Michael Casazza
Mike Casazza's research program at the Dixon Field Station focuses on the ecology of waterfowl and wetland management in the Pacific Flyway.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Mike and his team are experts in wildlife telemetry and apply cutting edge tools to answer complex ecological questions. In addition, Mike’s program also focuses on threatened and endangered species in a variety of ecosystems including primary ecological research on the endangered California Ridgway's Rail in SF Bay, the endangered San Francisco Gartersnake, the threatened Giant Gartersnake in the Central Valley of California, the California state-listed Greater Sandhill Crane, and the Greater Sage-Grouse. Mike Casazza's research has targeted studies which provide critical species information to land managers responsible for maintaining diverse and healthy wildlife populations while trying to help recover special status species. Understanding key life history traits of special status species can lead to management options promoting species recovery.
EDUCATION
- 1995 M.S. California State University, Sacramento Thesis: Habitat use and movement of Northern Pintails wintering in Suisun Marsh, CA
- 1988 B.S. Wildlife Biology, U.C. Davis
Science and Products
Geospatial Data for Object-Based High-Resolution Classification of Conifers within Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat across Nevada and a Portion of Northeastern California (ver. 2.0, July 2018)
Data for: A conservation planning tool for greater sage-grouse using indices of species distribution, resilience, and resistance
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
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
Microhabitat and Vegetation Selection by Giant Gartersnakes Associated with a Restored Marsh in California
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
The effects of heterospecifics and climatic conditions on incubation behavior within a mixed-species colony
Integrating Spatially Explicit Indices of Abundance and Habitat Quality: An Applied Example for Greater Sage-grouse Management
Historical methyl mercury in San Francisco Bay
Assessment of cereal grain waste densities to aid waterfowl conservation planning in the Klamath Basin
Pathways for avian influenza virus spread: GPS reveals wild waterfowl in commercial livestock facilities and connectivity with the natural wetland landscape
Host correlates of avian influenza virus infection in wild waterfowl of the Sacramento Valley, California
Megafires and thick smoke portend big problems for migratory birds
Migration stopover ecology of Cinnamon Teal in western North America
Wetland availability and salinity concentrations for breeding waterfowl in Suisun Marsh, California
Informing wetland management with waterfowl movement and sanctuary use responses to human-induced disturbance
A tale of two valleys: Endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake
Changes in the abundance and distribution of waterfowl wintering in the Central Valley of California, 1973–2000
A customized framework for regional classification of conifers using automated feature extraction
Nocturnal incubation recess and flushing behavior by duck hens
Interrupted incubation: How dabbling ducks respond when flushed from the nest
Science and Products
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Geospatial Data for Object-Based High-Resolution Classification of Conifers within Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat across Nevada and a Portion of Northeastern California (ver. 2.0, July 2018)
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 CalifoMicrohabitat and Vegetation Selection by Giant Gartersnakes Associated with a Restored Marsh in California
Studies of habitat selection can reveal important patterns to guide habitat restoration and management for species of conservation concern. Giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) are endemic to the Central Valley of California, where more than 90% of their historic wetland habitat has been converted to agricultural and other uses. Information about the selection of habitats by individual giant gartSpatially 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 timeThe effects of heterospecifics and climatic conditions on incubation behavior within a mixed-species colony
Parental incubation behavior largely influences nest survival, a critical demographic process in avian population dynamics, and behaviors vary across species with different life history breeding strategies. Although research has identified nest survival advantages of mixing colonies, behavioral mechanisms that might explain these effects is largely lacking. We examined parental incubation behaviorIntegrating Spatially Explicit Indices of Abundance and Habitat Quality: An Applied Example for Greater Sage-grouse Management
This study provides timely and highly useful information about greater sage-grouse over a large area of the Great Basin. USGS researchers and their colleagues created a template for combining landscape-scale occurrence or abundance data with habitat selection data in order to identify areas most critical to sustaining populations of species of conservation concern. The template also identifies thoHistorical methyl mercury in San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay, California is considered a mercury-impaired watershed. Elevated concentrations of mercury are found in water and sediment as well as fish and estuarine birds. Sources of mercury to the watershed since 1845 include sediment-associated mercury from mercury mining, mercury losses from gold amalgamation activities in mines of the Sierra Nevada, aerial deposition of mercury from gl - Multimedia
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Assessment of cereal grain waste densities to aid waterfowl conservation planning in the Klamath Basin
Postharvest waste seed from cereal grains is a major dietary component of waterfowl in the Klamath Basin in northeastern California and southeastern Oregon, a region that plays host to over a million waterfowl annually. Understanding food abundance is critical to local waterfowl management; therefore, we conducted a study in 2008 to investigate waste grain densities in barley, oat, and wheat fieldAuthorsDaniel A. Skalos, Joseph P. Fleskes, Jeffery D. Kohl, Mark P. Herzog, Michael L. CasazzaPathways for avian influenza virus spread: GPS reveals wild waterfowl in commercial livestock facilities and connectivity with the natural wetland landscape
Zoonotic diseases are of considerable concern to the human population and viruses such as avian influenza (AIV) threaten food security, wildlife conservation and human health. Wild waterfowl and the natural wetlands they use are known AIV reservoirs, with birds capable of virus transmission to domestic poultry populations. While infection risk models have linked migration routes and AIV outbreaks,AuthorsFiona McDuie, Elliott Matchett, Diann Prosser, John Y. Takekawa, Maurice E. Pitesky, Austen Lorenz, Madeline M McCuen, Cory T. Overton, Josh T. Ackerman, Susan E. W. De La Cruz, Michael L. CasazzaHost correlates of avian influenza virus infection in wild waterfowl of the Sacramento Valley, California
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are distributed globally in members of the family Anatidae (waterfowl), and significant disease may occur when these viruses infect commercial poultry or humans. Early detection of AIV through surveillance of wild waterfowl is one measure to prevent future disease outbreaks. Surveillance efforts that are designed to account for host and environmental determinants ofAuthorsElizabeth A. Bianchini, Raymond J. Bogiatto, Robin A. Donatello, Michael L. Casazza, Josh T. Ackerman, Susan E. W. De La Cruz, Troy D. ClineMegafires and thick smoke portend big problems for migratory birds
In 2020, the fire season affecting the western United States reached unprecedented levels. The 116 fires active in September consumed nearly 20,822 km2 (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/accessible-view/ Accessed 2020-09-29) with eighty percent of this footprint (16,567 km2) from 68 fires occurring within California, Oregon, and Washington. Although the 2020 fire season was the most extreme on record, it eAuthorsCory T. Overton, Austen Lorenz, Eric P. James, Ravan Ahmadov, John M. Eadie, Fiona McDuie, Mark J. Petrie, Chris A. Nicolai, Melanie L. Weaver, Daniel A. Skalos, Shannon Skalos, Andrea Lynn Mott, Desmond Alexander Mackell, Anna Kennedy, Elliott Matchett, Michael L. CasazzaMigration stopover ecology of Cinnamon Teal in western North America
Identifying migration routes and fall stopover sites of Cinnamon Teal (Spatula cyanoptera septentrionalium) can provide a spatial guide to management and conservation efforts, and address vulnerabilities in wetland networks that support migratory waterbirds. Using high spatiotemporal resolution GPS-GSM transmitters, we analyzed 61 fall migration tracks across western North America during our threeAuthorsDesmond Alexander Mackell, Michael L. Casazza, Cory T. Overton, J. Patrick Donnelly, David Olson, Fiona McDuie, Josh T. Ackerman, John M. EadieWetland availability and salinity concentrations for breeding waterfowl in Suisun Marsh, California
Availability of wetlands with low salinities during the breeding season can influence waterfowl reproductive success and population recruitment. Salinities as low as 2 ppt (3.6 mScm–1) can impair duckling growth and influence behavior, with mortality occurring above 9 ppt (14.8 mScm–1). We used satellite imagery to quantify the amount of available water, and sampled surface water salinity at GrizzAuthorsCarley Rose Schacter, Sarah H. Peterson, Mark P. Herzog, C. Alex Hartman, Michael L. Casazza, Josh T. AckermanInforming wetland management with waterfowl movement and sanctuary use responses to human-induced disturbance
Long-term environmental management to prevent waterfowl population declines is informed by ecology, movement behavior and habitat use patterns. Extrinsic factors, such as human-induced disturbance, can cause behavioral changes which may influence movement and resource needs, driving variation that affects management efficacy. To better understand the relationship between human-based disturbance anAuthorsFiona McDuie, Austen Lorenz, Robert C. Klinger, Cory T. Overton, Cliff L. Feldheim, Josh T. Ackerman, Michael L. CasazzaA tale of two valleys: Endangered species policy and the fate of the giant gartersnake
By the mid-20th Century, giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) had lost more than 90% of their Central Valley marsh habitat and were extirpated from more than two-thirds of their range. This massive habitat loss led to their inclusion in the inaugural list of rare species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). Listing under the CESA provided giant gartersnakes legal protection and mecAuthorsBrian J. Halstead, Patricia Valcarcel, Richard Kim, Anna Jordan, Jonathan P. Rose, Shannon Skalos, Gabriel Reyes, Julia Ersan, Michael L. Casazza, Allison Essert, Alexandria M FultonChanges in the abundance and distribution of waterfowl wintering in the Central Valley of California, 1973–2000
The Central Valley of California is one of the most important areas for wintering waterfowl in the world and the focus of extensive conservation efforts to mitigate for historical losses and counter continuing stressors to habitats. To guide conservation, we analyzed trends in the abundance and distribution (spatiotemporal abundance patterns) of waterfowl and their habitats in the Central Valley aAuthorsJoseph P. Fleskes, Michael L. Casazza, Cory T. Overton, Elliott Matchett, Julie L. YeeA 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 layersAuthorsCali L. Roth, Peter S. Coates, K. Benjamin Gustafson, Michael P. Chenaille, Mark A. Ricca, Erika Sanchez-Chopitea, Michael L. CasazzaNocturnal incubation recess and flushing behavior by duck hens
Incubating birds must balance the needs of their developing embryos with their own physiological needs, and many birds accomplish this by taking periodic breaks from incubation. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and gadwall (Mareca strepera) hens typically take incubation recesses in the early morning and late afternoon, but recesses can also take place at night. We examined nocturnal incubation recessAuthorsRebecca Croston, Sarah H. Peterson, C. Alex Hartman, Mark P. Herzog, Cliff L. Feldheim, Michael L. Casazza, Josh T. AckermanInterrupted incubation: How dabbling ducks respond when flushed from the nest
Nesting birds must provide a thermal environment sufficient for egg development while also meeting self‐maintenance needs. Many birds, particularly those with uniparental incubation, achieve this balance through periodic incubation recesses, during which foraging and other self‐maintenance activities can occur. However, incubating birds may experience disturbances such as predator or human activitAuthorsRebecca Croston, C. Alex Hartman, Mark P. Herzog, Sarah H. Peterson, Jeffrey Kohl, Cory T. Overton, Cliff L. Feldheim, Michael L. Casazza, Josh T. Ackerman - Web Tools
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