Will Janousek, Ph.D.
I am a USGS biologist assessing the population status of the Western bumble bee as well as modeling contact rates between elk to inform chronic wasting disease prevention.
Research Interests
Over the last decade, I have had the opportunity to participate in a variety of projects investigating many of the issues wildlife face in modern times; from the intersection of disease ecology and conservation, to the impacts of energy development and military operations on endangered species. My Ph.D. research focused on the impacts of forest disturbance such as fire and bark beetle outbreaks on songbird communities throughout the greater Rocky Mountain region. While I tend to talk a lot about birds (they are a favorite of mine after all) I’ve been fortunate to broaden the scope of my research. In 2017, I completed the Directorate Resource Fellowship program with the US Fish and Wildlife Service at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge where I contributed to the development and implementation of critical habitat monitoring for two endangered species: the Rio Grande silvery minnow and Southwestern willow flycatcher. Currently, I work as a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey assessing the population status of the Western bumble bee across North America as well as modeling contact rates between elk on the National Elk Refuge to inform chronic wasting disease prevention.
Professional Experience
2019-Present: Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, West Glacier Field Office, West Glacier, MT.
2014-2018: Lecturer & Teaching Assistant, Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT.
2017: Directorate Fellows Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, La Joya, NM.
2009-2012: Teaching Assistant, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA.
2009: Assistant Biologist, Tetra Tech Environmental Consulting, Stephenville, TX.
2008: Field Biologist, The Nature Conservancy, Fort Hood, TX.
2007-2008: Field Biologist & Crew Lead, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Washington, DC.
Education and Certifications
B.S. Wildlife Conservation & Management, 2007, Kansas State University
M.A. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 2012, University of California – Santa Cruz
Ph.D. Wildlife Biology, 2018, University of Montana
Science and Products
Using Pollinator Environmental DNA to Assess the Ecological Resilience of America’s Grasslands
Developing Tools to Evaluate Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission Risk
USGS Chronic Wasting Disease Research at NOROCK
Western Bumble Bee and Native Pollinator Research
Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) datasets from Grand Canyon National Park, 2010-2016
Downscaled western bumble bee predicted occupancy for 2020, western conterminous United States.
Occurrence data of the western bumble bee from 1998 to 2020 across the western United States
Neonicotinoid nitroguanidine group insecticide application rates estimated across the western conterminous United States, 2008 to 2014
Western bumble bee predicted occupancy (1998, 2020) and future projections (2050s), western conterminous United States
Remotely sensed elk locations on the National Elk Refuge, Wyoming, 2017-2019
Western bumble bee predicted occupancy and detection probability rasters for the western continental United States from 1998 to 2018
Population and spatial dynamics of desert bighorn sheep in Grand Canyon during an outbreak of respiratory pneumonia
Recent and future declines of a historically widespread pollinator linked to climate, land cover, and pesticides
The acute decline in global biodiversity includes not only the loss of rare species, but also the rapid collapse of common species across many different taxa. The loss of pollinating insects is of particular concern because of the ecological and economic values these species provide. The western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) was once common in western North America, but this species has become
Eyes on the herd: Quantifying ungulate density from satellite, unmanned aerial systems, and GPScollar data
Human activities and weather drive contact rates of wintering elk
Western bumble bee: Declines in United States and range-wide information gaps
Non-USGS Publications**
**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.
WildAgg: an R package to estimate and visualize wildlife aggregation data
Science and Products
Using Pollinator Environmental DNA to Assess the Ecological Resilience of America’s Grasslands
Developing Tools to Evaluate Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission Risk
USGS Chronic Wasting Disease Research at NOROCK
Western Bumble Bee and Native Pollinator Research
Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) datasets from Grand Canyon National Park, 2010-2016
Downscaled western bumble bee predicted occupancy for 2020, western conterminous United States.
Occurrence data of the western bumble bee from 1998 to 2020 across the western United States
Neonicotinoid nitroguanidine group insecticide application rates estimated across the western conterminous United States, 2008 to 2014
Western bumble bee predicted occupancy (1998, 2020) and future projections (2050s), western conterminous United States
Remotely sensed elk locations on the National Elk Refuge, Wyoming, 2017-2019
Western bumble bee predicted occupancy and detection probability rasters for the western continental United States from 1998 to 2018
Population and spatial dynamics of desert bighorn sheep in Grand Canyon during an outbreak of respiratory pneumonia
Recent and future declines of a historically widespread pollinator linked to climate, land cover, and pesticides
The acute decline in global biodiversity includes not only the loss of rare species, but also the rapid collapse of common species across many different taxa. The loss of pollinating insects is of particular concern because of the ecological and economic values these species provide. The western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) was once common in western North America, but this species has become
Eyes on the herd: Quantifying ungulate density from satellite, unmanned aerial systems, and GPScollar data
Human activities and weather drive contact rates of wintering elk
Western bumble bee: Declines in United States and range-wide information gaps
Non-USGS Publications**
**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.