I have spent my USGS career focused on addressing science needs of resource managers and agencies across a wide range of ecosystems by integrating concepts from population, community, and ecosystem ecology.
My experience spans ecological systems ranging from desert wetlands in California to sub-arctic islands in Alaska to rangelands of the American West. I now help facilitate science production for principal investigators at FRESC.
Professional Experience
2019-present: Supervisory Biologist-Research Manager, USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR
2002-2020: Wildlife Biologist, USGS Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon, CA
2000-2002: Biological Science Technician, USGS Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon, CA
1999: Faculty Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
1996-1999: Graduate Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
1994-1996: Field Biologist, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA (2013)
M.S., Wildlife Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR (2000)
B.S. Wildlife, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA (1995)
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.
Filter Total Items: 13
Selenium concentrations in Yuma Ridgway's Rails occupying managed and unmanaged emergent marshes at the Salton Sea
Yuma Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis, hereafter, "rail" are an endangered species for which patches of emergent marsh within the Salton Sea watershed comprise a substantial portion of habitat for the species' disjointed range in the southwestern United States. These areas of emergent marsh include: 1) marshes managed by federal (particularly the U.S. F
Yuma Ridgway's Rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis) Population Surveys, Rail Movement, and Potential Habitat at the Salton Sea of California
Data were obtained as part of a project assessing risk to the federal and California listed endangered Yuma Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis) populations resulting from selenium contaminated agricultural runoff and to inform habitat restoration and management decisions. Four data sets were produced and used to analyze patterns of Yuma Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis, renamed
Biological Tissue Data Used to Evaluate Selenium Hazards in the Salton Sea Ecosystem (1984-2020)
In response to the rapidly evolving conditions at the Salton Sea with the emergence of both newly formed wetland habitat and increasing hazards to wildlife, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey have funded a re-evaluation of data gaps regarding selenium concentrations in biota the region. As part of this work, selenium concentrations in biological tissue samples were compiled
Spatially-explicit predictive maps of greater sage-grouse nest selection integrated with nest survival in Nevada and northeastern California, USA
We applied spatially-explicit models to a spatiotemporally robust dataset of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nest locations and fates across wildfire-altered sagebrush ecosystems of the Great Basin ecoregion, western USA. Using sage-grouse as a focal species, we quantified scale-dependent factors driving nest site selection and nest survival across broad spatial scales in order to
Data maps of predicted raven density and areas of potential impact to nesting sage-grouse within sagebrush ecosystems of the North American Great Basin
These data represent predicted common raven (Corvus corax) density (ravens/square-km) derived from random forest models given field site unit-specific estimates of raven density that were obtained from hierarchical distance sampling models at 43 field site units within the Great Basin region, USA. Fifteen landscape-level predictors summarizing climate, vegetation, topography and anthropogenic foot
Additional mapping tools for Great Basin wildfire and conifer management to increase operational resilience: integrating sagebrush ecosystem and sage-grouse response
Conservation planning efforts for sagebrush ecosystems of western North America increasingly focus on enhancing operational resilience though decision-support tools that link spatially explicit variation in soil and plant processes to outcomes of biotic and abiotic disturbances spanning large spatial extents. However, failure to consider higher trophic-level fauna (e.g. wildlife) in these tools ca
Spatially Explicit Modeling of Annual and Seasonal Habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Northeastern California
Successful adaptive management hinges largely upon integrating new and improved sources of information as they become available. Updating management tools for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter referred to as "sage-grouse") populations, which are indicators for the large-scale health of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in the Great Basin of North Ameri
Geospatial data for object-based high-resolution classification of conifers within greater sage-grouse habitat across Nevada and a portion of northeastern California
These products were developed to provide scientific and correspondingly spatially explicit information regarding the distribution and abundance of conifers (namely, singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla), Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), and western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis)) in Nevada and portions of northeastern California. Encroachment of these trees into sagebrush ecosystems of the G
Data for: A conservation planning tool for greater sage-grouse using indices of species distribution, resilience, and resistance
Managers require quantitative yet tractable tools that can identify areas for restoration yielding effective benefits for targeted wildlife species and the ecosystems they inhabit. A spatially explicit conservation planning tool that guides effective sagebrush restoration for sage-grouse can be made more effective by integrating baseline maps describing existing (pre-restoration) habitat suitabili
Geospatial data for object-based high-resolution classification of conifers within the geographic range of the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment of greater sage-grouse in California and Nevada
These products were developed to provide scientific and correspondingly spatially explicit information regarding the distribution and abundance of conifers (namely, singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla), Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), and western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis)) in Nevada and portions of northeastern California. Encroachment of these trees into sagebrush ecosystems of the G
Summary Statistics Data for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Nesting and Brood-Rearing Microhabitat in Nevada and California-Spatial Variation in Selection and Survival Patterns, 2009-16
This dataset provides summary statistics of multiple sage-grouse microhabitat characteristics of the Great Basin.
These data support the following publication: Coates, P.S., Brussee, B.E., Ricca, M.A., Dudko, J.E., Prochazka, B.G., Espinosa, S.P., Casazza, M.L., and Delehanty, D.J., 2017, Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nesting and brood-rearing microhabitat in Nevada and Califo
Spatially Explicit Modeling of Annual and Seasonal Habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Nevada and Northeastern California - an Updated Decision-Support Tool for Management
Successful adaptive management hinges largely upon integrating new and improved sources of information as they become available. Updating management tools for greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter referred to as sage-grouse) populations, which are indicators for the large-scale health of sagebrush ( Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in the Great Basin of North America, provide a time
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.
Filter Total Items: 55
Yuma Ridgway’s rail selenium exposure and occupancy within managed and unmanaged emergent marshes at the Salton Sea
Yuma Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis, hereafter, rail) is an endangered species for which patches of emergent marsh within the Salton Sea watershed comprise a substantial part of habitat for the species’ disjointed range in the southwestern United States. These areas of emergent marsh include (1) marshes managed by federal (particularly the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sonny Bono S
Field methods for translocating female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) with their broods
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have experienced considerable range contraction and reduced abundance in response to habitat loss and degradation. Translocation is a conservation action that is often used to reintroduce extirpated populations or augment existing small populations. Translocations have had limited success in restoring viable populations of sage-grouse; a lack of succ
Ecological correlates of fecal corticosterone metabolites in female Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrococercus urophasianus)
Measurement of physiological responses can reveal effects of ecological conditions on
an animal and correlate with demographic parameters. Ecological conditions for many animal
species have deteriorated as a function of invasive plants and habitat fragmentation. Expansion
of juniper (Juniperus spp.) trees and invasion of annual grasses into sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)
ecosystems have contributed to
A customized framework for regional classification of conifers using automated feature extraction
Pinyon and juniper expansion into sagebrush ecosystems is one of the major challenges facing land managers in the Great Basin. Effective pinyon and juniper treatment requires maps that accurately and precisely depict tree location and degree of woodland development so managers can target restoration efforts for early stages of pinyon and juniper expansion. However, available remotely sensed layers
Range-wide greater sage-grouse hierarchical monitoring framework—Implications for defining population boundaries, trend estimation, and a targeted annual warning system
Incorporating spatial and temporal scales into greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) population monitoring strategies is challenging and rarely implemented. Sage-grouse populations experience fluctuations in abundance that lead to temporal oscillations, making trend estimation difficult. Accounting for stochasticity is critical to reliably estimate population trends and investigate varia
Brood parasitism of greater sage-grouse by California Quail in Idaho
We describe a case of brood parasitism of a Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) nest by California Quail (Callipepla californica; hereafter, quail) in southwestern Idaho during 2019. We observed one quail egg in the parasitized nest; the egg partially hatched, but the chick was dead upon the final nest check. Of the 6 sage-grouse eggs in the nest, only 2 hatched
Free-roaming horses disrupt greater sage-grouse lekking activity in the Great Basin
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) and free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) co-occur within large portions of sagebrush ecosystems within the Great Basin of western North America. In recent decades, sage-grouse populations have declined substantially while concomitant free-roaming horse populations have increased drastically. Although multiple studies have repo
Postfire growth of seeded and planted big sagebrush - Strategic designs for restoring Greater Sage-grouse nesting habitat
Wildfires change plant community structure and impact wildlife habitat and population dynamics. Recent wildfire‐induced losses of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) in North American shrublands are outpacing natural recovery and leading to substantial losses in habitat for sagebrush‐obligate species such as Greater Sage‐grouse. Managers are considering restoration strategies that include plantin
Wildfire and the ecological niche: Diminishing habitat suitability for an indicator species within semi‐arid ecosystems
Globally accelerating frequency and extent of wildfire threatens the persistence of specialist wildlife species through direct loss of habitat and indirect facilitation of exotic invasive species. Habitat specialists may be especially prone to rapidly changing environmental conditions because their ability to adapt lags behind the rate of habitat alteration. As a result, these populations may beco
Greater sage-grouse chick killed by Great Basin gopher snake
Despite extensive range overlap between Great Basin gopher snakes (Pituophis catenifer deserticola) and Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) within sagebrush ecosystems, there are few documented predator–prey interactions between these species. Although gopher snakes have been observed preying on nests of other prairie grouse, studies that used video-monitoring at sage-grouse nests foun
Broad-scale impacts of an invasive native predator on a sensitive native prey species within the shifting avian community of the North American Great Basin
Human enterprise has modified ecosystem processes through direct and indirect alteration of native predators’ distribution and abundance. For example, human activities subsidize food, water, and shelter availability to generalist predators whose subsequent increased abundance impacts lower trophic-level prey species. The common raven (Corvus corax; hereafter, raven) is an avian predator, native to
Population and habitat analyses for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the bi-state distinct population segment—2018 update
Executive SummaryThe Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (Bi-State DPS) of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereinafter “sage-grouse”) represents a genetically distinct and geographically isolated population that straddles the border between Nevada and California. The primary threat to these sage-grouse populations is the expansion of single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) and Utah
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.
Science and Products
- 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.
Filter Total Items: 13Selenium concentrations in Yuma Ridgway's Rails occupying managed and unmanaged emergent marshes at the Salton Sea
Yuma Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis, hereafter, "rail" are an endangered species for which patches of emergent marsh within the Salton Sea watershed comprise a substantial portion of habitat for the species' disjointed range in the southwestern United States. These areas of emergent marsh include: 1) marshes managed by federal (particularly the U.S. FYuma Ridgway's Rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis) Population Surveys, Rail Movement, and Potential Habitat at the Salton Sea of California
Data were obtained as part of a project assessing risk to the federal and California listed endangered Yuma Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis) populations resulting from selenium contaminated agricultural runoff and to inform habitat restoration and management decisions. Four data sets were produced and used to analyze patterns of Yuma Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis, renamedBiological Tissue Data Used to Evaluate Selenium Hazards in the Salton Sea Ecosystem (1984-2020)
In response to the rapidly evolving conditions at the Salton Sea with the emergence of both newly formed wetland habitat and increasing hazards to wildlife, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey have funded a re-evaluation of data gaps regarding selenium concentrations in biota the region. As part of this work, selenium concentrations in biological tissue samples were compiledSpatially-explicit predictive maps of greater sage-grouse nest selection integrated with nest survival in Nevada and northeastern California, USA
We applied spatially-explicit models to a spatiotemporally robust dataset of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nest locations and fates across wildfire-altered sagebrush ecosystems of the Great Basin ecoregion, western USA. Using sage-grouse as a focal species, we quantified scale-dependent factors driving nest site selection and nest survival across broad spatial scales in order toData maps of predicted raven density and areas of potential impact to nesting sage-grouse within sagebrush ecosystems of the North American Great Basin
These data represent predicted common raven (Corvus corax) density (ravens/square-km) derived from random forest models given field site unit-specific estimates of raven density that were obtained from hierarchical distance sampling models at 43 field site units within the Great Basin region, USA. Fifteen landscape-level predictors summarizing climate, vegetation, topography and anthropogenic footAdditional mapping tools for Great Basin wildfire and conifer management to increase operational resilience: integrating sagebrush ecosystem and sage-grouse response
Conservation planning efforts for sagebrush ecosystems of western North America increasingly focus on enhancing operational resilience though decision-support tools that link spatially explicit variation in soil and plant processes to outcomes of biotic and abiotic disturbances spanning large spatial extents. However, failure to consider higher trophic-level fauna (e.g. wildlife) in these tools caSpatially Explicit Modeling of Annual and Seasonal Habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Northeastern California
Successful adaptive management hinges largely upon integrating new and improved sources of information as they become available. Updating management tools for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter referred to as "sage-grouse") populations, which are indicators for the large-scale health of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in the Great Basin of North AmeriGeospatial data for object-based high-resolution classification of conifers within greater sage-grouse habitat across Nevada and a portion of northeastern California
These products were developed to provide scientific and correspondingly spatially explicit information regarding the distribution and abundance of conifers (namely, singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla), Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), and western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis)) in Nevada and portions of northeastern California. Encroachment of these trees into sagebrush ecosystems of the GData for: A conservation planning tool for greater sage-grouse using indices of species distribution, resilience, and resistance
Managers require quantitative yet tractable tools that can identify areas for restoration yielding effective benefits for targeted wildlife species and the ecosystems they inhabit. A spatially explicit conservation planning tool that guides effective sagebrush restoration for sage-grouse can be made more effective by integrating baseline maps describing existing (pre-restoration) habitat suitabiliGeospatial data for object-based high-resolution classification of conifers within the geographic range of the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment of greater sage-grouse in California and Nevada
These products were developed to provide scientific and correspondingly spatially explicit information regarding the distribution and abundance of conifers (namely, singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla), Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), and western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis)) in Nevada and portions of northeastern California. Encroachment of these trees into sagebrush ecosystems of the GSummary Statistics Data for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Nesting and Brood-Rearing Microhabitat in Nevada and California-Spatial Variation in Selection and Survival Patterns, 2009-16
This dataset provides summary statistics of multiple sage-grouse microhabitat characteristics of the Great Basin. These data support the following publication: Coates, P.S., Brussee, B.E., Ricca, M.A., Dudko, J.E., Prochazka, B.G., Espinosa, S.P., Casazza, M.L., and Delehanty, D.J., 2017, Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nesting and brood-rearing microhabitat in Nevada and CalifoSpatially Explicit Modeling of Annual and Seasonal Habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Nevada and Northeastern California - an Updated Decision-Support Tool for Management
Successful adaptive management hinges largely upon integrating new and improved sources of information as they become available. Updating management tools for greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter referred to as sage-grouse) populations, which are indicators for the large-scale health of sagebrush ( Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in the Great Basin of North America, provide a time - 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.
Filter Total Items: 55Yuma Ridgway’s rail selenium exposure and occupancy within managed and unmanaged emergent marshes at the Salton Sea
Yuma Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis, hereafter, rail) is an endangered species for which patches of emergent marsh within the Salton Sea watershed comprise a substantial part of habitat for the species’ disjointed range in the southwestern United States. These areas of emergent marsh include (1) marshes managed by federal (particularly the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sonny Bono SField methods for translocating female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) with their broods
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have experienced considerable range contraction and reduced abundance in response to habitat loss and degradation. Translocation is a conservation action that is often used to reintroduce extirpated populations or augment existing small populations. Translocations have had limited success in restoring viable populations of sage-grouse; a lack of succEcological correlates of fecal corticosterone metabolites in female Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrococercus urophasianus)
Measurement of physiological responses can reveal effects of ecological conditions on an animal and correlate with demographic parameters. Ecological conditions for many animal species have deteriorated as a function of invasive plants and habitat fragmentation. Expansion of juniper (Juniperus spp.) trees and invasion of annual grasses into sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems have contributed toA customized framework for regional classification of conifers using automated feature extraction
Pinyon and juniper expansion into sagebrush ecosystems is one of the major challenges facing land managers in the Great Basin. Effective pinyon and juniper treatment requires maps that accurately and precisely depict tree location and degree of woodland development so managers can target restoration efforts for early stages of pinyon and juniper expansion. However, available remotely sensed layersRange-wide greater sage-grouse hierarchical monitoring framework—Implications for defining population boundaries, trend estimation, and a targeted annual warning system
Incorporating spatial and temporal scales into greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) population monitoring strategies is challenging and rarely implemented. Sage-grouse populations experience fluctuations in abundance that lead to temporal oscillations, making trend estimation difficult. Accounting for stochasticity is critical to reliably estimate population trends and investigate variaBrood parasitism of greater sage-grouse by California Quail in Idaho
We describe a case of brood parasitism of a Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) nest by California Quail (Callipepla californica; hereafter, quail) in southwestern Idaho during 2019. We observed one quail egg in the parasitized nest; the egg partially hatched, but the chick was dead upon the final nest check. Of the 6 sage-grouse eggs in the nest, only 2 hatchedFree-roaming horses disrupt greater sage-grouse lekking activity in the Great Basin
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) and free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) co-occur within large portions of sagebrush ecosystems within the Great Basin of western North America. In recent decades, sage-grouse populations have declined substantially while concomitant free-roaming horse populations have increased drastically. Although multiple studies have repoPostfire growth of seeded and planted big sagebrush - Strategic designs for restoring Greater Sage-grouse nesting habitat
Wildfires change plant community structure and impact wildlife habitat and population dynamics. Recent wildfire‐induced losses of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) in North American shrublands are outpacing natural recovery and leading to substantial losses in habitat for sagebrush‐obligate species such as Greater Sage‐grouse. Managers are considering restoration strategies that include plantinWildfire and the ecological niche: Diminishing habitat suitability for an indicator species within semi‐arid ecosystems
Globally accelerating frequency and extent of wildfire threatens the persistence of specialist wildlife species through direct loss of habitat and indirect facilitation of exotic invasive species. Habitat specialists may be especially prone to rapidly changing environmental conditions because their ability to adapt lags behind the rate of habitat alteration. As a result, these populations may becoGreater sage-grouse chick killed by Great Basin gopher snake
Despite extensive range overlap between Great Basin gopher snakes (Pituophis catenifer deserticola) and Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) within sagebrush ecosystems, there are few documented predator–prey interactions between these species. Although gopher snakes have been observed preying on nests of other prairie grouse, studies that used video-monitoring at sage-grouse nests founBroad-scale impacts of an invasive native predator on a sensitive native prey species within the shifting avian community of the North American Great Basin
Human enterprise has modified ecosystem processes through direct and indirect alteration of native predators’ distribution and abundance. For example, human activities subsidize food, water, and shelter availability to generalist predators whose subsequent increased abundance impacts lower trophic-level prey species. The common raven (Corvus corax; hereafter, raven) is an avian predator, native toPopulation and habitat analyses for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the bi-state distinct population segment—2018 update
Executive SummaryThe Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (Bi-State DPS) of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereinafter “sage-grouse”) represents a genetically distinct and geographically isolated population that straddles the border between Nevada and California. The primary threat to these sage-grouse populations is the expansion of single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) and Utah - News
To request an interview, contact fresc_outreach@usgs.gov or call (541) 750-1030.