William Beatty, PhD
William leads research on wildlife population modeling, movement ecology, and space use with an emphasis on migratory waterbirds
Professional Experience
2024 – Present, Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin
2021 – 2024, Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin
2016 – 2021, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, Alaska
2014 – 2016, Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2012 – 2014, Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Missouri, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Purdue University, Wildlife Science, 2012
M.S., Eastern Illinois University, Biological Sciences, 2008
B.S., University of Missouri, Fisheries and Wildlife Science, 2005
Affiliations and Memberships*
The Wildlife Society
Society for Marine Mammalogy
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 23
Panmixia in a sea ice-associated marine mammal: evaluating genetic structure of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) at multiple spatial scales Panmixia in a sea ice-associated marine mammal: evaluating genetic structure of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) at multiple spatial scales
The kin structure of a species at relatively fine spatial scales impacts broad-scale patterns in genetic structure at the population level. However, kin structure rarely has been elucidated for migratory marine mammals. The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) exhibits migratory behavior linked to seasonal patterns in sea ice dynamics. Consequently, information on the spatial...
Authors
William S. Beatty, Patrick R. Lemons, Suresh Sethi, Jason Everett, Cara Lewis, Robert Lynn, Geoffrey Cook, Joel Garlich-Miller, John Wenburg
Forecasting consequences of changing sea ice availability for Pacific walruses Forecasting consequences of changing sea ice availability for Pacific walruses
The accelerating rate of anthropogenic alteration and disturbance of environments has increased the need for forecasting effects of environmental change on fish and wildlife populations. Models linking projections of environmental change with behavioral responses and bioenergetic effects can provide a basis for these forecasts. There is particular interest in forecasting effects of...
Authors
Mark Udevitz, Chadwick Jay, Rebecca Taylor, Anthony S. Fischbach, William Beatty, Shawn Noren
Walrus haul-out and in water activity levels relative to sea ice availability in the Chukchi Sea Walrus haul-out and in water activity levels relative to sea ice availability in the Chukchi Sea
An animal’s energetic costs are dependent on the amount of time it allocates to various behavioral activities. For Arctic pinnipeds, the time allocated to active and resting behaviors could change with future reductions in sea ice cover and longer periods of open water. The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) is a large Arctic pinniped that rests on sea ice or land between...
Authors
Chadwick Jay, Rebecca Taylor, Anthony S. Fischbach, Mark Udevitz, William Beatty
How will predicted land-use change affect waterfowl spring stopover ecology? Inferences from an individual-based model How will predicted land-use change affect waterfowl spring stopover ecology? Inferences from an individual-based model
Habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, overexploitation and climate change pose familiar and new challenges to conserving natural populations throughout the world. One approach conservation planners may use to evaluate the effects of these challenges on wildlife populations is scenario planning.We developed an individual-based model to evaluate the effects of future land use and land cover...
Authors
William Beatty, Dylan Kesler, Elisabeth Webb, Luke Naylor, Andrew Raedeke, Dale Humburg, John Coluccy, Gregory Soulliere
Space use of a dominant Arctic vertebrate: Effects of prey, sea ice, and land on Pacific walrus resource selection Space use of a dominant Arctic vertebrate: Effects of prey, sea ice, and land on Pacific walrus resource selection
Sea ice dominates marine ecosystems in the Arctic, and recent reductions in sea ice may alter food webs throughout the region. Sea ice loss may also stress Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), which feed on benthic macroinvertebrates in the Bering and Chukchi seas. However, no studies have examined the effects of sea ice on foraging Pacific walrus space use patterns. We tested...
Authors
William Beatty, Chadwick Jay, Anthony Fischbach, Jacqueline Grebmeier, Rebecca Taylor, Arny Blanchard, Stephen Jewett
An evaluation of behavior inferences from Bayesian state-space models: A case study with the Pacific walrus An evaluation of behavior inferences from Bayesian state-space models: A case study with the Pacific walrus
State-space models offer researchers an objective approach to modeling complex animal location data sets, and state-space model behavior classifications are often assumed to have a link to animal behavior. In this study, we evaluated the behavioral classification accuracy of a Bayesian state-space model in Pacific walruses using Argos satellite tags with sensors to detect animal behavior...
Authors
William Beatty, Chadwick Jay, Anthony Fischbach
An empirical evaluation of landscape energetic models: Mallard and American black duck space use during the non-breeding period An empirical evaluation of landscape energetic models: Mallard and American black duck space use during the non-breeding period
Bird conservation Joint Ventures are collaborative partnerships between public agencies and private organizations that facilitate habitat management to support waterfowl and other bird populations. A subset of Joint Ventures has developed energetic carrying capacity models (ECCs) to translate regional waterfowl population goals into habitat objectives during the non-breeding period...
Authors
William Beatty, Elisabeth Webb, Dylan Kesler, Luke Naylor, Andrew Raedeke, Dale Humburg, John Coluccy, G. Soulliere
Landscape effects on mallard habitat selection at multiple spatial scales during the non-breeding period Landscape effects on mallard habitat selection at multiple spatial scales during the non-breeding period
Previous studies that evaluated effects of landscape-scale habitat heterogeneity on migratory waterbird distributions were spatially limited and temporally restricted to one major life-history phase. However, effects of landscape-scale habitat heterogeneity on long-distance migratory waterbirds can be studied across the annual cycle using new technologies, including global positioning...
Authors
William Beatty, Elisabeth Webb, Dylan Kesler, Andrew Raedeke, Luke Naylor, Dale Humburg
Effects of satellite transmitters on captive and wild mallards Effects of satellite transmitters on captive and wild mallards
Satellite telemetry has become a leading method for studying large-scale movements and survival in birds, yet few have addressed potential effects of the larger and heavier tracking equipment on study subjects. We simultaneously evaluated effects of satellite telemetry equipment on captive and wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) to assess impacts on behavior, body mass, and movement. We...
Authors
Dylan Kesler, Andrew Raedeke, Jennifer Foggia, William Beatty, Elisabeth Webb, Dale Humburg, Luke Naylor
The role of protected area wetlands in waterfowl habitat conservation: implications for protected area network design The role of protected area wetlands in waterfowl habitat conservation: implications for protected area network design
The principal goal of protected area networks is biodiversity preservation, but efficacy of such networks is directly linked to animal movement within and outside area boundaries. We examined wetland selection patterns of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) during non-breeding periods from 2010 to 2012 to evaluate the utility of protected areas to migratory waterfowl in North America. We...
Authors
William Beatty, Dylan Kesler, Elisabeth Webb, Andrew Raedeke, Luke Naylor, Dale Humburg
Quantitative and qualitative approaches to identifying migration chronology in a continental migrant Quantitative and qualitative approaches to identifying migration chronology in a continental migrant
The degree to which extrinsic factors influence migration chronology in North American waterfowl has not been quantified, particularly for dabbling ducks. Previous studies have examined waterfowl migration using various methods, however, quantitative approaches to define avian migration chronology over broad spatio-temporal scales are limited, and the implications for using different...
Authors
William Beatty, Dylan Kesler, Elisabeth Webb, Andrew Raedeke, Luke Naylor, Dale Humburg
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 23
Panmixia in a sea ice-associated marine mammal: evaluating genetic structure of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) at multiple spatial scales Panmixia in a sea ice-associated marine mammal: evaluating genetic structure of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) at multiple spatial scales
The kin structure of a species at relatively fine spatial scales impacts broad-scale patterns in genetic structure at the population level. However, kin structure rarely has been elucidated for migratory marine mammals. The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) exhibits migratory behavior linked to seasonal patterns in sea ice dynamics. Consequently, information on the spatial...
Authors
William S. Beatty, Patrick R. Lemons, Suresh Sethi, Jason Everett, Cara Lewis, Robert Lynn, Geoffrey Cook, Joel Garlich-Miller, John Wenburg
Forecasting consequences of changing sea ice availability for Pacific walruses Forecasting consequences of changing sea ice availability for Pacific walruses
The accelerating rate of anthropogenic alteration and disturbance of environments has increased the need for forecasting effects of environmental change on fish and wildlife populations. Models linking projections of environmental change with behavioral responses and bioenergetic effects can provide a basis for these forecasts. There is particular interest in forecasting effects of...
Authors
Mark Udevitz, Chadwick Jay, Rebecca Taylor, Anthony S. Fischbach, William Beatty, Shawn Noren
Walrus haul-out and in water activity levels relative to sea ice availability in the Chukchi Sea Walrus haul-out and in water activity levels relative to sea ice availability in the Chukchi Sea
An animal’s energetic costs are dependent on the amount of time it allocates to various behavioral activities. For Arctic pinnipeds, the time allocated to active and resting behaviors could change with future reductions in sea ice cover and longer periods of open water. The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) is a large Arctic pinniped that rests on sea ice or land between...
Authors
Chadwick Jay, Rebecca Taylor, Anthony S. Fischbach, Mark Udevitz, William Beatty
How will predicted land-use change affect waterfowl spring stopover ecology? Inferences from an individual-based model How will predicted land-use change affect waterfowl spring stopover ecology? Inferences from an individual-based model
Habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, overexploitation and climate change pose familiar and new challenges to conserving natural populations throughout the world. One approach conservation planners may use to evaluate the effects of these challenges on wildlife populations is scenario planning.We developed an individual-based model to evaluate the effects of future land use and land cover...
Authors
William Beatty, Dylan Kesler, Elisabeth Webb, Luke Naylor, Andrew Raedeke, Dale Humburg, John Coluccy, Gregory Soulliere
Space use of a dominant Arctic vertebrate: Effects of prey, sea ice, and land on Pacific walrus resource selection Space use of a dominant Arctic vertebrate: Effects of prey, sea ice, and land on Pacific walrus resource selection
Sea ice dominates marine ecosystems in the Arctic, and recent reductions in sea ice may alter food webs throughout the region. Sea ice loss may also stress Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), which feed on benthic macroinvertebrates in the Bering and Chukchi seas. However, no studies have examined the effects of sea ice on foraging Pacific walrus space use patterns. We tested...
Authors
William Beatty, Chadwick Jay, Anthony Fischbach, Jacqueline Grebmeier, Rebecca Taylor, Arny Blanchard, Stephen Jewett
An evaluation of behavior inferences from Bayesian state-space models: A case study with the Pacific walrus An evaluation of behavior inferences from Bayesian state-space models: A case study with the Pacific walrus
State-space models offer researchers an objective approach to modeling complex animal location data sets, and state-space model behavior classifications are often assumed to have a link to animal behavior. In this study, we evaluated the behavioral classification accuracy of a Bayesian state-space model in Pacific walruses using Argos satellite tags with sensors to detect animal behavior...
Authors
William Beatty, Chadwick Jay, Anthony Fischbach
An empirical evaluation of landscape energetic models: Mallard and American black duck space use during the non-breeding period An empirical evaluation of landscape energetic models: Mallard and American black duck space use during the non-breeding period
Bird conservation Joint Ventures are collaborative partnerships between public agencies and private organizations that facilitate habitat management to support waterfowl and other bird populations. A subset of Joint Ventures has developed energetic carrying capacity models (ECCs) to translate regional waterfowl population goals into habitat objectives during the non-breeding period...
Authors
William Beatty, Elisabeth Webb, Dylan Kesler, Luke Naylor, Andrew Raedeke, Dale Humburg, John Coluccy, G. Soulliere
Landscape effects on mallard habitat selection at multiple spatial scales during the non-breeding period Landscape effects on mallard habitat selection at multiple spatial scales during the non-breeding period
Previous studies that evaluated effects of landscape-scale habitat heterogeneity on migratory waterbird distributions were spatially limited and temporally restricted to one major life-history phase. However, effects of landscape-scale habitat heterogeneity on long-distance migratory waterbirds can be studied across the annual cycle using new technologies, including global positioning...
Authors
William Beatty, Elisabeth Webb, Dylan Kesler, Andrew Raedeke, Luke Naylor, Dale Humburg
Effects of satellite transmitters on captive and wild mallards Effects of satellite transmitters on captive and wild mallards
Satellite telemetry has become a leading method for studying large-scale movements and survival in birds, yet few have addressed potential effects of the larger and heavier tracking equipment on study subjects. We simultaneously evaluated effects of satellite telemetry equipment on captive and wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) to assess impacts on behavior, body mass, and movement. We...
Authors
Dylan Kesler, Andrew Raedeke, Jennifer Foggia, William Beatty, Elisabeth Webb, Dale Humburg, Luke Naylor
The role of protected area wetlands in waterfowl habitat conservation: implications for protected area network design The role of protected area wetlands in waterfowl habitat conservation: implications for protected area network design
The principal goal of protected area networks is biodiversity preservation, but efficacy of such networks is directly linked to animal movement within and outside area boundaries. We examined wetland selection patterns of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) during non-breeding periods from 2010 to 2012 to evaluate the utility of protected areas to migratory waterfowl in North America. We...
Authors
William Beatty, Dylan Kesler, Elisabeth Webb, Andrew Raedeke, Luke Naylor, Dale Humburg
Quantitative and qualitative approaches to identifying migration chronology in a continental migrant Quantitative and qualitative approaches to identifying migration chronology in a continental migrant
The degree to which extrinsic factors influence migration chronology in North American waterfowl has not been quantified, particularly for dabbling ducks. Previous studies have examined waterfowl migration using various methods, however, quantitative approaches to define avian migration chronology over broad spatio-temporal scales are limited, and the implications for using different...
Authors
William Beatty, Dylan Kesler, Elisabeth Webb, Andrew Raedeke, Luke Naylor, Dale Humburg
*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