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Peter Coates, PhD

Dr. Peter Coates is a Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Western Ecological Research Center.

He is interested in sound science and management practices aimed at restoring wildlife communities and their habitats. He is committed to progressive, scientifically defensible conservation actions in the face of increasing human population size and individual consumption. Abundance and distribution of wild populations often can be linked to changes in their environments caused by human land use practices, but identifying the ecological mechanisms of declining populations are often challenging. Specifically, Dr. Coates is interested in investigating the links between nesting habitat, predator composition, and incubation behavior and success of birds. Additionally, he is interested in the effects of anthropogenic-resource subsidies on the survival and reproduction of predators and how these changes influence demographics and distribution of prey populations. Dr. Coates seeks to develop a broader understanding of how human-caused landscape changes affect communities and aim to identify restoration practices that preserve natural ecological processes. He is also interested in behavioral traits of grouse that affect population establishment and persistence in the face of environmental challenges.
 


 

Professional Experience

  • Wildlife Biologist, U. S. Geological Survey, 2008–present

  • Postdoctoral Appointment, Idaho State University, 2008

  • Seasonal Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2007

  • Graduate Research Assistantship, Idaho State University, 2002–2007

  • Teaching Assistantship, Idaho State University, 2004–2007

  • National Science Foundation GK–12 Teaching F, Idaho State University, 2005–2006

  • Seasonal Biological Specialist, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 2003–2005

  • Field Research Technician, University of Nevada Reno, 1999

  • Conservation Biological Technician I, II, and III, Nevada Department of Wildlife, 1996–1998

Education and Certifications

  • Ph. D., Biology, Idaho State University 2007

  • M. S., Biology, University of Nevada Reno 2001

  • B. S., Conservation Biology, University of Nevada Reno 1998

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • American Ornithologists Union

  • Cooper Ornithological Society

  • Jack H. Berryman Institute

  • Society for Conservation Biology

  • The Wildlife Society

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 34
Sagebrush on fire in a controlled burn

Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey are developing a strategic framework for assessing and monitoring the impacts of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems of the western U.S. Fuel breaks are increasingly being used to reduce the threat of wildfire, but more information on their efficacy and impacts on wildlife habitat and exotic annual grass invasion is needed.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Wildland Fire Science
Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin

Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey are developing a strategic framework for assessing and monitoring the impacts of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems of the western U.S. Fuel breaks are increasingly being used to reduce the threat of wildfire, but more information on their efficacy and impacts on wildlife habitat and exotic annual grass invasion is needed.
Learn More
Photo of a lone female Greater Sage-grouse in a field.

Hierarchical Units of Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Informing Wildlife Management

Wildlife management boundaries frequently lack biological context, such as information on habitat resource availability and wildlife movements. To address this, we developed multiple levels of biologically relevant and hierarchically nested greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) population units that could facilitate management and conservation of populations and habitats.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center, Wildland Fire Science
Hierarchical Units of Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Informing Wildlife Management

Hierarchical Units of Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Informing Wildlife Management

Wildlife management boundaries frequently lack biological context, such as information on habitat resource availability and wildlife movements. To address this, we developed multiple levels of biologically relevant and hierarchically nested greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) population units that could facilitate management and conservation of populations and habitats.
Learn More
Color photo of sagebrush with a rainbow in the background

Assessing the Effectiveness of Fuel Breaks for Preserving Greater Sage-Grouse in the Great Basin

Fuel breaks have the potential to minimize catastrophic losses of sagebrush habitat and sage-grouse populations by altering fire behavior and facilitating fire suppression. However, they may carry risks to sage-grouse populations—of habitat loss, fragmentation, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion, and alteration of sage-grouse movements—that have not been quantified.
By
Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Assessing the Effectiveness of Fuel Breaks for Preserving Greater Sage-Grouse in the Great Basin

Assessing the Effectiveness of Fuel Breaks for Preserving Greater Sage-Grouse in the Great Basin

Fuel breaks have the potential to minimize catastrophic losses of sagebrush habitat and sage-grouse populations by altering fire behavior and facilitating fire suppression. However, they may carry risks to sage-grouse populations—of habitat loss, fragmentation, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion, and alteration of sage-grouse movements—that have not been quantified.
Learn More
WERC Fire

WERC Fire Science

WERC scientists are defining the past, present, and future of wildfires for wildlife and human communities. Explore this webpage to learn about specific, ongoing projects across California and parts of Nevada.
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wildland Fire Science
WERC Fire Science

WERC Fire Science

WERC scientists are defining the past, present, and future of wildfires for wildlife and human communities. Explore this webpage to learn about specific, ongoing projects across California and parts of Nevada.
Learn More
The greater sage grouse thrives in the sagebrush landscape of the West.

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.
By
Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Greater Sage-Grouse Science (2015–17): Synthesis and Potential Management Implications

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.
Learn More
Greater Sage-grouse

Greater Sage-Grouse Population Ecology

Greater Sage-grouse are iconic birds found only in the Great Basin of the western U.S. Known for their showy courting displays, sage-grouse rely on native sagebrush habitat to shelter their young. Dr. Pete Coates is providing resource managers with the tools and information they need to conserve sage-grouse as invasive plants, evolving wildfire patterns, and energy development change the Great...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Greater Sage-Grouse Population Ecology

Greater Sage-Grouse Population Ecology

Greater Sage-grouse are iconic birds found only in the Great Basin of the western U.S. Known for their showy courting displays, sage-grouse rely on native sagebrush habitat to shelter their young. Dr. Pete Coates is providing resource managers with the tools and information they need to conserve sage-grouse as invasive plants, evolving wildfire patterns, and energy development change the Great...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 67

Predictive Maps of Fuel Break Effectiveness by Treatment Type and Underlying Resilience to Disturbance and Resistance to Invasion Across the Western U.S. Predictive Maps of Fuel Break Effectiveness by Treatment Type and Underlying Resilience to Disturbance and Resistance to Invasion Across the Western U.S.

Escalated wildfire activity within the western U.S. has widespread societal impacts and long-term consequences for the imperiled sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) biome. Shifts from historical fire regimes and the interplay between frequent disturbance and invasive annual grasses may initiate permanent state transitions as wildfire frequency outpaces sagebrush communities' innate capacity to...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Genotypes and cluster definitions for a range-wide greater sage-grouse dataset collected 2005-2017 (ver 1.1, January 2023) Genotypes and cluster definitions for a range-wide greater sage-grouse dataset collected 2005-2017 (ver 1.1, January 2023)

Monitoring change in genetic diversity in wildlife populations across multiple scales could facilitate prioritization of conservation efforts. We used microsatellite genotypes from 7,080 previously collected genetic samples from across the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) range to develop a modelling framework for estimating genetic diversity within a recently developed
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Greater sage-grouse genetic warning system, western United States (ver 1.1, January 2023) Greater sage-grouse genetic warning system, western United States (ver 1.1, January 2023)

Genetic variation is a well-known indicator of population fitness yet is not typically included in monitoring programs for sensitive species. Additionally, most programs monitor populations at one scale, which can lead to potential mismatches with ecological processes critical to species’ conservation. Recently developed methods generating hierarchically nested population units (i.e...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Code to Examine How the Influence of Fine-Scale Habitat Characteristics on Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Nest Site Selection and Nest Survival Varies by Mesic and Xeric Site Conditions version 1.0 Code to Examine How the Influence of Fine-Scale Habitat Characteristics on Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Nest Site Selection and Nest Survival Varies by Mesic and Xeric Site Conditions version 1.0

This repository centralizes R code used to examine how the influence of fine-scale habitat characteristics on Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nest site selection and nest survival varies by mesic and xeric site conditions, utilizing data collected from a wide range of study sites in Nevada and California, USA. The R script "nest_selection_model.R" provides code for a GLMM
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Influence of microhabitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival depends on ecological site potential Influence of microhabitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival depends on ecological site potential

We examined nest survival of Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) in relation to fine-scale habitat patterns that influenced nest site selection, using data from nests of telemetered females at 17 sites across 6 years in Nevada and northeastern California, USA. Importantly, sites spanned mesic and xeric average precipitation conditions and concomitant...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

rsgis v1.0 rsgis v1.0

rsgis: A package to facilitate greater sage-grouse management in the western US The rsgis package centralizes several publicly available geospatial datasets that are essential to mapping and modeling for Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) management applications, including important habitat and breeding areas for sage-grouse and political/regional boundaries. To cite the...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Filter Total Items: 146

A targeted annual warning system developed for the conservation of a sagebrush indicator species A targeted annual warning system developed for the conservation of a sagebrush indicator species

A fundamental goal of population ecologists is to identify drivers responsible for temporal variation in abundance. Understanding whether variation is associated with environmental stochasticity or anthropogenic disturbances, which are more amenable to management action, is crucial yet difficult to achieve. Here, we present a hierarchical monitoring framework that models rates of change...
Authors
Brian Prochazka, Peter Coates, Michael O’Donnell, David Edmunds, Adrian P. Monroe, Mark Ricca, Gregory Wann, Steve Hanser, Lief Wiechman, Kevin E. Doherty, Michael Chenaille, Cameron Aldridge
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Geothermal energy production adversely affects a sensitive indicator species within sagebrush ecosystems in western North America Geothermal energy production adversely affects a sensitive indicator species within sagebrush ecosystems in western North America

Growing demand for renewable energy has resulted in expansion of energy infrastructure across sagebrush ecosystems of western North America. Geothermal power is an increasingly popular renewable energy source, especially within remote areas, but little is known about the impacts it may have on local wildlife populations. Investigations are warranted given similarities to more...
Authors
Peter Coates, Brian Prochazka, Shawn O’Neil, Sarah Webster, Shawn Espinosa, Mark Ricca, Steven Mathews, Michael Casazza, David Delehanty
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

A Bayesian multi-stage modelling framework to evaluate impacts of energy development on wildlife populations: An application to Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) A Bayesian multi-stage modelling framework to evaluate impacts of energy development on wildlife populations: An application to Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)

Increased demand for domestic production of renewable energy has led to expansion of energy infrastructure across western North America. Much of the western U.S. comprises remote landscapes that are home to a variety of vegetation communities and wildlife species, including the imperiled sagebrush ecosystem and indicator species such as greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)...
Authors
Brian Prochazka, Shawn O’Neil, Peter Coates
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Could biological soil crusts act as natural fire fuel breaks in the sagebrush steppe? Could biological soil crusts act as natural fire fuel breaks in the sagebrush steppe?

No abstract available.
Authors
Lea Condon, Douglas Shinneman, Roger Rosentreter, Peter Coates
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Influence of fine-scale habitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival varies by mesic and xeric site conditions Influence of fine-scale habitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival varies by mesic and xeric site conditions

Resource managers and scientists across western U.S. agencies seek methodologies for identifying environmental attributes important to both wildlife conservation and broad-scale land stewardship. The Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) exemplifies a species in need of this broad-scale approach given widespread population declines that have resulted...
Authors
Brianne Brussee, Peter Coates, Shawn O’Neil, Mark Ricca, Jonathan Dudko, Shawn Espinosa, Scott Gardner, Michael Casazza, David Delehanty
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Range-wide population trend analysis for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)—Updated 1960–2021 Range-wide population trend analysis for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)—Updated 1960–2021

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are at the center of state and national land use policies largely because of their unique life-history traits as an ecological indicator for health of sagebrush ecosystems. This updated population trend analysis provides state and federal land and wildlife managers with best-available science to help guide current management and...
Authors
Peter Coates, Brian Prochazka, Cameron Aldridge, Michael O’Donnell, David Edmunds, Adrian P. Monroe, Steve Hanser, Lief Wiechman, Michael Chenaille
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Filter Total Items: 18

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 34
Sagebrush on fire in a controlled burn

Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey are developing a strategic framework for assessing and monitoring the impacts of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems of the western U.S. Fuel breaks are increasingly being used to reduce the threat of wildfire, but more information on their efficacy and impacts on wildlife habitat and exotic annual grass invasion is needed.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Wildland Fire Science
Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin

Fuel Break Science in the Great Basin

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey are developing a strategic framework for assessing and monitoring the impacts of fuel breaks in sagebrush ecosystems of the western U.S. Fuel breaks are increasingly being used to reduce the threat of wildfire, but more information on their efficacy and impacts on wildlife habitat and exotic annual grass invasion is needed.
Learn More
Photo of a lone female Greater Sage-grouse in a field.

Hierarchical Units of Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Informing Wildlife Management

Wildlife management boundaries frequently lack biological context, such as information on habitat resource availability and wildlife movements. To address this, we developed multiple levels of biologically relevant and hierarchically nested greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) population units that could facilitate management and conservation of populations and habitats.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center, Wildland Fire Science
Hierarchical Units of Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Informing Wildlife Management

Hierarchical Units of Greater Sage-Grouse Populations Informing Wildlife Management

Wildlife management boundaries frequently lack biological context, such as information on habitat resource availability and wildlife movements. To address this, we developed multiple levels of biologically relevant and hierarchically nested greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) population units that could facilitate management and conservation of populations and habitats.
Learn More
Color photo of sagebrush with a rainbow in the background

Assessing the Effectiveness of Fuel Breaks for Preserving Greater Sage-Grouse in the Great Basin

Fuel breaks have the potential to minimize catastrophic losses of sagebrush habitat and sage-grouse populations by altering fire behavior and facilitating fire suppression. However, they may carry risks to sage-grouse populations—of habitat loss, fragmentation, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion, and alteration of sage-grouse movements—that have not been quantified.
By
Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Assessing the Effectiveness of Fuel Breaks for Preserving Greater Sage-Grouse in the Great Basin

Assessing the Effectiveness of Fuel Breaks for Preserving Greater Sage-Grouse in the Great Basin

Fuel breaks have the potential to minimize catastrophic losses of sagebrush habitat and sage-grouse populations by altering fire behavior and facilitating fire suppression. However, they may carry risks to sage-grouse populations—of habitat loss, fragmentation, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion, and alteration of sage-grouse movements—that have not been quantified.
Learn More
WERC Fire

WERC Fire Science

WERC scientists are defining the past, present, and future of wildfires for wildlife and human communities. Explore this webpage to learn about specific, ongoing projects across California and parts of Nevada.
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wildland Fire Science
WERC Fire Science

WERC Fire Science

WERC scientists are defining the past, present, and future of wildfires for wildlife and human communities. Explore this webpage to learn about specific, ongoing projects across California and parts of Nevada.
Learn More
The greater sage grouse thrives in the sagebrush landscape of the West.

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.
By
Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Greater Sage-Grouse Science (2015–17): Synthesis and Potential Management Implications

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.
Learn More
Greater Sage-grouse

Greater Sage-Grouse Population Ecology

Greater Sage-grouse are iconic birds found only in the Great Basin of the western U.S. Known for their showy courting displays, sage-grouse rely on native sagebrush habitat to shelter their young. Dr. Pete Coates is providing resource managers with the tools and information they need to conserve sage-grouse as invasive plants, evolving wildfire patterns, and energy development change the Great...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Greater Sage-Grouse Population Ecology

Greater Sage-Grouse Population Ecology

Greater Sage-grouse are iconic birds found only in the Great Basin of the western U.S. Known for their showy courting displays, sage-grouse rely on native sagebrush habitat to shelter their young. Dr. Pete Coates is providing resource managers with the tools and information they need to conserve sage-grouse as invasive plants, evolving wildfire patterns, and energy development change the Great...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 67

Predictive Maps of Fuel Break Effectiveness by Treatment Type and Underlying Resilience to Disturbance and Resistance to Invasion Across the Western U.S. Predictive Maps of Fuel Break Effectiveness by Treatment Type and Underlying Resilience to Disturbance and Resistance to Invasion Across the Western U.S.

Escalated wildfire activity within the western U.S. has widespread societal impacts and long-term consequences for the imperiled sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) biome. Shifts from historical fire regimes and the interplay between frequent disturbance and invasive annual grasses may initiate permanent state transitions as wildfire frequency outpaces sagebrush communities' innate capacity to...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Genotypes and cluster definitions for a range-wide greater sage-grouse dataset collected 2005-2017 (ver 1.1, January 2023) Genotypes and cluster definitions for a range-wide greater sage-grouse dataset collected 2005-2017 (ver 1.1, January 2023)

Monitoring change in genetic diversity in wildlife populations across multiple scales could facilitate prioritization of conservation efforts. We used microsatellite genotypes from 7,080 previously collected genetic samples from across the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) range to develop a modelling framework for estimating genetic diversity within a recently developed
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Greater sage-grouse genetic warning system, western United States (ver 1.1, January 2023) Greater sage-grouse genetic warning system, western United States (ver 1.1, January 2023)

Genetic variation is a well-known indicator of population fitness yet is not typically included in monitoring programs for sensitive species. Additionally, most programs monitor populations at one scale, which can lead to potential mismatches with ecological processes critical to species’ conservation. Recently developed methods generating hierarchically nested population units (i.e...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Code to Examine How the Influence of Fine-Scale Habitat Characteristics on Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Nest Site Selection and Nest Survival Varies by Mesic and Xeric Site Conditions version 1.0 Code to Examine How the Influence of Fine-Scale Habitat Characteristics on Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Nest Site Selection and Nest Survival Varies by Mesic and Xeric Site Conditions version 1.0

This repository centralizes R code used to examine how the influence of fine-scale habitat characteristics on Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nest site selection and nest survival varies by mesic and xeric site conditions, utilizing data collected from a wide range of study sites in Nevada and California, USA. The R script "nest_selection_model.R" provides code for a GLMM
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Influence of microhabitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival depends on ecological site potential Influence of microhabitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival depends on ecological site potential

We examined nest survival of Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) in relation to fine-scale habitat patterns that influenced nest site selection, using data from nests of telemetered females at 17 sites across 6 years in Nevada and northeastern California, USA. Importantly, sites spanned mesic and xeric average precipitation conditions and concomitant...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

rsgis v1.0 rsgis v1.0

rsgis: A package to facilitate greater sage-grouse management in the western US The rsgis package centralizes several publicly available geospatial datasets that are essential to mapping and modeling for Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) management applications, including important habitat and breeding areas for sage-grouse and political/regional boundaries. To cite the...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Filter Total Items: 146

A targeted annual warning system developed for the conservation of a sagebrush indicator species A targeted annual warning system developed for the conservation of a sagebrush indicator species

A fundamental goal of population ecologists is to identify drivers responsible for temporal variation in abundance. Understanding whether variation is associated with environmental stochasticity or anthropogenic disturbances, which are more amenable to management action, is crucial yet difficult to achieve. Here, we present a hierarchical monitoring framework that models rates of change...
Authors
Brian Prochazka, Peter Coates, Michael O’Donnell, David Edmunds, Adrian P. Monroe, Mark Ricca, Gregory Wann, Steve Hanser, Lief Wiechman, Kevin E. Doherty, Michael Chenaille, Cameron Aldridge
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Geothermal energy production adversely affects a sensitive indicator species within sagebrush ecosystems in western North America Geothermal energy production adversely affects a sensitive indicator species within sagebrush ecosystems in western North America

Growing demand for renewable energy has resulted in expansion of energy infrastructure across sagebrush ecosystems of western North America. Geothermal power is an increasingly popular renewable energy source, especially within remote areas, but little is known about the impacts it may have on local wildlife populations. Investigations are warranted given similarities to more...
Authors
Peter Coates, Brian Prochazka, Shawn O’Neil, Sarah Webster, Shawn Espinosa, Mark Ricca, Steven Mathews, Michael Casazza, David Delehanty
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

A Bayesian multi-stage modelling framework to evaluate impacts of energy development on wildlife populations: An application to Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) A Bayesian multi-stage modelling framework to evaluate impacts of energy development on wildlife populations: An application to Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)

Increased demand for domestic production of renewable energy has led to expansion of energy infrastructure across western North America. Much of the western U.S. comprises remote landscapes that are home to a variety of vegetation communities and wildlife species, including the imperiled sagebrush ecosystem and indicator species such as greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)...
Authors
Brian Prochazka, Shawn O’Neil, Peter Coates
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Could biological soil crusts act as natural fire fuel breaks in the sagebrush steppe? Could biological soil crusts act as natural fire fuel breaks in the sagebrush steppe?

No abstract available.
Authors
Lea Condon, Douglas Shinneman, Roger Rosentreter, Peter Coates
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Influence of fine-scale habitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival varies by mesic and xeric site conditions Influence of fine-scale habitat characteristics on sage-grouse nest site selection and nest survival varies by mesic and xeric site conditions

Resource managers and scientists across western U.S. agencies seek methodologies for identifying environmental attributes important to both wildlife conservation and broad-scale land stewardship. The Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) exemplifies a species in need of this broad-scale approach given widespread population declines that have resulted...
Authors
Brianne Brussee, Peter Coates, Shawn O’Neil, Mark Ricca, Jonathan Dudko, Shawn Espinosa, Scott Gardner, Michael Casazza, David Delehanty
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Range-wide population trend analysis for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)—Updated 1960–2021 Range-wide population trend analysis for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)—Updated 1960–2021

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are at the center of state and national land use policies largely because of their unique life-history traits as an ecological indicator for health of sagebrush ecosystems. This updated population trend analysis provides state and federal land and wildlife managers with best-available science to help guide current management and...
Authors
Peter Coates, Brian Prochazka, Cameron Aldridge, Michael O’Donnell, David Edmunds, Adrian P. Monroe, Steve Hanser, Lief Wiechman, Michael Chenaille
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Filter Total Items: 18

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government

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