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Developing
an index of grassland bird population status for The H. John Heinz III Center
for Science, Economics and the Environment |
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The
Challenge: The
Heinz Center's Report on the Status of the Nation's Ecosystems will
provide decision makers and opinion leaders with reliable, succinct evaluations
of the state of U.S. ecosystems and their patterns of change. As a key indicator
of grassland ecosystem condition, The Heinz Center needed a comparative
analysis of the population status and trends of native and invasive bird
species. |
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The
Solution: I obtained population trend estimates for 50 bird species
from North American Breeding Bird Survey data spanning 1966 - 2000. In consultation
with experts in survey analysis and grassland ecology, I developed indices
of population change that allowed me to conduct statistical tests for differences
between native and invasive species. I delivered a self-updating spreadsheet
file containing individual species' results as well as summary graphs, tables
and statistical routines. My analyses and supporting reports will be incorporated
in the Heinz Center's publication, to be published in September 2002. |
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See
the Heinz Center's 1999 prototype
ecosystem report. |
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Assessing
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation for the State of New Jersey's Comparative
Risk Project |
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The
Challenge: New
Jersey's Comparative Risk Project compares the impacts of different environmental
issues on ecological quality, human health, and socio-economic conditions
in the state, examines how well various strategies deal with these issues,
and identifies gaps in existing knowledge that need to be filled. As vital
components of this project, the Department of Environmental Protection needed
reports quantifying the threats of habitat loss and fragmentation to biodiversity
and ecosystem stability in New Jersey - the most heavily developed state
in the U.S. |
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The
Solution: Pulling
together data and statistics from more than a hundred different sources,
both published and Internet-based, I delivered detailed synopses of the
extent and trends of habitat loss and fragmentation in New Jersey. My reports
also assessed the risks posed by these stressors to endangered species,
agriculture and ecological communities, and revealed important information
gaps. |
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Visit
the New Jersey Comparative Risk Project homepage
(Final Report and individual risk assessments are now accessible). |
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Population
Viability Analysis of threatened prairie dogs for Environmental Defense
(formerly, Environmental Defense Fund) |
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The
Challenge: Prairie
dogs are important "keystone" species in their grassland habitats,
and conservationists view their decline with concern. The major environmental
advocacy group Environmental Defense needed an independent scientific assessment
of existing recovery plans for the Utah prairie dog, a threatened species
restricted to Southwestern Utah. |
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The
Solution: To predict
the prospects for Utah prairie dogs' long-term survival under different
management conditions, I conducted a spatially-explicit population viability
analysis (PVA) with the support of a team of three Princeton University
researchers. This PVA identified critical issues that need to be considered
in revisions to current conservation measures. Referencing our PVA and other
scientific research, my team also supplied reports recommending improvements
to federal and county management plans for Utah prairie dogs. |
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Researching
bird damage to crops for the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Foods, the B.C. Blueberry Industry Development Council, and the Corporation
of the District of Pitt Meadows |
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The
Challenge: Blueberries
are a multi-million dollar crop in British Columbia, but fruit-eating birds
significantly reduce profits. Growers fight back with propane cannons that
explode periodically to scare away pest birds. Unfortunately, these devices
also disturb local residents, generating intense conflicts between the blueberry
industry and the public, and presenting a predicament to government regulators. |
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The
Solution: I designed
and implemented a research project in consultation with provincial and municipal
government, industry leaders, growers and public. I quantified pest bird
activity patterns, and evaluated the effectiveness of different crop-protection
methods. I also investigated residents' complaints about noise-scare devices
and monitored growers' compliance with guidelines for their use. I devised
recommendations to manage resident-grower conflicts, and to improve crop
protection, that have been adopted province-wide and remain the current
standard. The project culminated in presentations I delivered at City Hall
and a Provincial Agriculture Ministry conference. |
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Consulting
on special effects and animal behaviour for the British Broadcasting Corporation's
Natural History Film Unit |
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The
Challenge: Sir
David Attenborough needed close-up footage of flying hummingbirds for his
broadcast documentary series The Trials of Life. Although hummingbirds
are easy to film as they hover to feed from flowers, they are far too small
- and too fast - for a photographer to keep framed and filling the viewfinder
as they travel between sites in the wild. |
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The
Solution: I
collaborated in the design and construction of a clear-sided wind tunnel
in which air speed could be adjusted to keep a hummingbird stationary
while in forward flight. Applying behavioural research, I trained captive
hummingbirds to fly upwind in the tunnel. This allowed the BBC's cameraman
to film perfectly composed, close-up images of hummingbirds flying at
full speed. No hummingbirds were harmed or mistreated during the filming
process, and all were later returned to the wild.
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See
the results of this project -
buy Trials of Life: Finding the Way
from Amazon.com! |
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Data-analysis
software design for the University of California, Irvine, Department of
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |
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The
Challenge: Dr.
F. Lynn Carpenter, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University
of California, Irvine, had many years of animal behaviour data from which
she needed to extract activity budgets. Because the activity classifications
were exceptionally complex, all previous attempts by computer consultants
to devise analytical programs for Dr. Carpenter had failed. |
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The
Solution: Using
my own methodology, I succeeded in creating custom software and strategies
to analyse Dr. Carpenter's data, which served her and her students for a
decade. |
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