Melia Nafus, Ph.D.
Melia Nafus is a Research Ecologist at the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center.
Melia leads the USGS Brown Treesnake Project based in the Marianas where her research is focused on improving detection and capture of cryptic reptiles 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. She also develops and collaborates on research designed to inform ecology and species recovery needs in the Pacific and elsewhere, as well as invasive reptile ecology. Broadly speaking, Melia is interested in factors that affect persistence of herpetofaunal populations including behavior, habitat selection, population dynamics, and spatial use.
Professional Experience
2016 to Present, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey
2014 to 2016, Researcher, San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido California
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Ecology, Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California Davis, 2014
B.S. Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, 2007
Science and Products
Contact rates with nesting birds before and after invasive snake removal: Estimating the effects of trap-based control
Effects of short-term, outdoor head-starting on growth and survival in the mojave desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii)
Habitat type and structure affect trap capture success of an invasive snake across variable densities
Assessment of two external transmitter attachment methods for Boiga irregularis (Brown Treesnakes)
Passive restoration following ungulate removal in a highly disturbed tropical wet forest devoid of native seed dispersers
Habitat drives dispersal and survival of translocated juvenile desert tortoises
Habitat selection by juvenile Mojave Desert tortoises
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.
Science and Products
Contact rates with nesting birds before and after invasive snake removal: Estimating the effects of trap-based control
Effects of short-term, outdoor head-starting on growth and survival in the mojave desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii)
Habitat type and structure affect trap capture success of an invasive snake across variable densities
Assessment of two external transmitter attachment methods for Boiga irregularis (Brown Treesnakes)
Passive restoration following ungulate removal in a highly disturbed tropical wet forest devoid of native seed dispersers
Habitat drives dispersal and survival of translocated juvenile desert tortoises
Habitat selection by juvenile Mojave Desert tortoises
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.