Sara J Oyler-McCance, PhD
Dr. Sara Oyler-McCance is a Supervisory Research Geneticist at the Fort Collins Science Center. She is a conservation geneticist studying a wide variety of taxa.
As a research geneticist and director of the Fort Collins Science Center’s Molecular Ecology Lab, Dr. Oyler-McCance’s research is dedicated to the application and advancement of genetic theory and techniques to address a variety of complex questions and conservation issues facing the management of the Nation's fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. Much of her research involves questions concerning threatened and endangered species, yet some involves detection of invasive species. She uses genetic and genomic methods to investigate connectivity and to identify adaptive genetic diversity, both of which are important for ensuring persistence of species of conservation concern. She explores how species are impacted by land use change and changing climates and how to give them the best chance of surviving in a changing world. Her work also explores how to optimally manage the genetic diversity within a species (for example, through translocations) and how to best inventory what species are present and the state of species well-being, persistence, or risk (that is, population size, levels of genetic diversity).
Professional Experience
March 2023 - Present: Acting Branch Chief, Ecosystem and Organismal Ecology Branch, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
February 1999 - Present: Research Geneticist, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1999
M.S. in Wildlife Biology, University of Maine, 1993
B.S. in Biology, University of Michigan, 1991
Affiliations and Memberships*
Affiliate Faculty, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University
Affiliate Faculty, Fish Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University
Affiliate Faculty, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University
Affiliate Faculty, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado, Denver
Science and Products
Population Genetics
Molecular Tagging
Environmental DNA (eDNA) Sampling Improves Occurrence and Detection Estimates of Invasive Burmese Pythons and Other Constrictor Snakes in Florida
Investigating Prey of Burmese Pythons using eDNA Methods
Taxonomic Uncertainty
Family Relationships and Mating Systems
Population Models
Landscape Genetics of Sage Grouse
Landscape Influence on Gene Flow in Greater Sage-grouse
Contribution of Landscape Characteristics and Vegetation Shifts from Global Climate Change to Long-Term Viability of Greater Sage-grouse
Sample collection information and whole genome data for Greater and Gunnison Sage-grouse range generated in the Molecular Ecology Lab during 2015-2018
Genetic data and genetic network attributes for rangewide Greater Sage-grouse network constructed in 2018 (ver. 2.0, December 2022)
Sample collection information, single nucleotide polymorphism, and microsatellite data for white-tailed ptarmigan across the species range generated in the Molecular Ecology Lab during 2016
Metagenetic analysis of stream community composition based on environmental DNA
Genetic and functional connectivity data for greater sage-grouse across the species range generated 2005-2015 (ver. 2.0, December 2022)
Indiana Bat fecal DNA study, Indianapolis, IN Summer 2008
Feral horse space use and genetic characteristics from fecal DNA
Environmental gradients of selection for an alpine-obligate bird, the white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura)
Conservation genetics and molecular ecology in wildlife management
An empirical comparison of population genetic analyses using microsatellite and SNP data for a species of conservation concern
The transformative impact of genomics on sage-grouse conservation and management
Characterizing range-wide population divergence in an alpine-endemic bird: A comparison of genetic and genomic approaches
Genetic mark‐recapture analysis of winter faecal pellets allows estimation of population size in Sage Grouse Centrocercus urophasianus
Signatures of adaptive divergence among populations of an avian species of conservation
Conservation genomics in the sagebrush sea: Population divergence, demographic history, and local adaptation in sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.)
Mismatches between breeding phenology and resource abundance of resident alpine ptarmigan negatively affect chick survival
Development of microsatellite loci for two New World vultures (Cathartidae)
Evaluation of a Chicken 600K SNP genotyping array in non-model species of grouse
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
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Population Genetics
Population genetics is an area of research that examines the distribution of genetic variation and levels of genetic diversity within and between populations. This information provides insights into the level of connectedness of populations throughout a species’ range and can be used to identify unique populations or those with low levels of genetic diversity.Molecular Tagging
Molecular tagging is a new application of molecular genetic techniques to traditional mark-recapture methodology designed to address situations where traditional methods fail. In such studies, non-invasively collected samples (such as feces, feathers, or fur) are used as a source of DNA that is then genotyped at multiple loci such that each individual animal can be uniquely identified. Thus, each...Environmental DNA (eDNA) Sampling Improves Occurrence and Detection Estimates of Invasive Burmese Pythons and Other Constrictor Snakes in Florida
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is organismal DNA that can be found in the environment. Environmental DNA originates from cellular material shed by organisms (via skin, excrement, etc.) into aquatic or terrestrial environments that can be sampled and monitored using new molecular methods. Such methodology is important for the early detection of invasive species as well as the detection of rare and...Investigating Prey of Burmese Pythons using eDNA Methods
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is organismal DNA that can be found in the environment. Environmental DNA originates from cellular material shed by organisms (via skin, excrement, etc.) into aquatic or terrestrial environments that can be sampled and monitored using new molecular methods. Such methodology is important for the early detection of invasive species as well as the detection of rare and...Taxonomic Uncertainty
Taxonomic uncertainty can be assessed using genetic data, along with other lines of evidence (such as morphological and behavioral characteristics). Such data can be used to identify and assess taxonomic boundaries (species, subspecies, hybrids) and in many cases redefine them. Such delineations are highly relevant for species status determinations (endangered, threatened, or at-risk).Family Relationships and Mating Systems
Family relationships and mating systems can be investigated and defined using genetic data. This information is potentially important for conservation and management as it may influence effective population size and levels of genetic diversity.Population Models
Population models can incorporate genetic data to assess potential impacts of different management strategies on connectivity, effective population size, and genetic diversity.Landscape Genetics of Sage Grouse
Greater and Gunnison sage-grouse populations are species considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Loss and fragmentation of sagebrush habitats are among the primary causes of decline in these species. A fundamental need for species conservation is to identify and subsequently maintain a set of connected populations. Landscape genetics combines the fields of population...Landscape Influence on Gene Flow in Greater Sage-grouse
US Geological Survey scientists and collaborators are using genetic information contained in sage-grouse feathers collected at leks to define the rangewide network of breeding populations.Contribution of Landscape Characteristics and Vegetation Shifts from Global Climate Change to Long-Term Viability of Greater Sage-grouse
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act because of population and habitat fragmentation combined with inadequate regulatory mechanisms to control development in critical areas. In addition to the current threats to habitat, each 1 degree celsius increase in temperature due to climate change is expected to result in an additional 8 - Data
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Sample collection information and whole genome data for Greater and Gunnison Sage-grouse range generated in the Molecular Ecology Lab during 2015-2018
This dataset contains sample collection information for whole genome sequences of Gunnison and Greater Sage-grouse. These data were collected in order to examine patterns of adaptive genetic variation in Greater and Gunnison Sage-grouse. The data is archived in GenBank at the following URL https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/531321.Genetic data and genetic network attributes for rangewide Greater Sage-grouse network constructed in 2018 (ver. 2.0, December 2022)
Genetic networks can characterize complex genetic relationships among groups of individuals, which can be used to rank nodes most important to the overall connectivity of the system. Ranking allows scarce resources to be guided towards nodes integral to connectivity. The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a species of conservation concern that breeds on spatially discrete leks thatSample collection information, single nucleotide polymorphism, and microsatellite data for white-tailed ptarmigan across the species range generated in the Molecular Ecology Lab during 2016
This data release comprises a dataset that contains sample collection information and microsatellite genotypes, and another dataset that contains single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes with sample collection information for populations of white-tailed ptarmigan across the species' range. There is also an additional file (accession numbers.xlsx) linking samples to accession numbers in GenbaMetagenetic analysis of stream community composition based on environmental DNA
A survey of environmental DNA was performed in Tunison Creek downstream of the USGS Tunison Aquatic Laboratory. The goal of the survey was to characterize the source ecological community at multiple trophic or taxonomic levels by associating DNA fragments with reference databases. Three taxonomically informative genetic loci were used: the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 locus, the mitochondriaGenetic and functional connectivity data for greater sage-grouse across the species range generated 2005-2015 (ver. 2.0, December 2022)
Functional connectivity, quantified using landscape genetics, can inform conservation through the identification of factors linking genetic structure to landscape mechanisms. We used breeding habitat metrics, landscape attributes, and indices of grouse abundance, to compare fit between structural connectivity and genetic differentiation within five long-established Sage-Grouse Management Zones (MZIndiana Bat fecal DNA study, Indianapolis, IN Summer 2008
The endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) has declined dramatically and continuing threats have made it necessary to understand population dynamics and life history throughout the year. Specifically, demographic information (e.g., population size, reproductive success, survival) from the summer range where females raise their young in maternity colonies is difficult to estimate precisely using t - Multimedia
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Feral horse space use and genetic characteristics from fecal DNA
Feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) in the western United States are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service in designated areas on public lands with a goal of maintaining populations in balance with multiple uses of the landscape. Small, isolated populations can be at risk of extirpation from stochastic events and deleterious genetic effects resulting fromAuthorsSarah R. B. King, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Jennifer A. Fike, Sara J. Oyler-McCanceEnvironmental gradients of selection for an alpine-obligate bird, the white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura)
The warming climate will expose alpine species adapted to a highly seasonal, harsh environment to novel environmental conditions. A species can shift their distribution, acclimate, or adapt in response to a new climate. Alpine species have little suitable habitat to shift their distribution, and the limits of acclimation will likely be tested by climate change in the long-term. Adaptive genetic vaAuthorsShawna J Zimmerman, Cameron L. Aldridge, Kathryn M. Langin, Gregory T Wann, Robert S. Cornman, Sara J. Oyler-McCanceConservation genetics and molecular ecology in wildlife management
No abstract available.AuthorsSara J. Oyler-McCance, Emily K. Latch, Paul L. LebergAn empirical comparison of population genetic analyses using microsatellite and SNP data for a species of conservation concern
BackgroundUse of genomic tools to characterize wildlife populations has increased in recent years. In the past, genetic characterization has been accomplished with more traditional genetic tools (e.g., microsatellites). The explosion of genomic methods and the subsequent creation of large SNP datasets has led to the promise of increased precision in population genetic parameter estimates and identAuthorsShawna J Zimmerman, Cameron L. Aldridge, Sara J. Oyler-McCanceThe transformative impact of genomics on sage-grouse conservation and management
For over two decades, genetic studies have been used to assist in the conservation and management of both Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and Gunnison Sage-grouse (C. minimus), addressing a wide variety of topics including taxonomy, parentage, population connectivity, and demography. The field of conservation genetics has been transformed by dramatic improvements in sequencing techAuthorsSara J. Oyler-McCance, Kevin P Oh, Shawna J Zimmerman, Cameron L. AldridgeCharacterizing range-wide population divergence in an alpine-endemic bird: A comparison of genetic and genomic approaches
The delineation of intraspecific units that are evolutionarily and demographically distinct is an important step in the development of species-specific management plans. Neutral genetic variation has served as the primary data source for delineating “evolutionarily significant units,” but with recent advances in genomic technology, we now have an unprecedented ability to utilize information aboutAuthorsKathryn Langin, Cameron L. Aldridge, Jennifer A. Fike, Robert S. Cornman, Kathy M Martin, Greg T Wann, Amy E Seglund, Michael A Schroeder, David P Benson, Brad C. Fedy, Jessica R. Young, Scott D. Wilson, Don H Wolfe, Clait E. Braun, Sara J. Oyler-McCanceGenetic mark‐recapture analysis of winter faecal pellets allows estimation of population size in Sage Grouse Centrocercus urophasianus
The Sage Grouse Centrocercus urophasianus is a species of conservation concern throughout its range in western North America. Since the 1950s, the high count of males at leks has been used as an index for monitoring populations. However, the relationship between this lek‐count index and population size is unclear, and its reliability for assessing population trends has been questioned. We used nonAuthorsJessica E Shyvers, Brett L Walker, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Jennifer A. Fike, Barry R. NoonSignatures of adaptive divergence among populations of an avian species of conservation
Understanding the genetic underpinning of adaptive divergence among populations is a key goal of evolutionary biology and conservation. Gunnison sage‐grouse (Centrocercus minimus) is a sagebrush obligate species with a constricted range consisting of seven discrete populations, each with distinctly different habitat and climatic conditions. Though geographically close, populations have low levelsAuthorsShawna J Zimmerman, Cameron L. Aldridge, Kevin P Oh, Robert S. Cornman, Sara J. Oyler-McCanceConservation genomics in the sagebrush sea: Population divergence, demographic history, and local adaptation in sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.)
Sage-grouse are two closely related iconic species of the North American West, with historically broad distributions across sagebrush-steppe habitat. Both species are dietary specialists on sagebrush during winter, with presumed adaptations to tolerate the high concentrations of toxic secondary metabolites that function as plant chemical defenses. Marked range contraction and declining populationAuthorsKevin P Oh, Cameron L. Aldridge, Jennifer S. Forbey, Carolyn Dadabay, Sara J. Oyler-McCanceMismatches between breeding phenology and resource abundance of resident alpine ptarmigan negatively affect chick survival
1. Phenological mismatches – defined here as the difference in reproductive timing of an individual relative to the availability of its food resources – occur in many avian species. Mistiming breeding activities in environments with constrained breeding windows may have severe fitness costs due to reduced opportunities for repeated breeding attempts. Therefore, species occurring in alpine environmAuthorsGregory T Wann, Cameron L. Aldridge, Amy E Seglund, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Boris C. Kondratieff, Clait E. BraunDevelopment of microsatellite loci for two New World vultures (Cathartidae)
ObjectiveUse next-generation sequencing to develop microsatellite loci that will provide the variability necessary for studies of genetic diversity and population connectivity of two New World vulture species.ResultsWe characterized 11 microsatellite loci for black vultures (Coragyps atratus) and 14 loci for turkey vultures (Cathartes aura). These microsatellite loci were grouped into 3 multiplexAuthorsDarren J Wostenberg, Jennifer A. Fike, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Michael L. Avery, Antoinette J. PiaggioEvaluation of a Chicken 600K SNP genotyping array in non-model species of grouse
The use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays to generate large SNP datasets for comparison purposes have recently become an attractive alternative to other genotyping methods. Although most SNP arrays were originally developed for domestic organisms, they can be effectively applied to wild relatives to obtain large panels of SNPs. In this study, we tested the cross-species application ofAuthorsPiotr Minias, Peter O. Dunn, Linda A. Whittingham, Jeff A. Johnson, Sara J. Oyler-McCanceNon-USGS Publications**
Oyler-McCance, S.J. 1999. Genetic and habitat factors underlying conservation strategies for Gunnison sage grouse [Dissert]. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University. 162 p.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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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