Paul Flint, Ph.D.
Waterfowl population biology, factors affecting reproductive performance, evolutionary determinants of life history strategies, and survival rate estimation.
Biography
Education
Ph.D. 1993 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK Biology
B.S. 1986 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK Wildlife Biology
Professional Experience
1993 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1987 - 1993 Graduate Research Associate, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska
1985 - 1987 Biological Technician, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska
Professional Activities and/or Memberships
The Wildlife Society
Wilson Ornithological Society
Cooper Ornithological Society
Association of Field Ornithologists
American Ornithologists Union
Science and Products
Spatial and Temporal Maps of Population Change of Waterbirds on Alaska's North Slope
A main objective of the USGS Changing Arctic Research Initiative is to quantify and provide projections of the responses of wildlife species and their habitats to ecosystem change in the Arctic. The following project provides information for Department of Interior agencies, industry, and other stakeholders related to this objective.
Goose Research
Over the past two decades the USGS Alaska Science Center has had a central focus on addressing science questions related to geese in Alaska. Science information is needed for these species because all have undergone changes in population size through time and are important resources for subsistence and sport hunters in the state and outside of Alaska where these birds spend the winter. The...
Dabbling and Diving Duck Research
Dabbling and diving ducks (such as the northern pintail, mallard, teal, and scaup) are highly migratory and widespread species throughout North America. For many species, their migratory flyways through Asia and North America overlap in Alaska and northeastern Russia. Population trends of these species are closely tracked through aerial surveys by management agencies. Results from these and...
Drivers of Population Trends for Waterfowl
Each year, management agencies conduct aerial surveys of waterfowl populations across Alaska and the rest of North America to document annual changes in the numbers of breeding and wintering waterfowl. These surveys yield long-term data sets of population change, but often the drivers of increases and decreases in population size are unknown. The USGS Alaska Science Center waterfowl research...
Avian Influenza Research
Since 2006, the USGS Alaska Science Center has been part of the State and Federal interagency team for the detection and response to highly pathogenic (HPAI) viruses in North America. Avian influenza or "bird flu" is a viral disease that primarily infects domestic poultry and wild birds. Avian influenza viruses are naturally occurring in wild birds such as ducks, geese, swans, and gulls. These...
Spatio-temporal population change of Arctic-breeding waterbirds on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Rapid physical changes that are occurring in the Arctic are primary drivers of landscape change and thus may drive population dynamics of Arctic-breeding birds. Despite the importance of this region to breeding and molting waterbirds, lack of a comprehensive analysis of historic data has hindered quantifying avian population change. We estimated...
Amundson, Courtney L.; Flint, Paul L.; Stehn, Robert A; Platte, Robert; Wilson, Heather M.; Larned, William W.; Fischer, Julian B. Non‐linear effect of sea ice: Spectacled Eider survival declines at both extremes of the ice spectrum
Understanding the relationship between environmental factors and vital rates is an important step in predicting a species’ response to environmental change. Species associated with sea ice are of particular concern because sea ice is projected to decrease rapidly in polar environments with continued levels of greenhouse gas emissions. The...
Christie, Katherine S.; Hollmen, Tuula E.; Flint, Paul L.; Douglas, David C.
Summary of wildlife-related research on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2002–17
We summarize recent (2002–17) publicly available information from studies within the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as terrestrial and coastal ecosystems elsewhere on the Arctic Coastal Plain that are relevant to the 1002 Area. This report provides an update on earlier research summaries on caribou (Rangifer tarandus),...
Pearce, John M.; Flint, Paul L.; Atwood, Todd C.; Douglas, David C.; Adams, Layne G.; Johnson, Heather E.; Arthur, Stephen M.; Latty, Christopher J. Attaching transmitters to waterbirds using one versus two subcutaneous anchors: Retention and survival trade-offs
A major challenge of wildlife telemetry is choosing an attachment technique that maximizes transmitter retention while minimizing negative side effects. For waterbirds, attachment of transmitters with subcutaneous anchors has been an effective and well-established technique, having been used on >40 species. This method was recently modified to...
Lewis, Tyler; Esler, Daniel N.; Uher-Koch, Brian D.; Dickson, Rian D.; Anderson, Eric M.; Evenson, Joseph R.; Hupp, Jerry W.; Flint, Paul L. Effects of industrial and investigator disturbance on Arctic-nesting geese
Oil and gas development on the Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of Alaska, USA may have effects on Arctic-nesting birds. To estimate effects of industrial activity and investigator disturbance on avian productivity, we monitored nests of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) with digital cameras and periodic nest visits during 2013–2014 at 2...
Meixell, Brandt W.; Flint, Paul L. Movements and habitat use of White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) during the remigial molt in arctic Alaska, USA
Proposed oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska has raised questions about possible impacts of development on molting Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) and their habitats. We used GPS transmitters to record fine-scale location data of molting and post-molt White-fronted Geese to assess patterns of...
Flint, Paul L.; Meixell, Brandt W. Serum biochemistries of Pacific black brant
The data set contains results for nine serum biochemistries in molting Pacific black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans). These data were used to calculate reference intervals (sometimes referred to as normal values) for the nine serum biochemistries. All brant were after-hatch year. All samples were collected in 2006 and 2007 in the Teshekpuk Lake...
Franson, J. Christian; Flint, Paul L.; Schmutz, Joel A. Geographic and temporal patterns of variation in total mercury concentrations in blood of harlequin ducks and blue mussels from Alaska
We compared total mercury (Hg) concentrations in whole blood of harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) sampled within and among two geographically distinct locations and across three years in southwest Alaska. Blue mussels were collected to assess correlation between Hg concentrations in locally available forage and birds. Mercury...
Savoy, Lucas; Flint, Paul L.; Zwiefelhofer, Denny; Brant, Heather; Perkins, Christopher R.; Taylor, Robert J.; Lane, Oksana P.; Hall, Jefferson S.; Evers, David C.; Schamber, Jason Reference intervals for serum biochemistries of molting Pacific Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) in Northern Alaska, USA
We determined reference intervals for nine serum biochemistries in samples from 329 molting, after-hatch-year, Pacific Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) in Alaska, US. Cholesterol and nonesterified fatty acids differed by sex, but no other differences were noted.
Franson, J. Christian; Flint, Paul L.; Schmutz, Joel A. Helminth community structure in two species of arctic-breeding waterfowl
Climate change is occurring rapidly at high latitudes, and subsequent changes in parasite communities may have implications for hosts including wildlife and humans. Waterfowl, in particular, harbor numerous parasites and may facilitate parasite movement across broad geographic areas due to migratory movements. However, little is known about...
Amundson, Courtney L.; Traub, N.J.; Smith-Herron, A.J.; Flint, Paul L.
U.S. Geological Survey science strategy for highly pathogenic avian influenza in wildlife and the environment (2016–2020)
IntroductionThrough the Science Strategy for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Wildlife and the Environment, the USGS will assess avian influenza (AI) dynamics in an ecological context to inform decisions made by resource managers and policymakers from the local to national level. Through collection of unbiased scientific information on...
Harris, M. Camille; Pearce, John M.; Prosser, Diann J.; White, C. LeAnn; Miles, A. Keith; Sleeman, Jonathan M.; Brand, Christopher J.; Cronin, James P.; De La Cruz, Susan; Densmore, Christine L.; Doyle, Thomas W.; Dusek, Robert J.; Fleskes, Joseph P.; Flint, Paul L.; Guala, Gerald F.; Hall, Jeffrey S.; Hubbard, Laura E.; Hunt, Randall J.; Ip, Hon S.; Katz, Rachel A.; Laurent, Kevin W.; Miller, Mark P.; Munn, Mark D.; Ramey, Andrew M.; Richards, Kevin D.; Russell, Robin E.; Stokdyk, Joel P.; Takekawa, John Y.; Walsh, Daniel P. Blood selenium concentrations in female Pacific black brant molting in Arctic Alaska: Relationships with age and habitat salinity
Blood samples collected from 81 female Pacific black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) molting near Teshekpuk Lake, Alaska, were analyzed for selenium concentration. The concentration of selenium in blood of after second year (hatched two or more years ago) females (0.84 μg/g wet weight) was significantly greater than the concentration in...
Franson, J. Christian; Flint, Paul L.; Schmutz, Joel A.
Sea Ice Decline and Permafrost Thaw Create Goose Habitat in Arctic Alaska
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey report that warming temperatures are leading to the creation of high quality habitats for geese along the Arctic coast of Alaska. This scientific finding is contrary to the deleterious effects that warming global temperatures are having on habitats of sea ice-dependent animals, such as polar bear and walrus.