Robert N Fisher
Dr. Robert Fisher is a conservation biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Ecological Research Center and works as part of a large integrated team.
His focus has been on how natural systems are responding to the Anthropocene, and what types of resiliency they have or lack as it relates to maintaining ecological integrity and biodiversity. Additionally, through understanding individual species and community responses to perturbations through modern monitoring techniques, he and his team can determine appropriate management experiments or options to possibly recover resiliency. Geographically they have two foci, the first is southern California where urbanization and conservation planning bring various direct and indirect drivers of ecological change, and climate variability is currently extreme and drives landscape level drought and wildfires. Their second foci are the tropical islands of the Pacific Basin, from Palau and Papua New Guinea east to Hawai’i. These islands have also been driven by human change and are on the front line as extreme recent weather variability in the cyclone belt impact terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding how biodiversity was generated in this ecoregion is critical to managing its loss, and their team focuses across time and space (biogeography) to understand these processes utilizing molecular tools tied to expeditions of discovery in this poorly studied ecoregion.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Conservation biology
- Biogeography
- Modelling
- Natural history
- Speciation
- Invasive species
- Climate variability
- Anthropocene
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 1995
M.S., Zoology, University of California, Davis, CA 1991
B.S., Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 1988
Science and Products
Geography for a Changing World - A science strategy for the geographic research of the U.S. Geological Survey, 2005-2015
Taricha torosa torosa (Coast Range Newt): Overwintering larvae
Post-Cedar Fire Arroyo Toad (Bufo californicus) Monitoring Surveys at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, 2004. Final Report
Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI): A successful start to a national program in the United States
Effects of urbanization on the distribution and abundance of amphibians and invasive species in southern California streams
Helminth records from eleven species of Emoia (Sauria: Scincidae) from Oceania
Parasites of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, in southern California, U.S.A
Designing monitoring programs in an adaptive management context for regional multiple species conservation plans
Assessing the Risk of Loveland Dam Operations to the Arroyo Toad (Bufo californicus) in the Sweetwater River Channel, San Diego County, California
Bat inventory of the Descanso district of the Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California
2000-2002 Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Amphibian Survey
Snake (Colubridae: Thamnophis) predatory responses to chemical cues from native and introduced prey species
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
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- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 279
Geography for a Changing World - A science strategy for the geographic research of the U.S. Geological Survey, 2005-2015
This report presents a science strategy for the geographic research of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the years 2005-2015. The common thread running through the vision, mission, and science goals presented in the plan is that USGS geographers will provide national leadership to understand coupled human-environmental systems in the face of land change and will deliver pertinent information tAuthorsGerard McMahon, Susan P. Benjamin, Keith Clarke, John E. Findley, Robert N. Fisher, William L. Graf, Linda C. Gundersen, John Jones, Thomas R. Loveland, Keven S. Roth, E. Lynn Usery, Nathan J. WoodTaricha torosa torosa (Coast Range Newt): Overwintering larvae
We present observations of overwintering behavior in Taricha torosa torosa larvae at two independent sites. We define overwintering larvae as newts that spend the entire winter season in the larval form. The winter season (December, January, and February) represents the average three coldest months for the southern California coastal region (Felton 1965. California’s Many Climates. Pacific Books.AuthorsSteven L. Carroll, Edward L. Ervin, Robert N. FisherPost-Cedar Fire Arroyo Toad (Bufo californicus) Monitoring Surveys at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, 2004. Final Report
No abstract available at this timeAuthorsM.B. Mendelsohn, M. C. Madden-Smith, Robert N. FisherAmphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI): A successful start to a national program in the United States
Most research to assess amphibian declines has focused on local-scale projects on one or a few species. The Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) is a national program in the United States mandated by congressional directive and implemented by the U.S. Department of the Interior (specifically the U.S. Geological Survey, USGS). Program goals are to monitor changes in populations of amAuthorsGary M. Fellers, Erin Muths, C. Kenneth Dodd, D. Earl Green, William A. Battaglin, P. Stephen Corn, M. J. Adams, Alisa L. Gallant, Robert N. Fisher, Cecil R. Schwalbe, Larissa L. Bailey, Walter J. Sadinski, Robin E. Jung, Susan C. WallsEffects of urbanization on the distribution and abundance of amphibians and invasive species in southern California streams
Urbanization negatively affects natural ecosystems in many ways, and aquatic systems in particular. Urbanization is also cited as one of the potential contributors to recent dramatic declines in amphibian populations. From 2000 to 2002 we determined the distribution and abundance of native amphibians and exotic predators and characterized stream habitat and invertebratecommunities in 35 streams inAuthorsS.P.D. Riley, G.T. Busteed, L.B. Kats, T.L. Vandergon, L.F.S. Lee, R.G. Dagit, J.L. Kerby, Robert N. Fisher, R.M. SauvajotHelminth records from eleven species of Emoia (Sauria: Scincidae) from Oceania
As part of an ongoing study of the biogeography of helminth parasites of lizards from Oceania, 53 specimens of Emoia (11 species) were examined, as follows: E. atrocostata, E. boettgeri, E. caerulocauda, E. cyanogaster, E. cyanura, E. impar, E. nigra, E. nigromarginata, E. ponapea, E. sanfordi, E. trossula. One species of Digenea, Paradistomoides gregarium, and six species of Nematoda, Hedruris haAuthorsS.R. Goldberg, C.R. Bursey, Robert N. FisherParasites of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, in southern California, U.S.A
A total of 230 feral African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, from 3 localities in southern California were examined for parasites. The following species were found: 3 species of Protozoa, Nyctotherussp., Balantidium xenopodis, Protoopalina xenopodus; 2 species of Monogenea, Protopolystoma xenopodis, Gyrdicotylus gallieni; 1 species of Digenea, Clinostomum sp. (as metacercariae); 1 species of CestodaAuthorsBoris I. Kuperman, Victoria E. Matey, Richard N. Fisher, Edward L. Ervin, Manna L. Warburton, Ludmila Bakhireva, Cynthia A. LehmanDesigning monitoring programs in an adaptive management context for regional multiple species conservation plans
Increasing numbers of regional, multiple species conservation plans have been developed in California since the early 1990s. However, building effective monitoring and adaptive management programs to support these plans has remained a challenge. In addition to collecting data on the status of resources and the results of management actions, monitoring programs for these plans need to resolve critiAuthorsA.J. Atkinson, P.C. Trenham, Robert N. Fisher, S.A. Hathaway, B.S. Johnson, S.G. Torres, Y.C. MooreAssessing the Risk of Loveland Dam Operations to the Arroyo Toad (Bufo californicus) in the Sweetwater River Channel, San Diego County, California
No abstract available at this timeAuthorsM. C. Madden-Smith, A.J. Atkinson, Robert N. Fisher, W.R. Danskin, Gregory O. MendezBat inventory of the Descanso district of the Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California
No abstract available at this timeAuthorsD.C. Stokes, Robert N. Fisher2000-2002 Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Amphibian Survey
No abstract available at this timeAuthorsM.L. Warburton, Robert N. Fisher, S.A. HathawaySnake (Colubridae: Thamnophis) predatory responses to chemical cues from native and introduced prey species
Several aquatic vertebrates have been introduced into freshwater systems in California over the past 100 years. Some populations of the two-striped garter snake (Thamnophis hammondii) have lived in sympatry with these species since their introduction; other populations have never encountered them. To assess the possible adaptation to a novel prey, we tested the predatory responses of T. hammondiiAuthorsS.J. Mullin, H. Imbert, J.M. Fish, E.L. Ervin, Robert N. Fisher - News
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