Staff Member
Mr. Alexander Silvis
Post Doc
Email: silvis@vt.edu
Education
- MS The Ohio State University 2011
- BS Wittenberg University 2008
Biography
Prior to joining the VCFWRU, I worked for the Ohio State University and the USDA Forest Service. I have a broad background in ecology, and have been involved with projects on a variety of topics and subjects, including wood turtles, caves, and prescribed fire. I am currently pursuing my Ph.D.. Together with Dr. W. Mark Ford and Dr. Eric R. Britzke, I am researching the effects of a hierarchical and spatially differential roost site disturbance on the fission-fusion dynamic of northern bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies. As part of this research we have identified northern bat colonies on the Fort Knox military reservation and subjected them to various roost site disturbance treatments. We are currently in the process of assessing how these disturbance treatments have affected colony non-random social assortment and space use. Our goal is to use these results to improve bat management and to assist in the recovery of bat populations following white-nose syndrome. Additional topics that have been or will be addressed in this project include colony relatedness, characteristics of day-roost cavities, and the relationship of forest stand successional characteristics to northern bat day-roost preference.. I enjoy teaching, and have served as a teaching assistant for wildland fire management and mammalogy courses. In the Spring of 2014 I co-taught a course on R programming methods for data analysis in natural resources. Additionally, I have participated in a number ...
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Sweeten, S.E., A. Silvis, and W.M. Ford. 2015. Seasonal Variability in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in the Southwest Virginia Coalfields. In the 2nd Proceedings of Environmental Considerations in Energy Production. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc, Englewood, Colorado, USA. 9 p. | September 2015 |
| St. Germain, M.J., A.B. Kniowski, A. Silvis and W.M. Ford. 2017. Who Knew? First Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) Maternity Colony in the Coastal Plain of Virginia. Northeastern Naturalist 24:N5-N10. | March 2017 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford, E.R. Britzke, N.R. Beane, and J.B. Johnson. 2012 Forest succession and maternity day roost selection by Myotis septentrionalis in a mesophytic hardwood forest. International Journal of Forestry of Forestry Research. 2012:148106. 8 p. | September 2012 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford and E.R. Britzke. 2015. Day-roost tree selection by northern long-eared bats– What do random tree comparisons and one year of data really tell us? Global Ecology and Conservation 3:756-763 | Abstract | April 2015 |
| Silvis, A., R. W. Perry and W.M. Ford. 2016. Relationships of Three Species of White-nose Syndrome-Impacted Bats to Forest Condition and Management. US Forest Service Southern Research Station General Technical Report. SRS–214, Ashville, NC. 57p | August 2016 |
| Silvis, A., N. Abaid, W.M. Ford and E.R. Britzke. 2016. Responses of bat social groups to roost loss: More questions than answers. pages 261-280 in: Sociality in Bats. Jorge Ortega (ed). Springer International. 301 p. | Download | June 2016 |
| Silvis, A., A.B. Kniowski, S.D. Ghert, and W.M. Ford. 2014. Roosting and foraging social structure of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) . PLos ONE 9(5):1-12 (e9637) | Abstract | May 2014 |
| SIlvis, A., W.M. Ford, and E.R. Britzke. 2014. Effects of hierarchical roost removal on northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies. PLOS ONE DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0116356. 17 p. | December 2014 |
| S.M. Deeley, W.M. Ford, N. Kalen, S. R. Freeze, M. St. Germain, M. Muthersbaugh, E.L. Barr, A.B. Kniowski, A. Silvis and J. De La Cruz. 2022. Relating echolocation call data with reproduction data in mid-Atlantic bats. Diversity 14, 319. doi.org/10.3390/d14050319 | April 2022 |
| Patriquin, K.J.,M.L. Leonard, H.G. Broders, W.M.Ford, E.R. Britzke, and A. Silvis 2016. Weather as a proximate explanation for fission-fusion dynamics in female northern long-eared bats. Animal Behaviour 122:47-57 | November 2016 |
| Hyde, O., A. Silvis, E. Hallerman, W.M. Ford and E.R. Britzke. 2016. Relatedness within and among Myotis septentrionalis colonies at a local scale. Canadian Journal of Zoology 97:724-735 | July 2019 |
| Ford. W.M., A. Silvis, J.L. Rodrigue, A. Kniowski and J.B. Johnson. 2016. Deriving habitat models for northern bats (Myotis septentrionalis) from historical detection data: A case study using long-term research on the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, USA. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 7(1): 86-98 | Abstract | June 2016 |
| Ford, W.M., A. Silvis, J.B. Johnson, J.W. Edwards and M. Karp. 2016. Northern long-eared bat day-roosting and prescribed fire in the central Appalachians. Fire Ecology 12:13-27 | June 2016 |
| Diggins, C.A., A. Silvis, C.A. Kelly and W.M. Ford. 2016. Home range, den selection, and habitat use of Carolina northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus). Wildlife Research 44:427-437( | October 2017 |
| Austin, L., A. Silvis, W.M. Ford, K.E. Powers and M. Muthersbaugh. 2017. Bat Activity Following Restoration Prescribed Burning in the Central Appalachian Upland and Riparian Habitats. Natural Areas Journal 38:183-195 | April 2018 |
| Austin, L., A. Silvis, W.M. Ford and K.E. Powers. 2019. Effects of historic wildfire and prescribed fire on site occupancy of bats in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, USA. Journal of Forestry Research https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-019-00923-y | April 2019 |
| A. Silvis, E.R. Thomas, W. M. Ford,E. R. Britzke and M. J. Friedrich. 2014. Internal Cavity Characteristics of Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) Maternity Day-roosts. USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Note NRS-27. 7p | July 2014 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| St. Germain, M., A. Silvis, A. Kniowski and W.M. Ford. 2016. Dynamic landscape change detection of ephemeral habitats for the endangered Indiana bat in mid-Atlantic landscapes. 23rd Annual Wildlife Society Conference, Raleigh NC. October 15-19. | October 2016 |
| St. Germain, M, A. Silvis, W.M. Ford and A. Kniowski. 2016. WHO KNEW? INDIANA BAT MATERNITY COLONIES IN OLD VIRGINIA. 2016 Northeast Bat Working Group, Baltimore MD. January 12-13 | January 2016 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford, and E.R. Britzke.2014. EFFECTS OF HIERARCHICAL ROOST REMOVAL ON NORTHERN BAT ROOSTING ECOLOGY 2014 Colloquium of Conservation of Mammals in the South. Nacogdoches, TX. | February 2014 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford, and E.R. Britzke. 2014. Roost Tree Selection by Bats - What Do Random Trees and One Year of Data Really Tell Us? 2014 North American Society for Bat Research. Oct. 22-25, Albany NY. | October 2014 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford, E.R. Britzke. Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) management: Insights from a multi-year study at Fort Knox, Kentucky. 2015 JOINT NATIONAL CONFERENCE of ASMR and ARRI, Lexington KY. June 16, 2015.I | June 2015 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford, E.R. Britzke, and J.B. Johnson. 2013. Northern bat maternity colony networks. Abstracts of the 2013 Wildlife Society Meeting. Milwaukee, WI. October 5-8. | October 2013 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford, E.R. Britzke, N. Beane, and J.B. Johnson. Day-roost ecology of the northern bat (Myotis septentrionalis) in a mesophytic hardwood forest. 9th North American Forest Ecology Workshop. Bloomington, Indiana. June 16-20. | June 2013 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford, E.R. Britzke and J.B. Johnson. 2013. Identification and delineation of Myotis septentrionalis day-roost networks. 2013 Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals in the South. Pikeville, Tennessee. February 14-15. | February 2013 |
| Silvis, A., W.M. Ford and E.R. Britzke. 2015. Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) management: Insights from a multi-year study at Fort Knox, Kentucky. American Society of Mining and Reclamation, Lexington, KY. | June 2015 |
| Silvis, A., S. Sweeten, W.M. Ford and A. Kniowski. 2016. POST WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME DISTRIBUTION OF NORTHERN LONG-EARED AND INDIANA BATS IN VIRGINIA. 2016 Northeast Bat Working Group, Baltimore MD. January 12-13. | January 2016 |
| Silvis, A., M. Hyde, E.M. Hallerman and W.M. Ford. 2016. Effects Of Roost Removal On Social And Genetic Aspects Of Northern Long-eared Bat Maternity Colony Dynamics. 23rd Annual Wildlife Society Conference, Raleigh, NC. October 15-19. | October 2016 |
| Silvis, A., A.B. Kniowski, J.L. Rodrigue, and W.M. Ford. 2014. FOREST HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS OF THE NORTHERN BAT DERIVED FROM LONG-TERM RESEARCH ON THE FERNOW EXPERIMENTAL FOREST, WV. 2014 Colloquium on fhe Conservation of Mammals in the South, Nacogdoches, TX. | February 2014 |
| Silvis, A. and W.M. Ford 2017. Thoughts on uncertainty in bat acoustics. 2017 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals, Asheville NC. Feb. 16-17. | February 2017 |
| Silivis, A., W.M. Ford and E.R. Britzke. 2015. Insights for conservation of northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) derived from a multi-year study at Fort Knox, Kentucky. North American Joint Bat Working Group Meeting, St. Louis, MO. | March 2015 |
| Shirazi, M.J.., D. Hakkenberg, N. Abaid, W. M.Ford, and A Silvis. 2017. Relationships of environmental structure to echolocation pulse quality. 2017 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals. Asheville, NC. Feb. 16-17. | February 2017 |
| Nocera, T., C.A. Dobony, A. Silvis and W.M. Ford. 2018. WNS-induced temporal and spatial changes in little brown bat activity. 2018 The Wildlife Society Meeting. Cleveland, OH. October 7-11. | October 2018 |
| Muthersbaugh, M.S., A. Silvis, S.E. Sweeten, and W.M. Ford. 2017. Fall and spring activity of bat species in the central Appalachians around hibernacula. 2017 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals. Asheville, NC. Feb 16-17. | February 2017 |
| Muthersbaugh, M.A., S.E. Sweeten, A. Silvis, W.M. Ford and L.V. Austin. 2016. Fall activity patterns of migratory and cave dwelling bats species in the central Appalachians. 23rd Annual Wildlife Society Conference, Raleigh, NC. October 15-19. | October 2016 |
| Muthersbaugh, M., S. Sweeten, A. Silvis, W.M. Ford and L. Austin. 2016. FALL ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF MIGRATORY AND CAVE DWELLING BAT SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS. 2016 Northeast Bat Working Group, Baltimore MD. January 12-13. | January 2016 |
| Kniowski, A.B., A. Silvis, S.D. Gehrt and W.M. Ford. 2013. Network structure and social assortment by the Indiana bat at an Ohio maternity site. 2013 Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals in the South. Pikeville, Tennessee. February 14-15. | February 2013 |
| Kalen, N.J., M. S. Mutherspaugh, S.M. Deeley, A. Silvis, and W.M. Ford. 2017. Vampire coffins and northern long-eared bat day-roosts: widely known but rarely observed haunts of the living dead.. 2017 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and Colloquium of Conservation of Mammals. Asheville, NC. Feb. 16-17. | February 2017 |
| Kalen, N, M.A. Mutherbaugh, A. Silvis and W.M. Ford. Activity patterns of bats at Shenandoah National Park. 28th Annual Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern U.S. Roanoke, VA, March 27-29. | March 2018 |
| Huth, J., A. Silvis, P. Moosman and W.M. Ford. 2015. Detection and characterization of Myotis leibii summer roosts in Virginia. | March 2015 |
| Huth, J., A. Silvis, P. Moosman and W.M. Ford. 2015. A preliminary assessment of survey methods for Myotis leibii. Virginia Wildlife Society Meeting, Natural Bridge VA | February 2015 |
| Huth, J, A. Silvis, W.M. Ford and P. Moosman. 2016. Micro- and macro-habitat characteristics of eastern small-footed bats (Myotis leibii) in Virginia. 2016 Northeast Bat Working Group, Baltimore MD. January 12-13. | January 2016 |
| Hakkenberg, D., M.J. Shirazi. N. Abaid, W.M. Ford and A. Silvis. 2017. Experimental testing of the impacts of environmental clutter on the acoustic detection of bats. 2017 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals. Asheville, NC. Feb. 16-17. | February 2017 |
| Ford, W.M., Silvis, A., Muthersbaugh, M., Austin, L. Johnson, N. Kalen, J.W. Edwards and S. Owen. 2018. Twenty Years of Central Appalachian Bat Research – What Have We Learned and Where Are We Going? 2018 The Wildlife Society Meeting, October 7-11, Cleveland OH. | October 2018 |
| Ford, W.M., A. Silvis, E.R. Britzke, C.A. Dobony and M.St. Germain. 2017. Military Lands Lead Bat Conservation and Research Efforts in the East. 2017 National Military Fish and Wildlife Association Meeting. Spokane, WA March 6-9. | March 2017 |
| Diggins, C.A., A. Silvis, A. Kniowski, W.M. Ford, G. J. Graete and L.S. Coleman. 2014. ASSESSING WINTER ACTIVITY OF HIBERNATING BATS: LESSONS LEARNED. 2014 Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the South. Nacogdoches, TX . | February 2014 |
| Diggins, C,A,, A. Silvis, A. Kniowski, W.M. Ford, G.J. Graeter, and L. Coleman. 2016. ASSESSING WINTER ACTIVITY OF HIBERNATING BATS USING ULTRASONIC ACOUSTICS: LESSONS LEARNED. 26th Annual Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States. Guntersville, AL. February 18-19 | February 2016 |
| Brtizke, E.R., A .Silvis and W.M. Ford. 2014. Effects of Hierarchical Roost Removal on Northern Long-eared Bat Maternity Colonies. 2014 North American Society for Bat Research. Oct. 22-24. Albany NY. | October 2014 |
| Barr, E., A. Silvis, W.M. Ford. 2018. Who, when, where: year-round bat activity patterns along the mid-Atlantic Coast. 2018 Wildlife Society Meeting, Cleveland OH. Oct 7-11. | October 2018 |
| Barr, E., A. Silvis and W.M. Ford. 2018. BATS ACROSS THE SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM – A THEORY OF RELATIVE ACTIVITY. 28th Annual Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern U.S. Roanoke, VA, March 27-29. | March 2018 |
| Austin, L., A. Silvis, and W.M. Ford. 2015. Conservation of Myotis septentrionalis in Virginia: A preliminary outlook. 2015 Virginia Wildlife Society Meeting, Natural Bridge VA. | February 2015 |
| Austin, L., A. Silvis, M. Mutherbaugh and W.M. Ford. 2016. A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE POST-WNS IMPACTS OF FIRE ON BAT OCCUPANCY IN SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK. 2016 Northeast Bat Working Group, Baltimore MD. Jan 12-13. | January 2015 |
| Austin, L., A. Silvis and W.M. Ford. 2017. Impacts of prescribed fire and riparian areas on bat activity in Warm Spring Mountain, Virginia. 2017 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals. Asheville, NC. Feb. 16-17. | February 2017 |
| Austin, L., A. Silvis and W.M. Ford. 2015. A preliminary assessment of the current distribution of three white-nose syndrome impacted bat species in Virginia. 2015 North American Joint Bat Working Group. St. Louis, MO, March 3-7. | March 2015 |
| Technical Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Kniowski, A., S. Gehrt and A. Silvis. 2012. Migratory flight paths of Lasiurine bats along Lake Erie. Technical Report. Submitted to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. 40pp. | February 2012 |
| E. Toman, D.M. Hix, P.C. Goebel, S. Gehrt, R. Wilson, J. Sherry, A. Silvis, P. Nyamai, R. Williams. In Review. Synthesis of knowledge for hazardous fuels reduction in mixed red pine and eastern white pine forests in the Northern Lake States. Newton Square, PA: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station General Technical Report. | January 2012 |
| E. Toman, D.M. Hix, P.C. Goebel, S. Gehrt, R. Wilson, J. Sherry, A. Silvis, P. Nyamai, R. Williams, S. McCaffrey. 2011. Fuel treatments in mixed-pine forests in the Great Lakes Region: A comprehensive guide to planning and implementation. Final Project Report (project number 09-2-01-22). Joint Fire Science Program. Columbus, OH: The School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University. 14 p. | January 2011 |