Thomas Buhl is a Biological Science Technician at the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, North Dakota.
I am the coordinator and point of contact for the Waterfowl Nest File. The Waterfowl Nest File contains extensive records of waterfowl and grassland bird nests from across the northern Great Plains from 1954 to present day. I have participated in and overseen field operations for multiple research projects, including the recruiting, training and supervision of seasonal staff. I have worked on waterfowl, prairie restoration, and grassland bird research projects across the northern Great Plains. I train DOI staff in the safe operation of motorboats and ATV/UTV’s. I am a sUAS pilot, a member of Northern Prairies Safety Committee, and I'm a Content Manager for Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center's website.
Professional Experience
Biological Science Technician, USGS, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, North Dakota
Education and Certifications
B.S. Wildlife Management, (Minor in Biology), University of Minnesota
A.S. Environmental Ecology, Iowa Lakes Community College
Affiliations and Memberships*
North Dakota Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Science and Products
Reassessing perennial cover as a driver of duck nest survival in the Prairie Pothole Region
Conservation plans designed to sustain North American duck populations prominently feature a key hypothesis stating that the amount of the landscape in perennial cover surrounding upland duck nests positively influences nest survival rates. Recent conflicting research testing this hypothesis creates ambiguity regarding which management actions to pursue and where to prioritize conservation deliver
Accuracy of the Missouri River Least Tern and Piping Plover Monitoring Program: considerations for the future
The upper Missouri River system provides nesting and foraging habitat for federally endangered least terns (Sternula antillarum; hereafter “terns”) and threatened piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; hereafter “plovers”). These species are the subject of substantial management interest on the Missouri River for several reasons. First, ecosystem recovery is a goal for management agencies that seek t
Differences in distribution of modified basins and ducks relative to roadside transects
Wetland basins in the Prairie Pothole Region of the U.S. are commonly modified by excavation (e.g., roadside ditches, stock dugouts), partial drainage (ditching), and diking. Differences in the distribution of modified wetlands may affect the predictive accuracy of waterfowl survey data if such wetlands are not distributed randomly in the landscape and if waterfowl are not distributed equally am
Community maturity, species saturation and the variant diversity- productivity relationships in grasslands
Detailed knowledge of the relationship between plant diversity and productivity is critical for advancing our understanding of ecosystem functioning and for achieving success in habitat restoration efforts. However, effects and interactions of diversity, succession and biotic invasions on productivity remain elusive. We studied newly established communities in relation to preexisting homogeneous v
Duck populations as indicators of landscape condition in the Prairie Pothole Region
The Prairie Pothole Region of the northern Great Plains is an important region for waterfowl production because of the abundance of shallow wetlands. The ecological significance of the region and impacts from intensive agriculture prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to select it as one of the first areas for developing and evaluating ecological indicators of wetland condition. We exa
Effects of roadside transect width on waterfowl and wetland estimates
Strip transects located along roads are commonly used to estimate waterfowl populations and characterize associated wetland habitat. We used data collected in May and early June, 1995, on forty-five 40-km2 plots in North Dakota to evaluate bias of 800-m and 400-m wide roadside transects for sampling wetlands relative to a larger (40-km2) scale and to compare duck abundance at the two widths. Densi
Research access to privately owned wetland basins in the prairie pothole region of the United States
We describe efforts to obtain access for research to 81 wetland basins on 69 farms in four zones of the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Access was obtained to 54% of the farms in areas where land was intensively cropped and 87% of farms in areas of low cropping intensity. On average, 1.35 operators had to be contacted and 1.70 interviews were required to obtain
Evaluating bias in roadside surveys of secretive marsh birds in the Prairie Pothole Region, MN, ND, and SD 2008-2009
The data set consists of data to evaluate bias in roadside surveys of secretive marsh birds in 2008 and 2009 in wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota during three survey periods (survey number). The data set includes detection values (species heard, species seen, species seen and heard) of seven focal marsh bird species (four-letter alpha codes and sci
Bird Behavior and Mortality in Relation to Power Lines in Prairie Habitats, North Dakota, 1981to1982
A biologist and field crew from Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center observed bird flights at 7study sites, twice weekly during two spring and two fall migration periods between April 3, 1981 and May 20, 1982. Study sites were located in south-central North Dakota in Barnes, Kidder, and Stutsman counties. The database includes flight observation's of bird species in the vicinity of power line
Science and Products
- Publications
Reassessing perennial cover as a driver of duck nest survival in the Prairie Pothole Region
Conservation plans designed to sustain North American duck populations prominently feature a key hypothesis stating that the amount of the landscape in perennial cover surrounding upland duck nests positively influences nest survival rates. Recent conflicting research testing this hypothesis creates ambiguity regarding which management actions to pursue and where to prioritize conservation deliverAccuracy of the Missouri River Least Tern and Piping Plover Monitoring Program: considerations for the future
The upper Missouri River system provides nesting and foraging habitat for federally endangered least terns (Sternula antillarum; hereafter “terns”) and threatened piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; hereafter “plovers”). These species are the subject of substantial management interest on the Missouri River for several reasons. First, ecosystem recovery is a goal for management agencies that seek tDifferences in distribution of modified basins and ducks relative to roadside transects
Wetland basins in the Prairie Pothole Region of the U.S. are commonly modified by excavation (e.g., roadside ditches, stock dugouts), partial drainage (ditching), and diking. Differences in the distribution of modified wetlands may affect the predictive accuracy of waterfowl survey data if such wetlands are not distributed randomly in the landscape and if waterfowl are not distributed equally amCommunity maturity, species saturation and the variant diversity- productivity relationships in grasslands
Detailed knowledge of the relationship between plant diversity and productivity is critical for advancing our understanding of ecosystem functioning and for achieving success in habitat restoration efforts. However, effects and interactions of diversity, succession and biotic invasions on productivity remain elusive. We studied newly established communities in relation to preexisting homogeneous vDuck populations as indicators of landscape condition in the Prairie Pothole Region
The Prairie Pothole Region of the northern Great Plains is an important region for waterfowl production because of the abundance of shallow wetlands. The ecological significance of the region and impacts from intensive agriculture prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to select it as one of the first areas for developing and evaluating ecological indicators of wetland condition. We exaEffects of roadside transect width on waterfowl and wetland estimates
Strip transects located along roads are commonly used to estimate waterfowl populations and characterize associated wetland habitat. We used data collected in May and early June, 1995, on forty-five 40-km2 plots in North Dakota to evaluate bias of 800-m and 400-m wide roadside transects for sampling wetlands relative to a larger (40-km2) scale and to compare duck abundance at the two widths. DensiResearch access to privately owned wetland basins in the prairie pothole region of the United States
We describe efforts to obtain access for research to 81 wetland basins on 69 farms in four zones of the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Access was obtained to 54% of the farms in areas where land was intensively cropped and 87% of farms in areas of low cropping intensity. On average, 1.35 operators had to be contacted and 1.70 interviews were required to obtain - Data
Evaluating bias in roadside surveys of secretive marsh birds in the Prairie Pothole Region, MN, ND, and SD 2008-2009
The data set consists of data to evaluate bias in roadside surveys of secretive marsh birds in 2008 and 2009 in wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota during three survey periods (survey number). The data set includes detection values (species heard, species seen, species seen and heard) of seven focal marsh bird species (four-letter alpha codes and sciBird Behavior and Mortality in Relation to Power Lines in Prairie Habitats, North Dakota, 1981to1982
A biologist and field crew from Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center observed bird flights at 7study sites, twice weekly during two spring and two fall migration periods between April 3, 1981 and May 20, 1982. Study sites were located in south-central North Dakota in Barnes, Kidder, and Stutsman counties. The database includes flight observation's of bird species in the vicinity of power line - News
*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