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Patrick M Kleeman

Patrick Kleeman is a Supervisory Ecologist at the Western Ecological Research Center.

Patrick Kleeman's research focuses on the ecology and conservation biology of amphibians.  Topics of study within these categories include population demography through capture-mark-recapture methods, habitat use by using radiotelemetry, and phenology of breeding as evidenced by vocalizations.  His research also examines what role stressors such as environmental contaminants, disease, and climate may have on amphibian populations.  In addition to amphibians, he also works with island night lizards (Xantusia riversiana) on San Nicolas Island and Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii) at Point Reyes National Seashore.

EDUCATION

  • B.A. in Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1988
  • M.S. in Wildlife Management, Humboldt State University, 1999

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 13

Northwestern Pond Turtle Survey Data in Northern California Forest Streams (2021)

These data are from joint visual encounter and environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys conducted for northwestern pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) in streams on privately-owned timberlands in northern California.
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Amphibian Chytrid Swab Data from Churchill County, Nevada (2019-2021)

This dataset includes results from external skin swabbing of Anaxyrus williamsi and Lithobates catesbeianus to test for the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis from the Dixie Valley in Churchill County, Nevada, in 2019-2021.
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Western Spadefoot Habitat Selection Based on Radio Telemetry in Orange County, California 2019

We conducted a radio telemetry study of adult western spadefoots (Spea hammondii) at 2 sites in southern California to characterize their survival, behavior, and movements from breeding through aestivation to inform conservation and management for the species. These data support the following publication: Halstead, B.J., Baumberger, K.L., Backlin, A.R., Kleeman, P.M., Wong, M.N., Gallegos, E.
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Shasta Salamanders Surveys for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest (ver. 2.0, July 2020)

The Shasta salamander (Hydromantes shastae) has been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The greatest threat to the species is likely habitat loss that will be caused by the increase in elevation of Shasta Lake that will occur with proposed increases in the height of Shasta Dam to increase water storage capacity and maintain cold water for Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawyts
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Characteristics of Sites Sampled for eDNA of Amphibians in Mendocino County, California, 2016

Stream-obligate amphibians are important indicators of ecosystem health in the Pacific Northwest, but distributional information to improve forest management is lacking in many regions. We analyzed archived DNA extracted from water samples in 60 pools within streams in private timberlands in Mendocino County, California, for 3 California Species of Special Concern - Coastal Tailed Frogs (Ascaphus
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Site and Survey Data for Dixie Valley Toads in Churchill County, Nevada, 2019

These data include site- and survey-specific information for occupancy surveys of Dixie Valley Toads (Anaxyrus williamsi) collected in the Dixie Valley, Churchill County, Nevada, in May 2019. The data include both multiple surveys of the same sites and time-to-detection information to quantify detection probabilities and account for imperfect detection in assessments of Dixie Valley Toad occupancy
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Site and Survey Data for Amphibian Surveys in Yosemite National Park, 2018

These data represent occupancy surveys conducted in long-term monitoring sites in Yosemite National Park in 2018 for three anurans, the Yosemite Toad (Anaxyrus canorus), the Sierran Treefrog (Pseudacris sierra), and the Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog (Rana sierrae). The data include independent double-observer surveys and time-to-detection data to calculate detection probabilities and account fo
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Code and Data to fit an Integrated Population Model for the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog, Rana boylii, in northern California

These data include egg mass counts and adult capture-mark-recapture histories for Foothill Yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) at two streams in northern California. Data were collected from the South Fork Eel River and its tributary, Fox Creek, from 1993-2019. Data from Hurdygurdy Creek were collected from 2002-2008. This code and data support the following publication: Rose, JP, Kupferberg,
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Dixie Valley Toad Radio Telemetry Data from Churchill County, Nevada, 2018-2019

This U.S. Geological Survey data release includes tabular data collected to characterize the habitat and movement of Dixie Valley toads. Data were collected in Dixie Valley, Nevada, in autumn 2018 and spring 2019. These data support the following publication: Halstead, B.J., Kleeman, P.M., Rose, J.P. and Fouts, K.J., 2021. Water Temperature and Availability Shape the Spatial Ecology of a Ho
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Data from a national survey for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans

This dataset provides the results of a national survey of the conterminous U.S. for the salamander chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative from May 2014 to August 2017. Sites were sampled by capturing amphibians by hand or by traps or nets that were then swabbed individually using methods that prev
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Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Time to detection data for Point Reyes pond-breeding amphibians, 2017

Occupancy models provide a reliable method of estimating species distributions while accounting for imperfect detectability. The cost of accounting for false absences is that detection and nondetection surveys typically require repeated visits to a site or multiple-observer techniques. More efficient methods of collecting data to estimate detection probabilities would allow additional sites to be
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Occurrence of Amphibians in Northern California Coastal Dune Drainages

Many coastal dune ecosystems have been degraded by non-native dune vegetation, but these systems might still provide valuable habitat for some taxa, including amphibians. Because restoration of degraded dune systems is occurring and likely to continue, we examined the occurrence of amphibians in drainages associated with a coastal dune ecosystem degraded by invasive plants (European Beachgrass, Am
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Filter Total Items: 30

Conservation implications of spatiotemporal variation in the terrestrial ecology of Western spadefoots

Conservation of species reliant on ephemeral resources can be especially challenging in the face of a changing climate. Western spadefoots (Spea hammondii) are small burrowing anurans that breed in ephemeral pools, but adults spend the majority of their lives underground in adjacent terrestrial habitat. Western spadefoots are of conservation concern throughout their range because of habitat loss,
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Metal accumulation varies with life history, size, and development of larval amphibians

Amphibian larvae are commonly used as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health because they are susceptible to contaminants. However, there is limited information on how species characteristics and trophic position influence contaminant loads in larval amphibians. Importantly, there remains a need to understand whether grazers (frogs and toads [anurans]) and predators (salamanders) provide comparabl
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Ecosystems, Water Resources, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Water temperature and availability shape the spatial ecology of a hot springs endemic toad

Desert amphibians are limited to exploiting ephemeral resources and aestivating or to inhabiting scarce refuges of permanent water, such as springs. Understanding how amphibians use these resources is essential for their conservation. Dixie Valley Toads (Anaxyrus williamsi) are precinctive to a small system of cold and hot springs in the Dixie Valley, Nevada, USA. The toads have been petitioned fo
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Estimating the survival of unobservable life stages for a declining frog with a complex life-history

Demographic models enhance understanding of drivers of population growth and inform conservation efforts to prevent population declines and extinction. For species with complex life histories, however, parameterizing demographic models is challenging because some life stages can be difficult to study directly. Integrated population models (IPMs) empower researchers to estimate vital rates for orga
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Occurrence of a suite of stream-obligate amphibians in timberlands of Mendocino County, California, examined using environmental DNA

Stream-obligate amphibians are important indicators of ecosystem health in the Pacific Northwest, but distributional information to improve forest management is lacking in many regions. We analyzed archived DNA extracted from water samples in 60 pools in streams on private timberlands in Mendocino County, California, for 3 California Species of Special Concern—Coastal Tailed Frogs (Ascaphus truei)
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Time-to-detection occupancy methods: Performance and utility for improving efficiency of surveys

Occupancy methods propelled the quantitative study of species distributions forward by separating the observation process, or the imperfect detectability of species, from the ecological processes of interest governing species distributions. Occupancy studies come at a cost, however: the collection of additional data to account for nondetections at sites where the species is present. The most commo
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) not detected in an intensive survey of wild North American amphibians

The salamander chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans [Bsal]) is causing massive mortality of salamanders in Europe. The potential for spread via international trade into North America and the high diversity of salamanders has catalyzed concern about Bsal in the U.S. Surveillance programs for invading pathogens must initially meet challenges that include low rates of occurrence on the l
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Ecosystems, Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Monitoring protocol development and assessment for narrowly endemic toads in Nevada, 2018

Several species and subspecies of toads are endemic to small spring systems in the Great Basin, and their restricted ranges and habitat extent make them vulnerable to environmental perturbations. Very little is known about several of these toad populations, so a group of stakeholders including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Department
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Effect of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) on apparent survival of frogs and toads in the western USA

Despite increasing interest in determining the population-level effects of emerging infectious diseases on wildlife, estimating effects of disease on survival rates remains difficult. Even for a well-studied disease such as amphibian chytridiomycosis (caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]), there are few estimates of how survival of wild hosts is affected. We applied hierarchica
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Time-to-detection occupancy modeling: An efficient method for analyzing the occurrence of amphibians and reptiles

Occupancy models provide a reliable method of estimating species distributions while accounting for imperfect detectability. The cost of accounting for false absences is that detection and nondetection surveys typically require repeated visits to a site or multiple-observer techniques. More efficient methods of collecting data to estimate detection probabilities would allow additional sites to be
By
Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Linking variability in climate to wetland habitat suitability: Is it possible to forecast regional responses from simple climate measures?

Temporary wetlands have value to both ecological and social systems. Interactions between local climate and the surrounding landscape result in patterns of hydrology that are unique to temporary wetlands. These seasonal and annual fluctuations in wetland inundation contribute to community composition and richness. Thus, predicting wetland community responses to environmental change is tied to the
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Ecosystems, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Distribution, habitat, and population size of Island Night Lizards on San Nicolas Island, California

The Island Night Lizard (Xantusia riversiana) was removed from the federal list of threatened species in May 2014. This strongly differentiated species is endemic to 3 of the southern California Channel Islands—San Clemente, San Nicolas, and Santa Barbara. Suitable habitat for Island Night Lizards is extensive on San Clemente Island, and the species is abundant there. Habitat is limited and fragme
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Large-scale Review of Amphibian Species and Community Response to Climate Change

Amphibian species and community richness has been declining in North America and climate change may play a role in these declines. Global climate...

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