Melia Nafus, Ph.D.
Biography
Melia Nafus is a Research Ecologist in the Fort Collins Science Center’s Invasive Species Science Branch stationed at Guam. She is interested in factors, such as habitat variation and anthropogenic activity, which influence persistence of herpetofaunal populations through their effects on spatial use, behavior, survival, and abundance. In the past her research has focused on improving understanding of factors that affect recruitment and successful translocation implementation for juvenile desert tortoises. Currently, she is studying questions primarily related to management and control of brown tree snake populations on Guam. Her research is focused on improving detection and capture of snakes at low densities, potential ecological effects of snake control, and development and implementation of control measures to enact population suppression on Guam and prevent their spread to other Pacific Islands.
Education
- Ph.D. Ecology, Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California Davis, 2014
- B.S. Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, 2007
Professional Experience
- 2016 to Present, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Dededo Guam
- 2014 to 2016, Researcher, San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido California
Science and Products
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles
Invasive species are considered to be second only to habitat degradation in terms of negative impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems, and our scientists make up a significant proportion of the global expertise in the rapidly-growing problem of invasive reptiles.
USGS Brown Treesnake Laboratory and Rapid Response Facility - Guam
USGS scientists and staff associated with the Brown Treesnake Project are co-located at the Guam National Wildlife Refuge at the northern end of Guam in the western Pacific Ocean. Project staff work on developing and testing control tools for invasive brown treesnakes, as well as understanding their impacts on Guam's ecosystems. Project staff also lead the multi-agency Brown Treesnake Rapid...
Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team
Brown Treesnakes continue to cause major problems for the ecology, economy, and quality of life on Guam. Our scientists conduct research on this snake species, including control tool development and testing, ecological impacts, and early detection methods. We hold Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team training courses on Guam throughout the year to develop the skills needed to effectively...
Control and Landscape-Scale Suppression of the Invasive Brown Treesnake
The Brown Treesnake is a highly destructive reptile species that has extirpated many native species of birds, bats, and lizards from the U.S. Territory of Guam. For more than two decades branch scientists with the Invasive Reptile Project have developed, validated, and tested the feasibility of Brown Treesnake control and suppression at various spatial scales.
Dataset: Forest growth in and around an ungulate enclosure on Northern Guam, 2005-2011
On an island largely devoid of native vertebrate seed dispersers, we monitored forest succession for seven years following ungulate exclusion from a 5-hectare area and adjacent plots with ungulates still present.
Effects of short-term, outdoor head-starting on growth and survival in the mojave desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii)
The combination of life-history traits that makes some turtle species vulnerable to population declines also limits their ability to recover even after threats have been addressed. Because juvenile turtle survival is typically lower than adult survival, head-starting, the process of rearing juveniles through one of their most vulnerable periods,...
Tracey D Tuberbille; Kurt A Buhlmann; Rahel Sollmann; Nafus, Melia G.; J. Mark Peaden; Jacob A. Daly; Brian D. ToddHabitat type and structure affect trap capture success of an invasive snake across variable densities
Detection represents an important limitation of accurately estimating population size, abundance, and habitat suitability for wildlife, which can be especially true for cryptic animals. Moreover, for reptiles, juveniles are often less likely to be detected than later life stages. In the case of invasive species, preventing false negatives early in...
Nafus, Melia G.; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Klug, Page E.; Rodda, Gordon H.Assessment of two external transmitter attachment methods for Boiga irregularis (Brown Treesnakes)
No abstract available.
Robinson, Charlotte J.; Viernes, Marijoy C.; Reed, Robert; Yackel, Amy; Nafus, Melia G.Habitat drives dispersal and survival of translocated juvenile desert tortoises
1.In spite of growing reliance on translocations in wildlife conservation, translocation efficacy remains inconsistent. One factor that can contribute to failed translocations is releasing animals into poor quality or otherwise inadequate habitat. 2.Here we used a targeted approach to test the relationship of habitat features to post-translocation...
Nafus, Melia G.; Esque, Todd C.; Averill-Murray, Roy C.; Nussear, Kenneth E.; Swaisgood, Ronald R.Habitat selection by juvenile Mojave Desert tortoises
Growing pressure to develop public lands for renewable energy production places several protected species at increased risk of habitat loss. One example is the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), a species often at the center of conflicts over public land development. For this species and others on public lands, a better understanding of...
Todd, Brian D; Halstead, Brian J.; Chiquoine, Lindsay P.; Peaden, J. Mark; Buhlmann, Kurt A.; Tuberville, Tracey D.; Nafus, Melia G.