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Scott Wilson, Ph.D.

Scott Wilson is a Branch Chief at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Lafayette, LA.

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Computer Engineering, University of Louisiana Lafayette, 2006

M.S., Computer Engineering, University of Lousiana Lafayette, 2001

B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of New Orleans, 1990

RESEARCH

Scott Wilson is Chief of the Wetland and Forested Ecosystems Branch (WEB) at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC) in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he oversees more than 60 biologists, ecologists, engineers, geographers, oceanographers, and computer scientists. Throughout his career, Wilson has been involved in the direction and implementation of many large spatial analysis, decision support systems, information management, and dissemination projects for the USGS and other partners. His primary focus is to lead high-quality research projects that have direct science impact for environmental management agencies. Major areas of impact include development of high-resolution habitat mapping and classification systems for the Gulf of Mexico; development of decision support tools (scientific visualization and web-enabled environmental tools); development of innovative geospatial technologies; and implementation of coastal restoration outreach and technology transfer. He serves on many Federal/State task forces, working groups, and committees, including the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. Wilson is Chair of the Louisiana Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Public Outreach Committee.   

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 14

Shorebird habitat availability assessment of agricultural fields using a digital aerial video system

Field and wetland conditions in the rice prairies of Louisiana and Texas are highly dynamic habitats. Rice prairies are important habitat for many species of migratory birds, including shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl. Ground sampling a variety of fields to assess habitat availability is very labor intensive, and accessibility to private lands makes statistical habitat sampling almost impos
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mississippi Delta: Chapter G in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010

The Mississippi River Delta, the tip of the longest river in North America, is located in the coastal plains of southeastern Louisiana. The study area included in the Mississippi River Delta vignette of southeastern Louisiana follows the Mississippi River southward from Port Sulphur within the modern Plaquemines-Balize Delta lobe (Figure 1). It extends eastward through Long Bay into California Bay
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Barataria and Terrebonne Bays: Chapter F in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010

The study area included in the Barataria and Terrebonne Bays vignette of southeastern Louisiana spans eastward from Terrebonne Bay to Barataria Bay (Figure 1) and includes portions of Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Charles, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard Parishes. This area falls between the Mississippi River on the east and northeast, extends down through the western shore of Lake S
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Persistent organic pollutants in wetlands of the Mekong Basin

In this study, the presence and concentration of persistent organic pollutants (POP) were assessed in surface sediments collected from a wide variety of wetlands located throughout the Mekong Basin in Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Of the 39 POPs tested in 531 sediment samples, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites endosulfan,
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Statewide summary for Louisiana: Chapter E in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010

Throughout the past century, emergent wetlands have been declining across the Gulf of Mexico. Emergent wetland ecosystems provide a variety of resources, including plant and wildlife habitat, commercial and recreational economic activity, and natural barriers against storms. As emergent wetland losses increase, so does the need for information on the causes and effects of this loss, emergent wetla
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mississippi river delta: Chapter G in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010

No abstract available. 
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Bank erosion of navigation canals in the western and central Gulf of Mexico

Erosion of navigation canal banks is a direct cause of land loss, but there has been little quantitative analysis to determine why certain major canals exhibit faster widening rates (indicative of erosion) than others in the coastal zones of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. We hypothesize that navigation canals exhibit varying rates of erosion based on soil properties of the embankment
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Cheniere forest as stopover habitat for migrant landbirds: Immediate effects of Hurricane Rita

It is not known whether en route fall migratory birds (August-October) are likely to suffer more from direct or secondary effects of hurricanes. On September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita wreaked havoc on Louisiana's coast by toppling trees over vast areas and by stripping away microhabitats that harbor the invertebrates and produce the fruits upon which migrant landbirds depend (e.g., canopy foliage,
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Data access and dissemination for emergency response and long-term recovery efforts related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by providing geospatial support to Federal, State, and local partners. The NWRC used its data and information management systems to deliver aerial photography and maps to emergency responders in a time of critical need.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Tampa Bay Integrated Science Pilot Study: data information management system (DIMS)

Tampa Bay Integrated Science Pilot Study Digital Library

Community involvement in a multimedia outreach project for Caddo Lake, Texas

Caddo Lake is located in northeast Texas and northwest Louisiana and is the largest freshwater lake in Texas. A portion of the lake in Texas has been designated a "Wetland of International Significance" under the Ramsar Convention of the United Nations. The human community in the watershed has experienced a number of hydrological alterations to Caddo Lake over the last 100 years by the Federal Gov
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
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Beach showing buildings in the distance

SERAP: Assessment of Shoreline Retreat in Response to Sea Level Rise

The broad range of complex factors influencing coastal systems contribute to large uncertainties in predicting long-term sea level rise impacts. Researchers demonstrated the capabilities of a Bayesian network (BN) to predict long-term shoreline change associated with sea level rise and make quantitative assessments for predicting uncertainty. A BN was used to define relationships between driving f
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Climate Adaptation Science Centers
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SERAP: Assessment of Shoreline Retreat in Response to Sea Level Rise

The broad range of complex factors influencing coastal systems contribute to large uncertainties in predicting long-term sea level rise impacts. Researchers demonstrated the capabilities of a Bayesian network (BN) to predict long-term shoreline change associated with sea level rise and make quantitative assessments for predicting uncertainty. A BN was used to define relationships between driving f
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Pollutants Pose Threat to Mekong River Residents

Portions of the Mekong River Basin contain hotspots of persistent organic pollutants that pose a significant threat to the residents and wildlife of...

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