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
Wind Energy and Wildlife Team (FRESC)
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.
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.
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
Behavior of bats at wind turbines
Wind turbines are causing unprecedented numbers of bat fatalities. Many fatalities involve tree-roosting bats, but reasons for this higher susceptibility remain unknown. To better understand behaviors associated with risk, we monitored bats at three experimentally manipulated wind turbines in Indiana, United States, from July 29 to October 1, 2012, using thermal cameras and other methods. We obser
Evidence of Absence software
A comment on "bats killed in large numbers at United States wind energy facilities"
Region-wide ecological responses of arid Wyoming big sagebrush communities to fuel treatments
Accounting for unsearched areas in estimating wind turbine-caused fatality
Evaluating the effectiveness of an ultrasonic acoustic deterrent for reducing bat fatalities at wind turbines
Management, morphological, and environmental factors influencing Douglas-fir bark furrows in the Oregon Coast Range
Habitat selection by juvenile Swainson’s thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) in headwater riparian areas, northwestern Oregon, USA
A comment on "Novel scavenger removal trials increase wind turbine-caused avian fatality estimates"
Estimating direct fatality impacts at wind farms: how far we’ve come, where we have yet to go
N2-fixing red alder indirectly accelerates ecosystem nitrogen cycling
Factors affecting incubation patterns and sex roles of black oystercatchers in Alaska
Non-USGS Publications**
**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.
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.
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Science and Products
- Science
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. - 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.
- 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.
- 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 sitAuthorsDaniel Dalthorp, Lisa Madsen, Manuela M. Huso, Paul A. Rabie, Robert Wolpert, Jared Studyvin, Juniper Simonis, Jeffrey MintzFilter Total Items: 36Behavior of bats at wind turbines
Wind turbines are causing unprecedented numbers of bat fatalities. Many fatalities involve tree-roosting bats, but reasons for this higher susceptibility remain unknown. To better understand behaviors associated with risk, we monitored bats at three experimentally manipulated wind turbines in Indiana, United States, from July 29 to October 1, 2012, using thermal cameras and other methods. We obser
AuthorsPaul M. Cryan, P. Marcos Gorresen, Cris D. Hine, Michael Schirmacher, Robert H. Diehl, Manuela M. Huso, David T.S. Hayman, Paul D. Fricker, Frank J. Bonaccorso, Douglas H. Johnson, Kevin W. Heist, David C. DaltonEvidence of Absence software
Evidence of Absence software (EoA) is a user-friendly application used for estimating bird and bat fatalities at wind farms and designing search protocols. The software is particularly useful in addressing whether the number of fatalities has exceeded a given threshold and what search parameters are needed to give assurance that thresholds were not exceeded. The software is applicable even when zeAuthorsDaniel Dalthorp, Manuela M. P. Huso, David Dail, Jessica KenyonA comment on "bats killed in large numbers at United States wind energy facilities"
Widespread reports of bat fatalities caused by wind turbines have raised concerns about the impacts of wind power development. Reliable estimates of the total number killed and the potential effects on populations are needed, but it is crucial that they be based on sound data. In a recent BioScience article, Hayes (2013) estimated that over 600,000 bats were killed at wind turbines in the UnitedAuthorsManuela M.P. Huso, Dan DalthorpRegion-wide ecological responses of arid Wyoming big sagebrush communities to fuel treatments
If arid sagebrush ecosystems lack resilience to disturbances or resistance to annual invasives, then alternative successional states dominated by annual invasives, especially cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), are likely after fuel treatments. We identified six Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young) locations (152–381 mm precipitation) that we believed had suffAuthorsDavid A. Pyke, Scott E. Shaff, Andrew I. Lindgren, Eugene W. Schupp, Paul S. Doescher, Jeanne C. Chambers, Jeffrey S. Burnham, Manuela M. HusoAccounting for unsearched areas in estimating wind turbine-caused fatality
With wind energy production expanding rapidly, concerns about turbine-induced bird and bat fatality have grown and the demand for accurate estimation of fatality is increasing. Estimation typically involves counting carcasses observed below turbines and adjusting counts by estimated detection probabilities. Three primary sources of imperfect detection are 1) carcasses fall into unsearched areas, 2AuthorsManuela M.P. Huso, Dan DalthorpEvaluating the effectiveness of an ultrasonic acoustic deterrent for reducing bat fatalities at wind turbines
Large numbers of bats are killed by wind turbines worldwide and minimizing fatalities is critically important to bat conservation and acceptance of wind energy development. We implemented a 2-year study testing the effectiveness of an ultrasonic acoustic deterrent for reducing bat fatalities at a wind energy facility in Pennsylvania. We randomly selected control and treatment turbines that were seAuthorsEdward B. Arnett, Cris D. Hein, Michael R. Schirmacher, Manuela M.P. Huso, Joseph M. SzewczakManagement, morphological, and environmental factors influencing Douglas-fir bark furrows in the Oregon Coast Range
Many land managers in the Pacific Northwest have the goal of increasing late-successional forest structures. Despite the documented importance of Douglas-fir tree bark structure in forested ecosystems, little is known about factors influencing bark development and how foresters can manage development. This study investigated the relative importance of tree size, growth, environmental factors, andAuthorsChristopher D. Sheridan, Klaus J. Puettmann, Manuela M.P. Huso, Joan C. Hagar, Kristen R. FalkHabitat selection by juvenile Swainson’s thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) in headwater riparian areas, northwestern Oregon, USA
Lower order, non-fish-bearing streams, often termed “headwater streams”, have received minimal research effort and protection priority, especially in mesic forests where distinction between riparian and upland vegetation can be subtle. Though it is generally thought that breeding bird abundance is higher in riparian zones, little is known about species distributions when birds are in their juvenilAuthorsStephanie R. Jenkins, Matthew G. Betts, Manuela M. Huso, Joan C. HagarA comment on "Novel scavenger removal trials increase wind turbine-caused avian fatality estimates"
In a recent paper, Smallwood et al. (2010) conducted a study to compare their “novel” approach to conducting carcass removal trials with what they term the “conventional” approach and to evaluate the effects of the different methods on estimated avian fatality at a wind power facility in California. A quick glance at Table 3 that succinctly summarizes their results and provides estimated fatalityAuthorsManuela M.P. Huso, Wallace P. EricksonEstimating direct fatality impacts at wind farms: how far we’ve come, where we have yet to go
Measuring the potential impacts of wind farms on wildlife can be difficult and may require development of new statistical tools and models to accurately reflect the measurement process. This presentation reviews the recent history of approaches to estimating wildlife fatality under the unique conditions encountered at wind farms, their unifying themes and their potential shortcomings. Avenues oAuthorsManuela M. HusoN2-fixing red alder indirectly accelerates ecosystem nitrogen cycling
Symbiotic N2-fixing tree species can accelerate ecosystem N dynamics through decomposition via direct pathways by producing readily decomposed leaf litter and increasing N supply to decomposers, as well as via indirect pathways by increasing tissue and detrital N in non-fixing vegetation. To evaluate the relative importance of these pathways, we compared three-year decomposition and N dynamics ofAuthorsSteven S. Perakis, Joselin J. Matkins, David E. HibbsFactors affecting incubation patterns and sex roles of black oystercatchers in Alaska
Studies examining the effects of human disturbance on avian parental behavior and reproductive success are fundamental to bird conservation. However, many such studies fail to also consider the influence of natural threats, a variable environment, and parental roles. Our work examines interactive relationships of cyclical (time of day, tide, temperature, seasonality) and stochastic (natural/humanAuthorsCaleb S. Spiegel, Susan M. Haig, Michael I. Goldstein, Manuela M. P. HusoNon-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.2013.09.009Arnett, 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-136R1.1Kelsey, 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/fs03303Hayes, 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/10.1890/02-5068Clausnitzer, 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. 1062-1064McEvoy, 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-7Reams, 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.
- 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.
- News
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.