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
Observations of indirect filial cannibalism in response to nest failure of Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Long-term and widespread changes in agricultural practices influence ring-necked pheasant abundance in California
Pinyon and juniper encroachment into sagebrush ecosystems impacts distribution and survival of greater sage-grouse
Active season microhabitat and vegetation selection by giant gartersnakes associated with a restored marsh in California
A serosurvey of Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Nevada, USA
Survival of translocated sharp-tailed grouse: Temporal threshold and age effects
Conserving the Greater Sage-grouse: A social-ecological systems case study from the California-Nevada region
Importance of regional variation in conservation planning: A rangewide example of the Greater Sage-Grouse
Monitoring and research on the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Pine Nut Mountains, California and Nevada—Study progress report, 2011–15
Encounters with Pinyon-Juniper influence riskier movements in Greater Sage-Grouse across the Great Basin
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
Survival of translocated sharp-tailed grouse: Temporal threshold and age effects
Science and Products
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Observations of indirect filial cannibalism in response to nest failure of Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax)
During 2011, four separate instances of indirect filial cannibalism, whereby adults consumed their young that died from unknown causes, were observed using video-monitoring techniques in a nesting colony of Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) on Alcatraz Island. Though they were not observed actively killing their young, in all four observations adult Black-crowned Night-Herons consAuthorsBrianne E. Brussee, Peter S. Coates, Ian Dwight, Laura G. YoungLong-term and widespread changes in agricultural practices influence ring-necked pheasant abundance in California
Declines in bird populations in agricultural regions of North America and Europe have been attributed to agricultural industrialization, increases in use of agrochemical application, and increased predation related to habitat modification. Based on count data compiled from Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) from 1974 to 2012, Christmas Bird Count (CBC) collected from 1914 to 2013, and hunter data from AnnAuthorsPeter S. Coates, Brianne E. Brussee, Kristy B. Howe, Joseph P. Fleskes, Ian Dwight, Daniel P. Connelly, Matt G. Meshriy, Scott C. GardnerPinyon and juniper encroachment into sagebrush ecosystems impacts distribution and survival of greater sage-grouse
In sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems, encroachment of pinyon (Pinus spp.) and juniper (Juniperus spp.; hereafter, “pinyon-juniper”) trees has increased dramatically since European settlement. Understanding the impacts of this encroachment on behavioral decisions, distributions, and population dynamics of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and other sagebrush obligate species couldAuthorsPeter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Mark A. Ricca, K. Benjamin Gustafson, Pilar T. Ziegler, Michael L. CasazzaActive season microhabitat and vegetation selection by giant gartersnakes associated with a restored marsh in California
Studies of habitat selection can reveal important patterns to guide habitat restoration and management for species of conservation concern. Giant gartersnakes Thamnophis gigas are endemic to the Central Valley of California, where >90% of their historical wetland habitat has been converted to agricultural and other uses. Information about the selection of habitats by individual giant gartersnakesAuthorsBrian J. Halstead, Patricia Valcarcel, Glenn D. Wylie, Peter S. Coates, Michael L. Casazza, Daniel K. RosenbergA serosurvey of Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Nevada, USA
To better understand the potential avian diseases in Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Great Basin in Nevada, we collected 31 blood samples March–April 2014 and tested for antibodies to eight viruses and two bacteria. Specifically, sera were tested for antibodies to avian leukosis virus type A, B, and J (ALV-A, ALV-B, and ALV-J, respectively), infectious bursal disease virus,AuthorsNancy L Sinai, Peter S. Coates, Katelyn M. Andrle, Chad Jefferis, C. Gabriel Sentíes–Cué, Maurice E. PiteskySurvival of translocated sharp-tailed grouse: Temporal threshold and age effects
Context: The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is a subspecies of conservation concern in the western United States, currently occupying ≤10% of its historic range. Land and management agencies are employing translocation techniques to restore Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (CSTG) populations. However, establishing self-sustaining populations by translocating grouAuthorsSteven R. Mathews, Peter S. Coates, David J. DelehantyConserving the Greater Sage-grouse: A social-ecological systems case study from the California-Nevada region
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) continues to serve as one of the most powerful and contested federal legislative mandates for conservation. In the midst of heated debates, researchers, policy makers, and conservation practitioners champion the importance of cooperative conservation and social-ecological systems approaches, which forge partnerships at multiple levels and scales to address complexAuthorsAlison L Duvall, Alexander L. Metcalf, Peter S. CoatesImportance of regional variation in conservation planning: A rangewide example of the Greater Sage-Grouse
We developed rangewide population and habitat models for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) that account for regional variation in habitat selection and relative densities of birds for use in conservation planning and risk assessments. We developed a probabilistic model of occupied breeding habitat by statistically linking habitat characteristics within 4 miles of an occupied lek usinAuthorsKevin Doherty, Jeffrey S. Evans, Peter S. Coates, Lara Juliusson, Bradley C. FedyMonitoring and research on the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Pine Nut Mountains, California and Nevada—Study progress report, 2011–15
The Bi-State distinct population segment (DPS) of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) that occurs along the Nevada–California border was proposed for listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in October 2013. However, in April 2015, the FWS determined that the Bi-State DPS no longer required protection under the ESA and witAuthorsPeter S. Coates, Katie M. Andrle, Pilar T. Ziegler, Michael L. CasazzaEncounters with Pinyon-Juniper influence riskier movements in Greater Sage-Grouse across the Great Basin
Fine-scale spatiotemporal studies can better identify relationships between individual survival and habitat fragmentation so that mechanistic interpretations can be made at the population level. Recent advances in Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and statistical models capable of deconstructing high-frequency location data have facilitated interpretation of animal movement within a behavAuthorsBrian G. Prochazka, Peter S. Coates, Mark A. Ricca, Michael L. Casazza, K. Benjamin Gustafson, Josh M. HullSpatially 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. As a timely example of this tenet, we updated a management decision support tool that was previously developed for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereinafter referred to as “sage-grouse”) populations in Nevada and California. Specifically, recently develAuthorsPeter S. Coates, Michael L. Casazza, Brianne E. Brussee, Mark A. Ricca, K. Benjamin Gustafson, Erika Sanchez-Chopitea, Kimberly Mauch, Lara Niell, Scott Gardner, Shawn Espinosa, David J. DelehantySurvival of translocated sharp-tailed grouse: Temporal threshold and age effects
Context: The Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) is a subspecies of conservation concern in the western United States, currently occupying ≤10% of its historic range. Land and management agencies are employing translocation techniques to restore Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (CSTG) populations. However, establishing self-sustaining populations by translocating grouAuthorsSteven R. Mathews, Peter S. Coates, David J. Delehanty - 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