facilities - GenEst

    GenEst - One estimator for accurate bird and bat fatality estimates
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    Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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    A Generalized Estimator for Estimating Bird and Bat Mortality at Renewable Energy Facilities - GenEst

    GenEst - One estimator for accurate bird and bat fatality estimates
    Learn More
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    Array of photovoltaic cells and a wind energy facility

    Statistical Tools for Wind and Solar Energy Development and Operations

    Solar and wind power development is increasing exponentially in the United States. However, these energy sources may affect wildlife, either directly from collisions with the turbine blades or photovoltaic arrays or indirectly from loss of habitat and migration routes. An important component to understanding the effects of these renewable energy projects on wildlife is accurate and precise...
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    Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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    Statistical Tools for Wind and Solar Energy Development and Operations

    Solar and wind power development is increasing exponentially in the United States. However, these energy sources may affect wildlife, either directly from collisions with the turbine blades or photovoltaic arrays or indirectly from loss of habitat and migration routes. An important component to understanding the effects of these renewable energy projects on wildlife is accurate and precise...
    Learn More
    link
    wind turbine next to a dilapidated barn

    Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

    FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
    link

    Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)

    FRESC's Wind Energy and Wildlife Team is lead by Manuela Huso. She and her team are involved in design and analysis of post-construction fatality monitoring studies as well as deterrent and curtailment studies at several wind-power generation facilities.
    Learn More
    link
    Tall windmills on a semi-arid landscape with snow-covered mountains in the background

    Effects of Wind and Solar Energy Development on Wildlife

    This research theme informs adaptive management and siting decsions in relation to bats at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
    By
    Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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    Effects of Wind and Solar Energy Development on Wildlife

    This research theme informs adaptive management and siting decsions in relation to bats at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
    Learn More
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    wind turbines around a farm house

    Applied Statistical Methods and Tools

    This research theme addresses several issues important in deriving accurate and precise estimates of fatality at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
    By
    Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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    Applied Statistical Methods and Tools

    This research theme addresses several issues important in deriving accurate and precise estimates of fatality at wind and solar power-generation facilities.
    Learn More
  • Data

    If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

    San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area Repower Data (2018-2019)

    Variation in avian and bat mortality as a function of turbine size was investigated in the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area near Palm Springs, CA. Five sites were monitored for carcasses by dog-handler teams every 3 days from May 2018 to April 2019. The data consist of six tables used for analyses on mortality rates including: specifications on selected wind turbines (including energy capacity
    By
    Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
  • Multimedia

    If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

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  • Software

    If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

    Density-weighted proportion (dwp) tool suite

    Estimating the number of birds or bats killed at a wind power facility involves adjusting observed carcass counts to account for imperfect detection. To account for carcasses that lie outside the searched area, the count is adjusted by dividing by the estimated proportion of carcasses lying within the searched area or the density-weighted proportion (dwp). The dwp package provides tools for estima
    By
    Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    GenEst - A Generalized Estimator of Mortality

    GenEst, a generalized estimator of wildlife mortality at renewable energy facilities.

    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Generalized Mortality Estimator (GenEst) - R code & GUI

    GenEst is a tool for estimating mortalities from efficiency, persistence, and carcass data.
    By
    Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Evidence of Absence (EoA) Software and User's Guide

    Software to Estimate Bird and Bat Fatality at Wind Farms

    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Fatality Estimator Software

    Tool to Evaluate Wildlife Fatalities at Wind-Power Facilities

    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
  • News

    To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.

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    Classifying Animal Behavior States from Environmental Features

    Understanding an animal’s response to its environment and predicting its behavior is a common goal of animal movement ecology and conservation...

    Read Article
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    Wildlife Mortality from Wind Turbines Scales with Energy Production

    Older wind facilities are being “repowered,” which involves replacing smaller, closely spaced turbines with larger ones, more widely spaced.

    Read Article
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    Estimating Turbine-Induced Bird and Bat Fatalities on Roads and Pads

    Estimating wildlife mortality at wind facilities is complicated, partially because carcasses may not be detected in thick vegetation, rivers, or lakes...

    Read Article
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    Some Approaches to Accounting for Incidental Carcass Discoveries in Non-Monitored Years using the Evidence of Absence Model

    The software tool “Evidence of Absence” (EoA) was published in 2014 to help interpret evidence that the number of fatalities of protected species (PS)...

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    Estimating Population Size with Imperfect Detection Using a Parametric Bootstrap

    Methods exist for estimating the size of a population of imperfectly detected individuals, yet problems arise when the detection probability and the...

    Read Article
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    Developing a Model to Estimate Golden Eagle Take at Wind-Power Facilities

    Simple counts of carcasses found at wind farms do not reflect actual fatalities because some are removed by scavengers, or are overlooked by or fall...

    Read Article
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    Raptor Interactions with Wind Energy: Case Studies from Around the World

    Attempts to measure and mitigate the effects of wind turbines on wildlife have been an integral part of wind energy development.

    Read Article
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    Designing Mortality Monitoring at Solar Facilities

    Addressing a need for wildlife monitoring at solar power facilities

    Read Article