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Timothy Fox

I have interdisciplinary expertise in biology, geographical information systems (GIS) and application programming. My work emphasizes avian ecology and the creation of flexible applications to model species habitat. Lately my focus has been on the creation of web-enabled decision support systems.

Active Projects:

  • Assessing ecological impacts of moose herbivory under varying moose population densities absent the regulatory effects of wolves on Isle Royale 
  • Avian botulism in distressed Great Lakes environments for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 
  • Development a spatial Decision Support System (DSS) in support of the conservation goals of the Eastern Tallgrass Prairies (ETPBR) and Big Rivers LCC and adjacent LCCs  
  • Development of the Connectivity and Inundation Tool, an analytical tool to investigate the cumulative effects of fluctuating water flow and depth
  • Development of the Curve Fit, linear and nonlinear raster regressor 

Authored Software Products:

  • LINK: a GIS application that evaluates landscapes from a species habitat prospective

  • The Habitat Needs Assessment Query Tool: a GIS application for evaluating habitat on the Upper Mississippi River System

  • The Comprehensive Conservation Plan GIS Tools: a set of GIS tools for evaluating management strategies related to the Comprehensive Conservation Planning process

  • NullTerritories: a GIS application that creates a set of randomly placed elliptical territories. Size and shape of the random territories is based on set of observed polygonal territories.

  • Compositional Comparison Tool: a GIS application for comparing landscape composition of two areas

  • Everglades Species Query Tool: a ArcGIS query application for evaluating habitat of the Everglades National Park

  • The Census Stop Tool: an ArcGIS tool for placing random sample points on a set of lines.

  • Linear Deviation Tool: is an ArcGIS tool that describes the spatial deviation and the mean path for of a set of lines.

  • Curve Fit: a pixel level raster regression tool

  • Connectivity and Inundation Tool, an analytical tool to investigating fluctuating water flow and depth within lotic ecosystems

Education and Certifications

  • 1999 M.S., Resource Analysis, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

  • 1996 B.S., Biology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Science and Products

link
GIS map of United States

Decision Support Systems

A Decision Support System (DSS) can be defined in many ways. The working definition the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) uses is, "A spatially based computer application or data that assists a researcher or manager in making decisions." This is quite a broad definition and it needs to be, as the possibilities for types of DSS are limited only by the user group and the developer...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Decision Support Systems

A Decision Support System (DSS) can be defined in many ways. The working definition the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) uses is, "A spatially based computer application or data that assists a researcher or manager in making decisions." This is quite a broad definition and it needs to be, as the possibilities for types of DSS are limited only by the user group and the developer...
Learn More
link
example of the duration days of main channel connectivity and its corresponding hydrograph

Connectivity and Inundation Tool

There are ongoing needs for analytical tools to investigate the cumulative effects of fluctuating water flow and depth. The Connectivity and Inundation Tool was developed at UMESC to help address these needs. The tool allows for the investigation of the historic hydrographs or proposed theoretical hydrographs. It does this by utilizing existing 2D hydrodynamic models that have been encapsulated...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Connectivity and Inundation Tool

There are ongoing needs for analytical tools to investigate the cumulative effects of fluctuating water flow and depth. The Connectivity and Inundation Tool was developed at UMESC to help address these needs. The tool allows for the investigation of the historic hydrographs or proposed theoretical hydrographs. It does this by utilizing existing 2D hydrodynamic models that have been encapsulated...
Learn More
link
Image: Aerial View of Subsiding Marshes in the Mississippi River Delta

Science to Assess Future Conservation Practices for the Mississippi River Basin

USFWS Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) throughout the Mississippi River Basin (MRB) have identified high nutrient runoff, a major contributor to Gulf hypoxia, and declines in wildlife populations (especially grassland and riparian birds), as conservation challenges requiring collaborative action. This project aimed to develop a spatial decision support system (DSS) to address these issue
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Science to Assess Future Conservation Practices for the Mississippi River Basin

USFWS Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) throughout the Mississippi River Basin (MRB) have identified high nutrient runoff, a major contributor to Gulf hypoxia, and declines in wildlife populations (especially grassland and riparian birds), as conservation challenges requiring collaborative action. This project aimed to develop a spatial decision support system (DSS) to address these issue
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Common loon migration and winter data: telemetry locations and archival geolocator tag location (ver 2.0, October 2022)

The data details common loon locations based on archival geolocator tag information, characteristics of common loon dives during wintering, and common loon locations based on telemetry data. Satellite transmitters (Model PTT-100, Microwave Telemetry, Inc) were implanted in 31 adult male (marked during July 2010 and July 2011) and 27 juvenile (marked during August 2014 and August 2015) common loons
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Field observation of wind waves (2019) along the Chincoteague Living Shoreline, Virginia

This dataset contains measured (interval = 0.5 hour) wave height, peak wave period, water level, and water depth during March 1 to May 1, 2019, at five wave gage locations along the Chincoteague Living Shoreline, Virginia. These wave gages were sampled continuously at 10 Hz to take 20-min bursts every 30 min. These data were used for the analysis of wave attenuation along the oyster-reef-based liv
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Carp Media Player

This product is a media player application and user guide. The application generates set-interval and random-interval media play schedules. When the application is used to execute the play schedule, it creates its own metadata documentation. The Carp Media Player documents the intended play schedule, generates a real-time log of the media played, and documents if there were any interruptions. This
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

SQL Code: Dwell time, concurrent tag contacts, and receiver bypass analysis of FishTracks telemetry data

Executing the Dwell Time analysis condenses receiver/tag records into readable records of fish movement and receiver effectiveness. Fish movement is described by a temporal sequence of receiver/tag events (durations), where a tag is visible to a specific receiver or collection of receivers. The number and frequency of contacts within a receiver/tag event are summarized by the analysis. A receiver
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Receiver Sequencing Tool - ArcGIS Addin

This ArcGIS Add-In tool assigns telemetry receivers a “river address,” with the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) flowlines providing the river name (analogous to a street name in a postal address) and a distance along flowline (the house number in a postal address). Using this information, it is possible to sequence receivers along a flowline. Once sequenced, receiver data can then be analyzed t
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Lake Michigan Sea Duck Survey 2009-2014

These data contain observation and null polygons for waterfowl aerial surveys of Lake Michigan collected through the years 2009-2014. Polygons were created adjacent to either side of the flight lines (transects). The right and left offset of the polygons from the flight path, was determined using the average altitude of the plane along the transect and the observation angle through the plane's win
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Migration patterns and wintering distribution of common loons breeding in the Upper Midwest

Identification of geographic linkages among breeding, migratory and wintering common loon Gavia immer populations is needed to inform regional and national conservation planning efforts and compensation of loons lost during marine oil spill events. Satellite telemetry and archival geolocator tags were used to determine the migration patterns and wintering locations of breeding adult and young of t
Authors
Kevin P. Kenow, Luke J. Fara, Steven C. Houdek, Brian R. Gray, Darryl J. Heard, Michael W. Meyer, Timothy J. Fox, Robert Kratt, Scott L. Ford, Anette Gendron-Fitzpatrick, Carrol L. Henderson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

USGS telemetry database and analyses in support of SEAcarP

No abstract available.
Authors
Brent C. Knights, Marybeth K. Brey, Jessica C. Stanton, Travis J. Harrison, Timothy J. Fox, Enrika Hlavacek, James J. Duncker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Spatially explicit modelling of floodplain forest succession: Interactions among flood inundation, forest successional processes, and other disturbances in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain, USA

Simulation models are often used to identify hydrologic regimes suitable for different riparian or floodplain tree species. However, most existing models pay little attention to forest successional processes or other disturbances that may interact with the hydrologic regime of river systems to alter forest dynamics in space and time. In this study, we introduce a flood disturbance module to the LA
Authors
Nathan R. De Jager, Molly Van Appledorn, Timothy J. Fox, Jason J. Rohweder, Lyle J. Guyon, Andrew R. Meier, Robert J. Cosgriff, Benjamin J. Vandermyde
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Distribution and foraging patterns of common loons on Lake Michigan with implications for exposure to type E avian botulism

Common loons (Gavia immer) staging on the Great Lakes during fall migration are at risk to episodic outbreaks of type E botulism. Information on distribution, foraging patterns, and exposure routes of loons are needed for understanding the physical and ecological factors that contribute to avian botulism outbreaks. Aerial surveys were conducted to document the spatiotemporal distribution of common
Authors
Kevin P. Kenow, Steven C. Houdek, Luke J. Fara, Brian R. Gray, Brian R. Lubinski, Darryl J. Heard, Michael W. Meyer, Timothy J. Fox, Robert Kratt
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Modelling moose–forest interactions under different predation scenarios at Isle Royale National Park, USA

Loss of top predators may contribute to high ungulate population densities and chronic over-browsing of forest ecosystems. However, spatial and temporal variability in the strength of interactions between predators and ungulates occurs over scales that are much shorter than the scales over which forest communities change, making it difficult to characterize trophic cascades in forest ecosystems. W
Authors
Nathan R. De Jager, Jason J. Rohweder, Brian R. Miranda, Brian R. Sturtevant, Timothy J. Fox, Mark C. Romanski
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

A generalizable energetics-based model of avian migration to facilitate continental-scale waterbird conservation

Conserving migratory birds is made especially difficult because of movement among spatially disparate locations across the annual cycle. In light of challenges presented by the scale and ecology of migratory birds, successful conservation requires integrating objectives, management, and monitoring across scales, from local management units to ecoregional and flyway administrative boundaries. We pr
Authors
Eric V. Lonsdorf, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Sarah Jacobi, Jorge Coppen, Amélie Y. Davis, Timothy J. Fox, Patricia J. Heglund, Rex Johnson, Tim Jones, Kevin P. Kenow, James E. Lyons, Kirsten E. Luke, Shannon Still, Brian G. Tavernia
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Decision support system development at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

A Decision Support System (DSS) can be defined in many ways. The working definition used by the U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) is, “A spatially based computer application or data that assists a researcher or manager in making decisions.” This is quite a broad definition—and it needs to be, because the possibilities for types of DSSs are limited only by t
Authors
Timothy J. Fox, J. C. Nelson, Jason J. Rohweder
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Historic distribution of Common Loons in Wisconsin in relation to changes in lake characteristics and surrounding land use

A study was conducted to evaluate changes in water quality and land-use change associated with lakes that are south of the current breeding range of Common Loons in Wisconsin but that historically supported breeding loons. Museum collection records and published accounts were examined to identify lakes in southern Wisconsin with a former history of loon nesting activity. Historical and recent
Authors
Kevin P. Kenow, Paul J. Garrison, Timothy J. Fox, Michael W. Meyer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Middle Mississippi River decision support system: user's manual

This user's manual describes the Middle Mississippi River Decision Support System (MMRDSS) and gives detailed examples on its use. The MMRDSS provides a framework to assist decision makers regarding natural resource issues in the Middle Mississippi River floodplain. The MMRDSS is designed to provide users with a spatially explicit tool for tasks, such as inventorying existing knowledge, developing
Authors
Jason J. Rohweder, Steven J. Zigler, Timothy J. Fox, Steven N. Hulse
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Commentary: A cautionary tale regarding use of the National Land Cover Dataset 1992

Digital land-cover data are among the most popular data sources used in ecological research and natural resource management. However, processes for accurate land-cover classification over large regions are still evolving. We identified inconsistencies in the National Land Cover Dataset 1992, the most current and available representation of land cover for the conterminous United States. We also rep
Authors
Wayne E. Thogmartin, Alisa L. Gallant, Melinda G. Knutson, Timothy J. Fox, Manuel J. Suarez
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Geographic Information System Tools for Conservation Planning: User's Manual

Public and private land managers desire better ways to incorporate landscape, species, and habitat relations into their conservation planning processes. We present three tools, developed for the Environmental Systems Research Institute?s ArcView 3.x platform, applicable to many types of wildlife conservation management and planning efforts. These tools provide managers and planners with the abilit
Authors
Timothy J. Fox, Jason J. Rohweder, K.P. Kenow, C. E. Korschgen, H.C. DeHaan
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Data Retrieval and Graphing Using the LTRM Fish Catch GeoJSON Data Service

UMESC hosts a web service for the retrieval of LTRM fish catch data using the GeoJSON data format. By using this data service, the public can automate data access to LTRM fisheries data. UMESC has written a series of example Python scripts that illustrate data retrieval and plotting. These example scripts focus on plotting fish catch, but there are limitless geo-spatial, tabular, and plotting pr
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Symbol Tweaker Tool

Symbol Tweaker is an ArcGIS ArcMap add-in tool developed at the UMESC. When using this tool, a user can: 1) Adjust RGB or HSV parameters of selected symbols from feature and raster data layers 2) Create unique color ramps for feature and raster data layers 3) Copy fore, back, and outline colors interchangeably 4) Create equal interval classifications beyond the limitations imposed by ArcMap
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Composite Raster and Divergence Tool

ArcGIS ArcMap add-in, when using this tool, a user can: 1) create a date prioritized composite raster from a collection of raster layers 2) create a lookup raster for the composite raster that identifies which input layers were used to create the composite raster 3) create a divergence raster where pixel values represent the divergence from a user specified value
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Composite Raster and Divergence Tool

The Composite Raster and Divergence Tool is an ArcGIS ArcMap add-in

By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Random Landscape Tool 10.5

Random Landscape Tool uses a raster data source and a table of classifications to create a random landscape. The classification table allows the user to weight the probability of occurrence to certain classes and to spatially restrict the distribution of classes to certain areas (zones).  

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Lock and Dam 7 Panorama
link

Science and Products