Todd Atwood, Ph.D.
Todd is a Research Wildlife Biologist for the Alaska Science Center.
Professional Experience
2012 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist and Project Leader, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK
2008 - 2012 Research Wildlife Biologist, USDA/APHIS/WS/National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO
2006 - 2008 Research Biologist, Research Branch, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ
2006 Biological Technician, USDA/National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2006 Utah State University Wildlife Biology
M.S. 2002 Purdue University Wildlife Ecology
B.S. 1999 Purdue University Wildlife Ecology
Affiliations and Memberships*
The Wildlife Society
International Association for Bear Research and Management
American Society of Mammalogists
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 27
Serological data on influenza A from birds and mammals on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, 2011-2017 Serological data on influenza A from birds and mammals on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, 2011-2017
These data (in two spreadsheets) are the results of screening for influenza A viruses (IAV) in blood from wild animals that utilize the Arctic region of Alaska. 758 blood samples from nine wildlife species (3 mammal, 6 waterbird) were collected in Arctic Alaska, 2011-2017. Two different tests were used and the results are presented in separate spreadsheets. All blood samples were...
Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011 Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011
These are data collected from Wildlife Computers ear tag platform transmitter terminals (PTT) deployed on polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea during the months of March, April, August, September, and October between 2009 and 2011. Purpose is to examine the performance and retention of ear tag satellite transmitters attached to polar bears.
U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010 U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010
The dataset consists of one file of tabular data. These data include: a unique bear identification, bear sex, birth year, capture year, capture location (latitude and longitude), indicator of satellite radio status, and search effort.
Filter Total Items: 91
Pleistocene–Holocene vicariance, not Anthropocene landscape change, explains the genetic structure of American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico Pleistocene–Holocene vicariance, not Anthropocene landscape change, explains the genetic structure of American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico
The phylogeography of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) is characterized by isolation into glacial refugia, followed by population expansion and genetic admixture. Anthropogenic activities, including overharvest, habitat loss, and transportation infrastructure, have also influenced their landscape genetic structure. We describe the genetic structure of the American black bear in...
Authors
Matthew J. Gould, James W. Cain, Todd C. Atwood, Larisa E. Harding, Heather E. Johnson, Dave P. Onorato, Frederic S. Winslow, Gary W. Roemer
Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics
Sea ice loss is fundamentally altering the Arctic marine environment. Yet there is a paucity of data on the adaptability of food webs to ecosystem change, including predator-prey interactions. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are an important subsistence resource for Indigenous people and an apex predator that relies entirely on the under-ice food web to meet their energy needs. Here, we...
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Brian D. Taras, Craig A. Stricker, Todd C. Atwood, Nicole P Boucher, George M. Durner, Andrew E. Derocher, Evan S. Richardson, Seth Cherry, Lori T. Quakenbush, Lara Horstmann, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin
Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska
Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) subpopulation have commonly created maternal dens on sea ice in the past, maternal dens on land have become increasingly prevalent as sea ice declines. This trend creates conditions for increased human–bear interactions associated with local communities and industrial activity. Maternal denning is a vulnerable...
Authors
Vijay P. Patil, George M. Durner, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood
Comparisons of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) sea-ice projections in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecoregions during the 21st century Comparisons of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) sea-ice projections in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecoregions during the 21st century
Climate model projections are commonly used to assess potential impacts of global warming on a breadth of social, economic, and environmental topics. Modeling centers throughout the world coordinate to apply a consistent suite of radiative forcing experiments so that all model outputs can be collectively analyzed and compared. Three generations of model outputs have been produced and...
Authors
David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood
Using in situ/ex situ research collaborations to support polar bear conservation Using in situ/ex situ research collaborations to support polar bear conservation
A warming Arctic threatens the long-term persistence of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the wild. Historically, little collaboration existed between the in situ and ex situ polar bear scientific communities. However, for the past decade, zoo professionals, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) have partnered to leverage resources and expertise with the goal of...
Authors
Randi Meyerson, Todd C. Atwood
Non-USGS Publications**
Algeo, T. P., D. Slate, R. M. Caron, T. C. Atwood, S. Recuenco, M. Ducey, R. B. Chipman, and M. Palace. 2017. Modeling raccoon (Procyon lotor) habitat connectivity to identify potential corridors for rabies spread. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases 44. doi:10.3390/tropicalmed203044.
Atwood, T. C., E. Peacock, K. M. Lillie, R. R. Wilson, and S. Miller. 2015. Demographic composition and behavior of polar bears summering on shore in Alaska. USGS Administrative Report, 26 p.
Beasley, J. C., T. C. Atwood, M. E. Byrne, K. C. VerCauteren, S. R. Johnson, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2015. A behaviorally-explicit approach for evaluating vaccine baits to mesopredators to control epizootics in fragmented landscapes. PLoS One 10:e0113206. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113206.
Anderson, A., S. A. Shwiff, R. B. Chipman, T. C. Atwood, T. Cozzens, F. Fillo, R. Hale, B. Hatch, J. Maki, O. E. Rhodes, Jr, E. E. Rees, C. E. Rupprecht, R. Tinline, K. C. VerCauteren, and D. Slate. 2014. Forecasting the spread of raccoon rabies using a purpose-specific group decision-making process. Human-Wildlife Interactions 8(1):130-138.
Slate, D., R. B. Chipman, T. P. Algeo, S. A. Mills, K. M. Nelson, C. K. Croson, E. J. Dubovi, R. W. Renshaw, K. C. VerCauteren, T. C. Atwood, S. Johnson, and C. E. Rupprecht. 2014. Safety and immunogenicity in the first field trial with ONRAB in raccoons in the United States. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 50(3):582-595. doi:10.7589/2013-08-207.
Kunkel, K. E., T. K. Ruth, T. C. Atwood, D. H. Pletscher, and M. G. Hornocker. 2013. Assessing the value of wolves and cougars as conservation surrogates by linking carnivore hunting success with landscape characteristics. Animal Conservation 16:32-40. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1795.2012.00568.x.
Beasley, J. D., W. S. Beatty, T. C. Atwood, S. Johnson, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2012. A comparison of methods for estimating raccoon abundance: Implications for disease vaccination programs. Journal of Wildlife Management 76(6):1290-1297. doi:10.1002/jwmg.379.
Atwood, T. C. and S. W. Breck. 2012. Carnivores, Conflict, and Conservation: Defining the Landscape of Conflict. Pages 99-118 in F. I. Álvares and G. E. Mata, (eds.). Carnivores: Species, Conservation, and Management. Nova Publishers.
Atwood, T. C., T. L. Fry, and B. R. Leland. 2011. Partitioning of a limited resource by sympatric carnivores in the Chihuahuan Desert and the implications for disease transmission. Journal of Wildlife Management 75:1609-1615.
Atwood, T. C., J. K. Young, J. P. Beckmann, S. W. Breck, O. E. Rhodes, Jr, J. A. Fike, and K. D. Bristow. 2011. Modeling connectivity of black bears in a desert sky island archipelago. Biological Conservation 144(12):2851-2862. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.08.002.
Fry, T. L., T. C. Atwood, and M. R. Dunbar. 2010. Utility of rhodamine B as a biomarker in raccoons. Human-Wildlife Interactions 4:275-282.
Atwood, T. C. and E. M. Gese. 2010. Importance of resource selection and social behaviour to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids. Journal of Mammalogy 91:490-499.
Atwood, T. C., T. J. DeLiberto, H. J. Smith, J. Stevenson, and K. C. VerCauteren. 2009. Raccoon spatial ecology related to cattle and bovine tuberculosis. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:647-654.
Atwood, T. C., E. M. Gese, and K. E. Kunkel. 2009. Spatial decomposition of predation risk in a multiple-predator multiple-prey system. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:876-884.
Atwood, T. C. and E. M. Gese. 2008. Coyotes (Canis latrans) and recolonizing wolves (Canis lupus): Social rank mediates risk-conditional behaviour at ungulate carcasses. Animal Behaviour 75:753-762.
VerCauteren, K. C., T. C. Atwood, T. J. DeLiberto, H. J. Smith, J. Stevenson, T. Gidlewski, and B. V. Thomsen. 2008. Sentinel-based surveillance of coyotes to detect bovine tuberculosis in Michigan. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14:1862-1869.
Atwood, T. C., K. C. VerCauteren, T. J. DeLiberto, H. J. Smith, and J. Stevenson. 2007. Coyotes as a potential sentinel species to detect bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) infection in white-tailed deer in Michigan. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1545-1554.
Atwood, T. C., E. M. Gese, and K. E. Kunkel. 2007. Comparative patterns of predation by cougars and recolonizing wolves. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1098-1106.
Atwood, T. C. 2006. The influence of habitat patch attributes on coyote group size and interaction in a fragmented landscape. Canadian Journal of Zoology 84:80-87.
Atwood, T. C. 2006. Behavioral interactions between wolves, Canis lupus, and coyotes, Canis latrans, at ungulate carcasses in southwest Montana. Western North American Naturalist 66:390-394.
Atwood, T. C., H. P. Weeks, Jr., and T. M. Gehring. 2004. Spatial ecology of coyotes along a suburban-to-rural gradient. Journal of Wildlife Management 85:1000-1009.
Swihart, R. K., T. C. Atwood, J. R. Goheen, D. A. Scheiman, K. E. Munroe, and T. M. Gehring. 2003. Patch occupancy in North American mammals: Is patchiness in the eye of the beholder? . Journal of Biogeography 30:1259-1279.
Atwood, T. C. and H. P. Weeks, Jr.. 2003. Sex-specific patterns of mineral lick preference in white-tailed deer. Northeastern Naturalist 10:409-414.
Atwood, T. C. and H. P. Weeks, Jr.. 2002. Sex- and age-specific patterns of mineral lick use by white-tailed deer. American Midland Naturalist 148:289-296.
Atwood, T. C. and H. P. Weeks, Jr.. 2002. Facultative dyad formation in adult male coyotes. Northeastern Naturalist 9:353-358.
**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
Filter Total Items: 27
Serological data on influenza A from birds and mammals on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, 2011-2017 Serological data on influenza A from birds and mammals on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, 2011-2017
These data (in two spreadsheets) are the results of screening for influenza A viruses (IAV) in blood from wild animals that utilize the Arctic region of Alaska. 758 blood samples from nine wildlife species (3 mammal, 6 waterbird) were collected in Arctic Alaska, 2011-2017. Two different tests were used and the results are presented in separate spreadsheets. All blood samples were...
Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011 Sensor and Location Data from Ear Tag PTTs Deployed on Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea 2009 to 2011
These are data collected from Wildlife Computers ear tag platform transmitter terminals (PTT) deployed on polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea during the months of March, April, August, September, and October between 2009 and 2011. Purpose is to examine the performance and retention of ear tag satellite transmitters attached to polar bears.
U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010 U.S. Geological Survey Polar Bear Mark-Recapture Records, Alaska Portion of the Southern Beaufort Sea, 2001-2010
The dataset consists of one file of tabular data. These data include: a unique bear identification, bear sex, birth year, capture year, capture location (latitude and longitude), indicator of satellite radio status, and search effort.
Filter Total Items: 91
Pleistocene–Holocene vicariance, not Anthropocene landscape change, explains the genetic structure of American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico Pleistocene–Holocene vicariance, not Anthropocene landscape change, explains the genetic structure of American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the American Southwest and northern Mexico
The phylogeography of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) is characterized by isolation into glacial refugia, followed by population expansion and genetic admixture. Anthropogenic activities, including overharvest, habitat loss, and transportation infrastructure, have also influenced their landscape genetic structure. We describe the genetic structure of the American black bear in...
Authors
Matthew J. Gould, James W. Cain, Todd C. Atwood, Larisa E. Harding, Heather E. Johnson, Dave P. Onorato, Frederic S. Winslow, Gary W. Roemer
Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics Diet energy density estimated from isotopes in predator hair associated with survival, habitat, and population dynamics
Sea ice loss is fundamentally altering the Arctic marine environment. Yet there is a paucity of data on the adaptability of food webs to ecosystem change, including predator-prey interactions. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are an important subsistence resource for Indigenous people and an apex predator that relies entirely on the under-ice food web to meet their energy needs. Here, we...
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Brian D. Taras, Craig A. Stricker, Todd C. Atwood, Nicole P Boucher, George M. Durner, Andrew E. Derocher, Evan S. Richardson, Seth Cherry, Lori T. Quakenbush, Lara Horstmann, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin
Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-based polar bear denning in Alaska
Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) subpopulation have commonly created maternal dens on sea ice in the past, maternal dens on land have become increasingly prevalent as sea ice declines. This trend creates conditions for increased human–bear interactions associated with local communities and industrial activity. Maternal denning is a vulnerable...
Authors
Vijay P. Patil, George M. Durner, David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood
Comparisons of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) sea-ice projections in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecoregions during the 21st century Comparisons of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) sea-ice projections in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecoregions during the 21st century
Climate model projections are commonly used to assess potential impacts of global warming on a breadth of social, economic, and environmental topics. Modeling centers throughout the world coordinate to apply a consistent suite of radiative forcing experiments so that all model outputs can be collectively analyzed and compared. Three generations of model outputs have been produced and...
Authors
David C. Douglas, Todd C. Atwood
Using in situ/ex situ research collaborations to support polar bear conservation Using in situ/ex situ research collaborations to support polar bear conservation
A warming Arctic threatens the long-term persistence of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the wild. Historically, little collaboration existed between the in situ and ex situ polar bear scientific communities. However, for the past decade, zoo professionals, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) have partnered to leverage resources and expertise with the goal of...
Authors
Randi Meyerson, Todd C. Atwood
Non-USGS Publications**
Algeo, T. P., D. Slate, R. M. Caron, T. C. Atwood, S. Recuenco, M. Ducey, R. B. Chipman, and M. Palace. 2017. Modeling raccoon (Procyon lotor) habitat connectivity to identify potential corridors for rabies spread. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases 44. doi:10.3390/tropicalmed203044.
Atwood, T. C., E. Peacock, K. M. Lillie, R. R. Wilson, and S. Miller. 2015. Demographic composition and behavior of polar bears summering on shore in Alaska. USGS Administrative Report, 26 p.
Beasley, J. C., T. C. Atwood, M. E. Byrne, K. C. VerCauteren, S. R. Johnson, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2015. A behaviorally-explicit approach for evaluating vaccine baits to mesopredators to control epizootics in fragmented landscapes. PLoS One 10:e0113206. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113206.
Anderson, A., S. A. Shwiff, R. B. Chipman, T. C. Atwood, T. Cozzens, F. Fillo, R. Hale, B. Hatch, J. Maki, O. E. Rhodes, Jr, E. E. Rees, C. E. Rupprecht, R. Tinline, K. C. VerCauteren, and D. Slate. 2014. Forecasting the spread of raccoon rabies using a purpose-specific group decision-making process. Human-Wildlife Interactions 8(1):130-138.
Slate, D., R. B. Chipman, T. P. Algeo, S. A. Mills, K. M. Nelson, C. K. Croson, E. J. Dubovi, R. W. Renshaw, K. C. VerCauteren, T. C. Atwood, S. Johnson, and C. E. Rupprecht. 2014. Safety and immunogenicity in the first field trial with ONRAB in raccoons in the United States. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 50(3):582-595. doi:10.7589/2013-08-207.
Kunkel, K. E., T. K. Ruth, T. C. Atwood, D. H. Pletscher, and M. G. Hornocker. 2013. Assessing the value of wolves and cougars as conservation surrogates by linking carnivore hunting success with landscape characteristics. Animal Conservation 16:32-40. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1795.2012.00568.x.
Beasley, J. D., W. S. Beatty, T. C. Atwood, S. Johnson, and O. E. Rhodes, Jr. 2012. A comparison of methods for estimating raccoon abundance: Implications for disease vaccination programs. Journal of Wildlife Management 76(6):1290-1297. doi:10.1002/jwmg.379.
Atwood, T. C. and S. W. Breck. 2012. Carnivores, Conflict, and Conservation: Defining the Landscape of Conflict. Pages 99-118 in F. I. Álvares and G. E. Mata, (eds.). Carnivores: Species, Conservation, and Management. Nova Publishers.
Atwood, T. C., T. L. Fry, and B. R. Leland. 2011. Partitioning of a limited resource by sympatric carnivores in the Chihuahuan Desert and the implications for disease transmission. Journal of Wildlife Management 75:1609-1615.
Atwood, T. C., J. K. Young, J. P. Beckmann, S. W. Breck, O. E. Rhodes, Jr, J. A. Fike, and K. D. Bristow. 2011. Modeling connectivity of black bears in a desert sky island archipelago. Biological Conservation 144(12):2851-2862. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.08.002.
Fry, T. L., T. C. Atwood, and M. R. Dunbar. 2010. Utility of rhodamine B as a biomarker in raccoons. Human-Wildlife Interactions 4:275-282.
Atwood, T. C. and E. M. Gese. 2010. Importance of resource selection and social behaviour to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids. Journal of Mammalogy 91:490-499.
Atwood, T. C., T. J. DeLiberto, H. J. Smith, J. Stevenson, and K. C. VerCauteren. 2009. Raccoon spatial ecology related to cattle and bovine tuberculosis. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:647-654.
Atwood, T. C., E. M. Gese, and K. E. Kunkel. 2009. Spatial decomposition of predation risk in a multiple-predator multiple-prey system. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:876-884.
Atwood, T. C. and E. M. Gese. 2008. Coyotes (Canis latrans) and recolonizing wolves (Canis lupus): Social rank mediates risk-conditional behaviour at ungulate carcasses. Animal Behaviour 75:753-762.
VerCauteren, K. C., T. C. Atwood, T. J. DeLiberto, H. J. Smith, J. Stevenson, T. Gidlewski, and B. V. Thomsen. 2008. Sentinel-based surveillance of coyotes to detect bovine tuberculosis in Michigan. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14:1862-1869.
Atwood, T. C., K. C. VerCauteren, T. J. DeLiberto, H. J. Smith, and J. Stevenson. 2007. Coyotes as a potential sentinel species to detect bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) infection in white-tailed deer in Michigan. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1545-1554.
Atwood, T. C., E. M. Gese, and K. E. Kunkel. 2007. Comparative patterns of predation by cougars and recolonizing wolves. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1098-1106.
Atwood, T. C. 2006. The influence of habitat patch attributes on coyote group size and interaction in a fragmented landscape. Canadian Journal of Zoology 84:80-87.
Atwood, T. C. 2006. Behavioral interactions between wolves, Canis lupus, and coyotes, Canis latrans, at ungulate carcasses in southwest Montana. Western North American Naturalist 66:390-394.
Atwood, T. C., H. P. Weeks, Jr., and T. M. Gehring. 2004. Spatial ecology of coyotes along a suburban-to-rural gradient. Journal of Wildlife Management 85:1000-1009.
Swihart, R. K., T. C. Atwood, J. R. Goheen, D. A. Scheiman, K. E. Munroe, and T. M. Gehring. 2003. Patch occupancy in North American mammals: Is patchiness in the eye of the beholder? . Journal of Biogeography 30:1259-1279.
Atwood, T. C. and H. P. Weeks, Jr.. 2003. Sex-specific patterns of mineral lick preference in white-tailed deer. Northeastern Naturalist 10:409-414.
Atwood, T. C. and H. P. Weeks, Jr.. 2002. Sex- and age-specific patterns of mineral lick use by white-tailed deer. American Midland Naturalist 148:289-296.
Atwood, T. C. and H. P. Weeks, Jr.. 2002. Facultative dyad formation in adult male coyotes. Northeastern Naturalist 9:353-358.
**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.
*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