Natasha B Carr, PhD (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Greater Sage-Grouse Science (2015–17): Synthesis and Potential Management Implications
USGS led an interagency team of Federal and State agency biologists to develop a report that synthesizes greater sage-grouse scientific literature.
Higher and Farther: Patterns of Development within Protected Areas
There is a well-known bias in the location of protected areas both within the US and globally. Lands protected for conservation tend to be located on less productive soils at high elevations far from cities. USGS is exploring whether this ‘high and far’ paradigm applies within protected areas as well. That is, does human modification within lands that already have some degree of protection, also...
Developing Broad Scale Indicators for Monitoring Ecosystems and Landscapes
Many issues currently facing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other large land managers span large landscapes, including sage-grouse conservation, wildfires, and energy development. Such challenges involve changes at both local and broad scales, but monitoring has typically focused at the scale of individual sites. The USGS is working to develop broad-scale indicators for monitoring...
Informing Habitat Management for Desert Tortoise
There is increasing support for adopting landscape approaches to resource management, including monitoring threats that affect multiple resources across broad extents. However, there remains a need to assess potential threats to individual species of conservation concern. USGS is evaluating the extent to which a generalized indicator of terrestrial development can be used to inform and evaluate...
Quantifying Ecological Integrity in Terrestrial systems
Ecological integrity describes the condition of ecological systems, and has been quantified in aquatic systems for decades. The U.S. Forest Service is now required to monitor ecological integrity, and the Bureau of Land Management has an interest in doing so as well. As a result, USGS is working to define and quantify the concept of ecological integrity in terrestrial, multiple use landscapes to...
Science Support for Implementing a Landscape Approach to Resource Management in the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is committed to implementing a landscape approach to resource management to help achieve sustainable social, environmental, and economic outcomes on the public lands it manages. USGS is providing science support for the effort, including identifying core principles of a landscape approach, demonstrating the benefits of multiscale data for evaluating potential...
Distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma Distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma
The purpose of this data release and associated data series (Carr and Fancher, 2021) was to compile occurrence records and map the distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage for the Bureau of Land Management Rapid Ecoregional Assessment for the Southern Great Plains. The freshwater mussel assemblage includes Amblema plicata (threeridge), Fusconaia flava (Wabash pigtoe), Lampsilis...
Terrestrial Development Index for the Western United States: 1-kilometer moving window Terrestrial Development Index for the Western United States: 1-kilometer moving window
The Terrestrial Development Index (TDI) quantifies the level of development (urban, agriculture, energy and mineral extraction and transmission, and transportation) based on the surface disturbance footprint. TDI values range from 0 to 100% and represent the total percentage of land surface occupied by the development footprint within a 1-kilometer (km) radius moving window.
Potential productivity and change estimates for eight grassland species to evaluate vulnerability to climate change in the southern Great Plains Potential productivity and change estimates for eight grassland species to evaluate vulnerability to climate change in the southern Great Plains
This data set includes the relative production scenarios for eight (8) grass species based on linear models from Epstein, et al. (1998). We selected two indicator species for each community: shortgrass prairie: blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis; BOGR) and buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides; BODA); mixedgrass prairie: sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula; BOCU) and little bluestem...
Estimated habitat suitability for the American burying beetle using land cover classes in the Southern Plains (ver. 1.1, June 2020) Estimated habitat suitability for the American burying beetle using land cover classes in the Southern Plains (ver. 1.1, June 2020)
Potentially suitable habitat for the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) was identified within their Southern Plains range. The American burying beetle (ABB) is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, but in 2019 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to reclassify this species as threatened. We applied a deductive model for the ABB that identified...
Biophysical assessment for indemnity selection of federal lands in Colorado Biophysical assessment for indemnity selection of federal lands in Colorado
Information on the biophysical features of federal lands identified as suitable for transfer to the State of Colorado was requested by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This information is intended for use in conducting an environmental assessment prior to transfer of ownership (conveyance) to the State. The Enabling Act of 1864 provided for the conveyance of federal lands to the...
Broad-scale assessment of biophysical features in Colorado Broad-scale assessment of biophysical features in Colorado
Information on ecological communities, soil salinity, and land use was synthesized and summarized for all lands in Colorado. This biophysical information was requested by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for use in conducting an environmental assessment prior to the transfer of ownership (conveyance) of federal lands to the State of Colorado. The Enabling Act of 1864 provided for the...
Filter Total Items: 45
Compilation of information on occurrence and conservation status for the freshwater mussel fauna of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma Compilation of information on occurrence and conservation status for the freshwater mussel fauna of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma
The purpose of this data series is to compile information on the occurrence and conservation status of the freshwater mussel fauna of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma and to map the distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Rapid Ecoregional Assessment (REA) program. The six focal species in the freshwater mussel...
Authors
Natasha B. Carr, Tammy S. Fancher
Quantifying development to inform management of Mojave and Sonoran desert tortoise habitat in the American southwest Quantifying development to inform management of Mojave and Sonoran desert tortoise habitat in the American southwest
Two tortoise species native to the American southwest have experienced significant habitat loss from development and are vulnerable to ongoing threats associated with continued development. Mojave desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii are listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, and Sonoran desert tortoises G. morafkai are protected in Arizona (USA) and Mexico. Substantial...
Authors
Sarah K. Carter, Kenneth Nussear, Todd Esque, Ian IF Leinwand, Elroy H. Masters, Richard D. Inman, Natasha B. Carr, Linda J. Allison
Biological assessment of a proposed vegetation management program to benefit tribes in eastern Oklahoma Biological assessment of a proposed vegetation management program to benefit tribes in eastern Oklahoma
Tribal communities may benefit from land management activities that enhance their use of resources on tribal lands. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is implementing a 5-year vegetation management program to provide support for projects that develop and use natural and cultural resources and improve opportunities for agricultural activities to benefit 20 Indian Tribes and Nations in the...
Authors
Benjamin R. Harms, Heidi L. Bencin, Natasha B. Carr
Using scenarios to evaluate vulnerability of grassland communities to climate change in the Southern Great Plains of the United States Using scenarios to evaluate vulnerability of grassland communities to climate change in the Southern Great Plains of the United States
Scenario planning is a useful tool for identifying key vulnerabilities of ecological systems to changing climates, informed by the potential outcomes for a set of divergent, plausible, and relevant climate scenarios. We evaluated potential vulnerabilities of grassland communities to changing climate in the Southern Great Plains (SGP) and the Landscape Conservation Design pilot area (LCD)...
Authors
Daniel J. Manier, Natasha B. Carr, Gordon C. Reese, Lucy Burris
Quantifying ecological integrity of terrestrial systems to inform management of multiple-use public lands in the United States Quantifying ecological integrity of terrestrial systems to inform management of multiple-use public lands in the United States
The concept of ecological integrity has been applied widely to management of aquatic systems, but still is considered by many to be too vague and difficult to quantify to be useful for managing terrestrial systems, particularly across broad areas. Extensive public lands in the western United States are managed for diverse uses such as timber harvest, livestock grazing, energy development...
Authors
Sarah K. Carter, Erica Fleishman, Ian I.F. Leinwand, Curtis H. Flather, Natasha B. Carr, Frank A. Fogarty, Matthias Leu, Barry R. Noon, M.E. Wohlfeil, David J. A. Wood
Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment—Volume II. Species and assemblages Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment—Volume II. Species and assemblages
The Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment was conducted in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative. The overall goal of the Rapid Ecoregional Assessments (REAs) is to compile and synthesize regional datasets to facilitate evaluation of the cumulative effects of change agents on priority ecological...
Authors
Gordon C. Reese, Natasha B. Carr, Lucy E. Burris
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
Greater Sage-Grouse Science (2015–17): Synthesis and Potential Management Implications
USGS led an interagency team of Federal and State agency biologists to develop a report that synthesizes greater sage-grouse scientific literature.
Higher and Farther: Patterns of Development within Protected Areas
There is a well-known bias in the location of protected areas both within the US and globally. Lands protected for conservation tend to be located on less productive soils at high elevations far from cities. USGS is exploring whether this ‘high and far’ paradigm applies within protected areas as well. That is, does human modification within lands that already have some degree of protection, also...
Developing Broad Scale Indicators for Monitoring Ecosystems and Landscapes
Many issues currently facing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other large land managers span large landscapes, including sage-grouse conservation, wildfires, and energy development. Such challenges involve changes at both local and broad scales, but monitoring has typically focused at the scale of individual sites. The USGS is working to develop broad-scale indicators for monitoring...
Informing Habitat Management for Desert Tortoise
There is increasing support for adopting landscape approaches to resource management, including monitoring threats that affect multiple resources across broad extents. However, there remains a need to assess potential threats to individual species of conservation concern. USGS is evaluating the extent to which a generalized indicator of terrestrial development can be used to inform and evaluate...
Quantifying Ecological Integrity in Terrestrial systems
Ecological integrity describes the condition of ecological systems, and has been quantified in aquatic systems for decades. The U.S. Forest Service is now required to monitor ecological integrity, and the Bureau of Land Management has an interest in doing so as well. As a result, USGS is working to define and quantify the concept of ecological integrity in terrestrial, multiple use landscapes to...
Science Support for Implementing a Landscape Approach to Resource Management in the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is committed to implementing a landscape approach to resource management to help achieve sustainable social, environmental, and economic outcomes on the public lands it manages. USGS is providing science support for the effort, including identifying core principles of a landscape approach, demonstrating the benefits of multiscale data for evaluating potential...
Distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma Distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma
The purpose of this data release and associated data series (Carr and Fancher, 2021) was to compile occurrence records and map the distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage for the Bureau of Land Management Rapid Ecoregional Assessment for the Southern Great Plains. The freshwater mussel assemblage includes Amblema plicata (threeridge), Fusconaia flava (Wabash pigtoe), Lampsilis...
Terrestrial Development Index for the Western United States: 1-kilometer moving window Terrestrial Development Index for the Western United States: 1-kilometer moving window
The Terrestrial Development Index (TDI) quantifies the level of development (urban, agriculture, energy and mineral extraction and transmission, and transportation) based on the surface disturbance footprint. TDI values range from 0 to 100% and represent the total percentage of land surface occupied by the development footprint within a 1-kilometer (km) radius moving window.
Potential productivity and change estimates for eight grassland species to evaluate vulnerability to climate change in the southern Great Plains Potential productivity and change estimates for eight grassland species to evaluate vulnerability to climate change in the southern Great Plains
This data set includes the relative production scenarios for eight (8) grass species based on linear models from Epstein, et al. (1998). We selected two indicator species for each community: shortgrass prairie: blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis; BOGR) and buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides; BODA); mixedgrass prairie: sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula; BOCU) and little bluestem...
Estimated habitat suitability for the American burying beetle using land cover classes in the Southern Plains (ver. 1.1, June 2020) Estimated habitat suitability for the American burying beetle using land cover classes in the Southern Plains (ver. 1.1, June 2020)
Potentially suitable habitat for the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) was identified within their Southern Plains range. The American burying beetle (ABB) is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, but in 2019 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to reclassify this species as threatened. We applied a deductive model for the ABB that identified...
Biophysical assessment for indemnity selection of federal lands in Colorado Biophysical assessment for indemnity selection of federal lands in Colorado
Information on the biophysical features of federal lands identified as suitable for transfer to the State of Colorado was requested by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This information is intended for use in conducting an environmental assessment prior to transfer of ownership (conveyance) to the State. The Enabling Act of 1864 provided for the conveyance of federal lands to the...
Broad-scale assessment of biophysical features in Colorado Broad-scale assessment of biophysical features in Colorado
Information on ecological communities, soil salinity, and land use was synthesized and summarized for all lands in Colorado. This biophysical information was requested by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for use in conducting an environmental assessment prior to the transfer of ownership (conveyance) of federal lands to the State of Colorado. The Enabling Act of 1864 provided for the...
Filter Total Items: 45
Compilation of information on occurrence and conservation status for the freshwater mussel fauna of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma Compilation of information on occurrence and conservation status for the freshwater mussel fauna of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma
The purpose of this data series is to compile information on the occurrence and conservation status of the freshwater mussel fauna of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma and to map the distribution of a freshwater mussel assemblage for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Rapid Ecoregional Assessment (REA) program. The six focal species in the freshwater mussel...
Authors
Natasha B. Carr, Tammy S. Fancher
Quantifying development to inform management of Mojave and Sonoran desert tortoise habitat in the American southwest Quantifying development to inform management of Mojave and Sonoran desert tortoise habitat in the American southwest
Two tortoise species native to the American southwest have experienced significant habitat loss from development and are vulnerable to ongoing threats associated with continued development. Mojave desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii are listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, and Sonoran desert tortoises G. morafkai are protected in Arizona (USA) and Mexico. Substantial...
Authors
Sarah K. Carter, Kenneth Nussear, Todd Esque, Ian IF Leinwand, Elroy H. Masters, Richard D. Inman, Natasha B. Carr, Linda J. Allison
Biological assessment of a proposed vegetation management program to benefit tribes in eastern Oklahoma Biological assessment of a proposed vegetation management program to benefit tribes in eastern Oklahoma
Tribal communities may benefit from land management activities that enhance their use of resources on tribal lands. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is implementing a 5-year vegetation management program to provide support for projects that develop and use natural and cultural resources and improve opportunities for agricultural activities to benefit 20 Indian Tribes and Nations in the...
Authors
Benjamin R. Harms, Heidi L. Bencin, Natasha B. Carr
Using scenarios to evaluate vulnerability of grassland communities to climate change in the Southern Great Plains of the United States Using scenarios to evaluate vulnerability of grassland communities to climate change in the Southern Great Plains of the United States
Scenario planning is a useful tool for identifying key vulnerabilities of ecological systems to changing climates, informed by the potential outcomes for a set of divergent, plausible, and relevant climate scenarios. We evaluated potential vulnerabilities of grassland communities to changing climate in the Southern Great Plains (SGP) and the Landscape Conservation Design pilot area (LCD)...
Authors
Daniel J. Manier, Natasha B. Carr, Gordon C. Reese, Lucy Burris
Quantifying ecological integrity of terrestrial systems to inform management of multiple-use public lands in the United States Quantifying ecological integrity of terrestrial systems to inform management of multiple-use public lands in the United States
The concept of ecological integrity has been applied widely to management of aquatic systems, but still is considered by many to be too vague and difficult to quantify to be useful for managing terrestrial systems, particularly across broad areas. Extensive public lands in the western United States are managed for diverse uses such as timber harvest, livestock grazing, energy development...
Authors
Sarah K. Carter, Erica Fleishman, Ian I.F. Leinwand, Curtis H. Flather, Natasha B. Carr, Frank A. Fogarty, Matthias Leu, Barry R. Noon, M.E. Wohlfeil, David J. A. Wood
Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment—Volume II. Species and assemblages Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment—Volume II. Species and assemblages
The Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment was conducted in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative. The overall goal of the Rapid Ecoregional Assessments (REAs) is to compile and synthesize regional datasets to facilitate evaluation of the cumulative effects of change agents on priority ecological...
Authors
Gordon C. Reese, Natasha B. Carr, Lucy E. Burris
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.