Breck, S.W., S.A. Poessel, and M.A. Bonnell. 2017. Evaluating lethal and nonlethal management options for urban coyotes. Human-Wildlife Interactions 11:133-145
Sharon A Poessel
I am interested in understanding the movements and habitat use of animals across the landscape and using this knowledge to advance the conservation of wildlife species. I am also interested in urban wildlife ecology and the use of non-lethal methods to resolve wildlife-human conflicts.
Biography
Education
B.S. Colorado State University (2007)
M.S. Colorado State University (2009)
Ph.D. Utah State University (2015)
Specialty
Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Biology, Mammalogy, Ornithology, Animal Movement, Endangered Species
Science and Products
Year Published: 2019
Removal of cattle grazing correlates with increases in vegetation productivity and in abundance of imperiled breeding birds
Livestock grazing is the most prevalent land use practice in the western United States and a widespread cause of degradation of riparian vegetation. Riparian areas provide high-quality habitat for many species of declining migratory breeding birds. We analyzed changes in vegetation and bird abundance at a wildlife refuge in southeastern Oregon...
Poessel, Sharon; Hagar, Joan; Haggerty, Patricia; Katzner, Todd E.
Year Published: 2018
Post-fledging movements and habitat associations of White-tailed Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Central Asia
Behavior of young birds can have important consequences for population dynamics. We investigated the autumnal post-fledging movements of 3 White-tailed Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) hatched in Kazakhstan. All 3 eagles traveled south, flying on average 25–108 km/d. Movement was nonrandom, with eagles generally traveling near mosaics of forest,...
Bragin, Evgeny A.; Poessel, Sharon; Lanzone, Michael J.; Katzner, Todd E.Attribution: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC), Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, United States of America
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Bragin, E.A., Poessel, S.A., Lanzone, M.J., Katzner, T.E., 2018, Post-fledging movements and habitat associations of White-tailed Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in central Asia: The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, p. online, https://doi.org/10.1676/17-055.1.
Year Published: 2018
Flight response to spatial and temporal correlates informs risk from wind turbines to the California Condor
Wind power is a fast-growing energy resource, but wind turbines can kill volant wildlife, and the flight behavior of obligate soaring birds can place them at risk of collision with these structures. We analyzed altitudinal data from GPS telemetry of critically endangered California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) to assess the circumstances...
Poessel, Sharon; Brandt, Joseph; Mendenhall, Laura C.; Braham, Melissa A.; Lanzone, Michael J.; McGann, Andrew J.; Katzner, Todd E.Attribution: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC), Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, United States of America
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Poessel, S.A., Brandt, J., Mendenhall, L., Braham, M.A., Lanzone, M.J., McGann, A.J., Katzner, T.E., 2018, Flight response to spatial and temporal correlates informs risk from wind turbines to the California Condor: The Condor, v. 120, p. 330-342, https://doi.org/10.1650/CONDOR-17-100.1.
Year Published: 2018
Movements and landscape use of Eastern Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca in Central Asia
Capsule: We describe ecological factors associated with movements of a globally declining raptor species, the Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca.Aims: To describe the movements, habitat associations and resource selection of Eastern Imperial Eagles marked in Central Asia.Methods: We used global positioning system (GPS) data...
Poessel, Sharon; Bragin, Evgeny A.; Sharpe, Peter B.; Garcelon, David K.; Bartoszuk, Kordian; Katzner, Todd E.
Year Published: 2018
Improving estimation of flight altitude in wildlife telemetry studies
Altitude measurements from wildlife tracking devices, combined with elevation data, are commonly used to estimate the flight altitude of volant animals. However, these data often include measurement error. Understanding this error may improve estimation of flight altitude and benefit applied ecology.There are a number of different approaches that...
Poessel, Sharon; Duerr, Adam E.; Hall, Jonathan C.; Braham, Melissa A.; Katzner, Todd E.View Citation
Poessel, S.A., Duerr, A.E., Hall, J.C., Braham, M.A., Katzner, T.E., 2018, Improving estimation of flight altitude in wildlife telemetry studies: Journal of Applied Ecology, p. online, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13135.
Year Published: 2018
Lack of observed movement response to lead exposure of California condors
Lead poisoning is an important conservation concern for wildlife, and scavenging birds are especially at risk from consumption of carcasses of animals killed with lead ammunition. Because current methods to identify lead exposure require animal capture and blood collection, management would benefit from the development of a less costly and...
Poessel, Sharon; Brandt, Joseph; Uyeda, Linda; Astell, Molly; Katzner, Todd E.View Citation
Poessel, S.A., Brandt, J., Uyeda, L., Astell, M., Katzner, T.E., 2017, Lack of observed movement response to lead exposure of California condors: Journal of Wildlife Management, p. online, https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21378.
Year Published: 2018
Meteorological and environmental variables affect flight behaviour and decision-making of an obligate soaring bird, the California Condor Gymnogyps californianus
The movements of animals are limited by evolutionary constraints and ecological processes and are strongly influenced by the medium through which they travel. For flying animals, variation in atmospheric conditions is critically influential in movement. Obligate soaring birds depend on external sources of updraft more than do other flying species...
Poessel, Sharon; Brandt, Joseph; Miller, Tricia A.; Katzner, Todd E.Attribution: Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC), Ecosystems, Energy & Wildlife, United States of America
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Poessel, S.A., Brandt, J., Miller, T.A., Katzner, T.E., 2017, Meteorological and environmental variables affect flight behaviour and decision-making of an obligate soaring bird, the California Condor Gymnogyps californianus: Ibis, p. online, https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12531.
Year Published: 2016
Age- and season-specific variation in local and long-distance movement behavior of golden eagles
Animal movements can determine the population dynamics of wildlife. We used telemetry data to provide insight into the causes and consequences of local and long-distance movements of multiple age classes of conservation-reliant golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the foothills and mountains near Tehachapi, California. We estimated size and...
Poessel, Sharon; Bloom, Peter H.; Braham, Melissa A.; Katzner, Todd E.
Year Published: 2014
Roads influence movement and home ranges of a fragmentation-sensitive carnivore, the bobcat, in an urban landscape
Roads in urbanized areas can impact carnivore populations by constraining their movements and increasing mortality. Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are felids capable of living in urban environments, but are sensitive to habitat fragmentation and, thus, useful indicators of landscape connectivity; in particular, bobcat habitat selection, movement, and...
Poessel, Sharon A; Boydston, Erin E.; Lyren, Lisa M.; Fisher, Robert N.; Burdett, Christopher L.; Alonso, Robert S.; Crooks, Kevin R.Attribution: Western Ecological Research Center, Ecosystems
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Poessel, SA, CL Burdett, EE Boydston, LM Lyren, RS Alonso, RN Fisher, KR Crooks. 2014. Roads Influence movement and home ranges of a fragmentation-sensitive carnivore, the bobcat, in an urban landscape. Biological Conservation 180: 224-232. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2014.10.010
Year Published: 2011
Landscape features influence postrelease predation on endangered black-footed ferrets
Predation can be a critical factor influencing recovery of endangered species. In most recovery efforts lethal and nonlethal influences of predators are not sufficiently understood to allow prediction of predation risk, despite its importance. We investigated whether landscape features could be used to model predation risk from coyotes (Canis...
Poessel, S.A.; Breck, S.W.; Biggins, D.E.; Livieri, T.M.; Crooks, K.R.; Angeloni, L.View Citation
Landscape features influence postrelease predation on endangered black-footed ferrets; 2011; Article; Journal; Journal of Mammalogy; Poessel, S. A.; Breck, S. W.; Biggins, D. E.; Livieri, T. M.; Crooks, K. R.; Angeloni, L.
Pre-USGS Publications
Poessel, S.A., E. Mock, and S.W. Breck. 2017. Coyote (Canis latrans) diet in an urban environment: variation relative to pet conflicts, housing density, and season. Canadian Journal of Zoology 95:287-297
Poessel, S.A., E.M. Gese, and J.K. Young. 2017. Environmental factors influencing the occurrence of coyotes and conflicts in urban areas. Landscape and Urban Planning 157:259-269
Poessel, S.A., S.W. Breck, and E.M. Gese. 2016. Spatial ecology of coyotes in the Denver metropolitan area: influence of the urban matrix. Journal of Mammalogy 97:1414-1427
Poessel, S.A., S.W. Breck, K.A. Fox, and E.M. Gese. 2015. Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure and toxicosis in coyotes (Canis latrans) in the Denver Metropolitan Area. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 51:265-268
Poessel, S.A., E.M. Gese, and J.K. Young. 2014. Influence of habitat structure and food on patch choice of captive coyotes. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 157:127-136
Magle, S.B., S.A. Poessel, K.R. Crooks, and S.W. Breck. 2014. More dogs less bite: the relationship between human-coyote conflict and prairie dog colonies in an urban landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning 127:146-153
Poessel, S.A. and E.M. Gese. 2013. Den attendance patterns in swift foxes during pup rearing: varying degrees of parental investment within the breeding pair. Journal of Ethology 31:193-201
Poessel, S.A., S.W. Breck, T.L. Teel, S. Shwiff, K.R. Crooks, and L. Angeloni. 2013. Patterns of human-coyote conflicts in the Denver Metropolitan Area. Journal of Wildlife Management 77:297-305
Poessel, S.A., K.H. Beard, C.M. Callahan, R.B. Ferreira, and E.T. Stevenson. 2013. Biotic acceptance in introduced amphibians and reptiles in Europe and North America. Global Ecology and Biogeography 22:192-201
Ferreira, R.B., K.H. Beard, S.L. Peterson, S.A. Poessel, and C.M. Callahan. 2012. Establishment of introduced reptiles increases with the presence and richness of native congeners. Amphibia-Reptilia 33:387-392
Ferreira, R.B., C.M. Callahan, S.A. Poessel, and K.H. Beard. 2012. Global assessment of establishment success for amphibian and reptile invaders. Wildlife Research 39:637-640
Poessel, S.A., D.E. Biggins, R.M. Santymire, T.M. Livieri, K.R. Crooks, and L. Angeloni. 2011. Environmental enrichment affects adrenocortical stress responses in the endangered black-footed ferret. General and Comparative Endocrinology 172: 526-533
Date published: January 14, 2020
Excluding Grazing has Positive Effects on Riparian Vegetation, Migratory Birds
Livestock grazing can degrade riparian vegetation, altering habitat for many species of declining migratory breeding birds. At Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in southeastern Oregon, cattle were removed from riparian areas in 1990 after 120 years of grazing.
Date published: August 2, 2018
White-tailed Sea Eagle Movements in Central Asia
Behavior of young birds can have important consequences for population dynamics. To study movements and habitat associations of white-tailed sea eagles hatched in a National Nature Reserve in north-central Kazakhstan, researchers telemetered three juvenile sea eagles to track their autumnal post-fledging movements.