Robert Reed
Robert N. Reed is a Supervisory Ecologist who currently serves as Deputy Center Director at the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center based in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. His past research focused on prevention, control, and containment of invasive reptiles.
Professional Experience
2020-present - Deputy Center Director, USGS-PIERC
2012-2020 - Chief, Invasive Species Science Branch, USGS-FORT
2006-2012 - Research Wildlife Biologist, Brown Treesnake Project, USGS-FORT
2003-2006 - Assistant Professor (Biology), Southern Utah University, Cedar City UT
2001-2003 - Post-doctoral Associate, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken SC
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Auburn University, Biological Sciences, 2001
Fulbright Fellow, University of Sydney, Australia, 2000-2001
M.S. Arizona State University, Zoology, 1995
B.A. University of California at Berkeley, Zoology/English, 1991
Science and Products
Evidence for an established population of tegu lizards Salvator merianae in southeastern Georgia, USA
Highly competent native snake hosts extend the range of an introduced parasite beyond its invasive Burmese python host
Behavior, size, and body condition predict susceptibility to management and reflect post-treatment frequency shifts in an invasive snake
Landscape dominance of introduced herpetofauna on an oceanic island
Estimating detection probability for Burmese Pythons with few detections and zero recapture events
Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities
Genomic pedigree reconstruction identifies predictors of mating and reproductive success in an invasive vertebrate
Optimizing walking pace to maximize snake detection rate: A visual encounter survey experiment
Contact rates with nesting birds before and after invasive snake removal: Estimating the effects of trap-based control
Do observer fatigue and taxon-bias compromise visual encounter surveys for small vertebrates?
Burmese Python (Python bivittatus)
Science and Products
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Evidence for an established population of tegu lizards Salvator merianae in southeastern Georgia, USA
Documenting emergence of invasive species in new areas is vital to understanding spatiotemporal patterns of invasions, propagule pressure, and the risk of establishment. Salvator merianae (Argentine Giant Tegu) has established multiple unconnected populations in southern and Central Florida, and additional sightings have been reported elsewhere in the state. In 2018, land managers in Georgia receiAuthorsDaniel Haro, Lance McBrayer, John B Jenson, James Gillis, Lea R. Bonewell, Melia Gail Nafus, Stephen E. Greiman, Robert Reed, Amy A. Yackel AdamsHighly competent native snake hosts extend the range of an introduced parasite beyond its invasive Burmese python host
Invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus ) have introduced a nonnative pentastomid parasite (Raillietiella orientalis ) to southern Florida that has spilled over to infect native snakes. However, the extent of spillover, regarding prevalence and intensity, is unknown. We examined native snakes (n = 523) and invasive pythons (n = 1003) collected from Florida to determine the degree to which paAuthorsMelissa A. Miller, John M. Kinsella, Ray W. Snow, Bryan G. Falk, Robert Reed, Scott M. Goetz, Frank J. Mazzotti, Craig Guyer, Christina M. RomagosaBehavior, size, and body condition predict susceptibility to management and reflect post-treatment frequency shifts in an invasive snake
Foraging behavior can have population-level effects that are of interest for wildlife management. For invasive species, foraging behavior has been tied to establishment ability and rate of spread and is generally of import in understanding invasion biology. A major method for controlling invasive vertebrates is using food-based baits as attractants. Tool efficacy is therefore partially driven by iAuthorsMelia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, S. M. Boback, SR Siers, Robert ReedLandscape dominance of introduced herpetofauna on an oceanic island
Habitat loss and fragmentation can negatively impact native wildlife and facilitate establishment of introduced species. On islands, introduced species are a primary cause of extinction and can alter community membership through predation or competition for resources. Consequently, elucidating the distribution of introduced and native species can improve understanding of the potential synergisticAuthorsEric Thomas Hileman, Bradley A. Eichelberger, Jill Liske-Clark, Patrick D Barnhart, Robert Reed, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Melia G. NafusEstimating detection probability for Burmese Pythons with few detections and zero recapture events
Detection has been a long-standing challenge to monitoring populations of cryptic herpetofauna, which often have detection probabilities that are closer to zero than one. Burmese Pythons (Python bivittatus =Python molurus bivittatus), a recent invader in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem of Florida, are cryptic snakes that have long periods of inactivity. In addition, management actions such as remAuthorsMelia G. Nafus, Frank J. Mazzotti, Robert ReedUse of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities
Transect surveys are frequently used to estimate distribution and abundance of species across a landscape, yet a proportion of individuals present will be missed because either they were out of view and unavailable for detection or they were available but not detected because the surveyors missed them. These situations lead to availability and perception bias, respectively, and can result in misleAuthorsSM Boback, Melia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Robert ReedGenomic pedigree reconstruction identifies predictors of mating and reproductive success in an invasive vertebrate
The persistence of an invasive species is influenced by its reproductive ecology, and a successful control program must operate on this premise. However, the reproductive ecology of invasive species may be enigmatic due to factors that also limit their management, such as cryptic coloration and behavior. We explored the mating and reproductive ecology of the invasive Brown Treesnake (BTS: Boiga irAuthorsBrenna A Levine, Marlis R Douglas, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Bjorn Lardner, Robert Reed, Julie A. Savidge, Michael E DouglasOptimizing walking pace to maximize snake detection rate: A visual encounter survey experiment
Visual encounter survey efforts can be defined and constrained by duration, distance, or both duration and distance simultaneously. This study examines the optimal walking pace that will maximize the number of animal detections within a limited time frame. We predicted that animal sighting rate per unit of distance would decline with increasing pace, but that maximal sighting rate per unit of timeAuthorsBjorn Lardner, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Julie A. Savidge, Robert ReedContact rates with nesting birds before and after invasive snake removal: Estimating the effects of trap-based control
Invasive predators are responsible for almost 60% of all vertebrate extinctions worldwide with the most vulnerable faunas occurring on islands. The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) is a notorious invasive predator that caused the extirpation or extinction of most native forest birds on Guam. The success of avian reintroduction efforts on Guam will depend on whether snake-control techniques suffAuthorsAmy A. Yackel Adams, Melia G. Nafus, Page Klug, Bjorn Lardner, M.J. Mazurek, Julie A. Savidge, Robert ReedDo observer fatigue and taxon-bias compromise visual encounter surveys for small vertebrates?
Context. Visual encounter surveying is a standard animal inventory method, modifications of which (e.g. distance sampling and repeated count surveys) are used for modelling population density. However, a variety of factors may bias visual survey counts.Aims. The aim of the present study was to evaluate three observer-related biases: (1) whether fatigue compromises detection rate as a survey occasiAuthorsBjorn Lardner, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Adam J Knox, Julie A. Savidge, Robert ReedBurmese Python (Python bivittatus)
No abstract available.AuthorsKenneth L. Krysko, Robert Reed, Michael R. Rochford, Leroy P. Nunez, Kevin M. Enge - News