Peter Coates
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
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
Long-term effects of wildfire on greater sage-grouse - integrating population and ecosystem concepts for management in the Great Basin
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
Ecological correlates of fecal corticosterone metabolites in female Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrococercus urophasianus)
Synthesizing and analyzing long-term monitoring data: A greater sage-grouse case study
Large-scale wildfire reduces population growth in a peripheral population of sage-grouse
A customized framework for regional classification of conifers using automated feature extraction
Range-wide greater sage-grouse hierarchical monitoring framework—Implications for defining population boundaries, trend estimation, and a targeted annual warning system
Nesting, brood rearing, and summer habitat selection by translocated greater sage‐grouse in North Dakota, USA
Occurrence, resource use, and demography of the common raven in North America: A research synthesis
Brood parasitism of greater sage-grouse by California Quail in Idaho
Free-roaming horses disrupt greater sage-grouse lekking activity in the Great Basin
Postfire growth of seeded and planted big sagebrush - Strategic designs for restoring Greater Sage-grouse nesting habitat
Wildfire and the ecological niche: Diminishing habitat suitability for an indicator species within semi‐arid ecosystems
Linking nest microhabitat selection to nest survival within declining pheasant populations in the Central Valley of California
Science and Products
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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
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 timeLong-term effects of wildfire on greater sage-grouse - integrating population and ecosystem concepts for management in the Great Basin
Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus; hereinafter, sage-grouse) are a sagebrush obligate species that has declined concomitantly with the loss and fragmentation of sagebrush ecosystems across most of its geographical range. The species has been considered for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act multiple times, and was most recently ruled to not warrant protection as of SeptThe 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 tho - Publications
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Ecological correlates of fecal corticosterone metabolites in female Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrococercus urophasianus)
Measurement of physiological responses can reveal effects of ecological conditions on an animal and correlate with demographic parameters. Ecological conditions for many animal species have deteriorated as a function of invasive plants and habitat fragmentation. Expansion of juniper (Juniperus spp.) trees and invasion of annual grasses into sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems have contributed toAuthorsJordan C. Rabon, Cassandra Nuñez, Peter S. Coates, Mark A. Ricca, Tracey N. JohnsonSynthesizing and analyzing long-term monitoring data: A greater sage-grouse case study
Long-term monitoring of natural resources is imperative for increasing the understanding of ecosystem processes, services, and how to manage those ecosystems to maintain or improve function. Challenges with using these data may occur because methods of monitoring changed over time, multiple organizations collect and manage data differently, and monetary resources fluctuate, affecting many aspectsAuthorsMichael O'Donnell, David R. Edmunds, Cameron L. Aldridge, Julie A. Heinrichs, Adrian P. Monroe, Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Thomas J Christiansen, Steve E. Hanser, Lief A. Wiechman, Avery A Cook, Shawn P. Espinosa, Lee J. Foster, Kathleen A. Griffin, Jesse L. Kolar, Katherine Miller, Ann M. Moser, Thomas E. Remington, Travis J Runia, Leslie A Schreiber, Michael A Schroeder, San J Stiver, Nyssa I Whitford, Catherine S WightmanLarge-scale wildfire reduces population growth in a peripheral population of sage-grouse
Drastic increases in wildfire size and frequency threaten western North American sagebrush (Artemisia L. spp.) ecosystems. At relatively large spatial scales, wildfire facilitates type conversion of sagebrush-dominated plant communities to monocultures of invasive annual grasses (e.g., Bromus tectorum L.). Annual grasses provide fine fuels that promote fire spread, contributing to a positive grassAuthorsIan F Dudley, Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Shawn T. O'Neil, Scott C. Gardner, David J. DelehantyA 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. CasazzaRange-wide greater sage-grouse hierarchical monitoring framework—Implications for defining population boundaries, trend estimation, and a targeted annual warning system
Incorporating spatial and temporal scales into greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) population monitoring strategies is challenging and rarely implemented. Sage-grouse populations experience fluctuations in abundance that lead to temporal oscillations, making trend estimation difficult. Accounting for stochasticity is critical to reliably estimate population trends and investigate variaAuthorsPeter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Michael S. O'Donnell, Cameron L. Aldridge, David R. Edmunds, Adrian P. Monroe, Mark A. Ricca, Gregory T. Wann, Steve E. Hanser, Lief A. Wiechman, Michael P. ChenailleNesting, brood rearing, and summer habitat selection by translocated greater sage‐grouse in North Dakota, USA
Human enterprise has led to large‐scale changes in landscapes and altered wildlife population distribution and abundance, necessitating efficient and effective conservation strategies for impacted species. Greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage‐grouse) are a widespread sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) obligate species that has experienced population declines since the mid‐1900s rAuthorsKade D. Lazenby, Peter S. Coates, Shawn T. O'Neil, Michel T. Kohl, David K. DahlgrenOccurrence, resource use, and demography of the common raven in North America: A research synthesis
We reviewed the scientific literature to inventory existing studies of common raven (Corvus corax; raven) ecology in western North America. We conducted an intial literature review between June 2015 and March 2018. Prior to completing our review, we revisited the published literature for any additional relevant studies in July 2021. Our goal was to identify knowledge gaps and to synthesize the curAuthorsWilliam C. Webb, Peter S. Coates, Seth J. Dettenmaier, David J. DelehantyBrood parasitism of greater sage-grouse by California Quail in Idaho
We describe a case of brood parasitism of a Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) nest by California Quail (Callipepla californica; hereafter, quail) in southwestern Idaho during 2019. We observed one quail egg in the parasitized nest; the egg partially hatched, but the chick was dead upon the final nest check. Of the 6 sage-grouse eggs in the nest, only 2 hatchedAuthorsJordan C. Rabon, Sarah E McIntire, Peter S. Coates, Mark A. Ricca, Tracey N. JohnsonFree-roaming horses disrupt greater sage-grouse lekking activity in the Great Basin
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) and free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) co-occur within large portions of sagebrush ecosystems within the Great Basin of western North America. In recent decades, sage-grouse populations have declined substantially while concomitant free-roaming horse populations have increased drastically. Although multiple studies have repoAuthorsDiana A. Munoz, Peter S. Coates, Mark A. RiccaPostfire growth of seeded and planted big sagebrush - Strategic designs for restoring Greater Sage-grouse nesting habitat
Wildfires change plant community structure and impact wildlife habitat and population dynamics. Recent wildfire‐induced losses of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) in North American shrublands are outpacing natural recovery and leading to substantial losses in habitat for sagebrush‐obligate species such as Greater Sage‐grouse. Managers are considering restoration strategies that include plantinAuthorsDavid A. Pyke, Robert K. Shriver, Robert Arkle, David Pilliod, Cameron L. Aldridge, Peter S. Coates, Matthew Germino, Julie A. Heinrichs, Mark A. Ricca, Scott ShaffWildfire and the ecological niche: Diminishing habitat suitability for an indicator species within semi‐arid ecosystems
Globally accelerating frequency and extent of wildfire threatens the persistence of specialist wildlife species through direct loss of habitat and indirect facilitation of exotic invasive species. Habitat specialists may be especially prone to rapidly changing environmental conditions because their ability to adapt lags behind the rate of habitat alteration. As a result, these populations may becoAuthorsShawn T. O'Neil, Peter S. Coates, Brianne E. Brussee, Mark A. Ricca, Shawn P. Espinosa, Scott C. Gardner, David J DelahantyLinking nest microhabitat selection to nest survival within declining pheasant populations in the Central Valley of California
Context: The ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) has experienced considerable population declines in recent decades, especially in agricultural environments of the Central Valley of California. Although large-scale changes in land cover have been reported as an important driver of population dynamics, the effects of microhabitat conditions on specific demographic rates (e.g. nesting) are laAuthorsIan Dwight, Jessica H Vogt, Peter S. Coates, Joseph P. Fleskes, Daniel P. Connelly, Scott C. Gardner - Web Tools
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*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