New Mexico Staff Member
Dr. Abby Lawson
Education
- Ph D Clemson University 2019
- MS University of Nevada, Reno 2012
- BS University of California, Davis 2007
Biography
I am originally from Juneau, Alaska and joined the New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit as Assistant Unit Leader (Wildlife) in 2021. I previously worked as a postdoctoral research associate at USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the Alabama CFWRU at Auburn University.
Teaching Interest
I plan to develop courses in applied population dynamics, decision analysis, and science communication.
Research Interest
Broadly, my research program falls under three main themes: 1) identifying demographic and behavior drivers in the context of ecological theory; 2) decision support science to inform an imminent conservation or management decision; and 3) analytical tool development to account for uncertainty in predictive modeling. Specific research interests include population dynamics, threatened and endangered species, structured decision making, adaptive management, life history, and movement ecology.
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Lawson, A.J., J.S. Sedinger, and E.J. Taylor. 2017. Life history patterns, individual heterogeneity, and density dependence in breeding common goldeneyes of the northern boreal forest. Journal of Avian Biology 48:597–610. doi:10.1111/jav.00975 | Abstract | Publisher Website | February 2017 |
| Lawson, A.J., J.S. Sedinger, and E.J. Taylor. 2017. Identifying demographic and environmental drivers of recruitment and population growth in a cavity nesting sea duck population. Journal of Avian Biology 48:1394–1405. doi: 10.1111/jav.01359 | Abstract | Publisher Website | September 2017 |
| Lawson, A.J., Clinton T. Moore, Thomas R. Rainwater, Frances M. Nilsen, Philip M. Wilkinson, Russell H. Lowers, Louis J. Guillette Jr., K.W. McFadden, and Patrick G.R. Jodice. 2020. Nonlinear patterns in mercury bioaccumulation in American alligators are a function of predicted age. Science of the Total Environment 707:135103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135103 | Download | March 2020 |
| Lawson AJ, Folt B, Tucker AM, Erickson FT, McGowan CP. 2021. Decision context is a necessary component of population viability analysis appraisal. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13818 | Publisher Website | August 2021 |
| Project | Completion Date |
|---|---|
| South Carolina Alligator Adaptive Management Strategies: Population Dynamics, Habitat Utilization and Conservation Threats | March 2019 |
| White-tailed Ptarmigan Reintroduction Ecology | June 2024 |
| Alligator Snapping Turtle population viability and listing decisions | October 2022 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| Stantial, M.L., A.J. Lawson, A.M.V. Fournier, P. Kappes, C. Kross, M.C. Runge, M. Woodrey, J.E. Lyons. 2021. Qualitative Value of Information Provides a Transparent and Repeatable Method for Identifying Critical Uncertainty Regarding the Use of Prescribed Fire to Benefit Black Rails and Other Marshbirds. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Virtual, November 1-5. | November 2021 |
| Stantial, M.L., A.J. Lawson, A.M.V. Fournier, P. Kappes, C. Kross, M.C. Runge, M. Woodrey, J.E. Lyons. 2021. Qualitative Value of Information Provides a Transparent and Repeatable Method for Identifying Critical Uncertainty Regarding the Use of Prescribed Fire to Benefit Black Rails and Other Marshbirds. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, December 13-17. | December 2021 |
| Stantial, M.L., A.J. Lawson, A.M.V. Fournier, P. Kappes, C. Kross, M. Woodrey, J.E. Lyons. 2021. Informing the use of prescribed fire in an adaptive management framework for Gulf of Mexico high marshes using an expert-based Bayesian Network model. Gulf of Mexico Conference. | April 2021 |
| Lyons, J.E., A.J. Lawson, M.L. Stantial, A. Weldon. 2021. Ecology and conservation of Eastern black rail: Road to recovery through management. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Virtual, November 1–5 2021. | November 2021 |
| Lee, J.B., D.J. Vargo, J.B. Bulger, C.J. Cardinal, M.A. Boggie, E.J. Goldstein, A.J. Lawson. 2022. Natural history and reintroduction of the white-tailed ptarmigan in New Mexico. Wilson Ornithological Society Meeting, Santa Fe, New Mexico; July 17-20, 2022. | July 2022 |
| Lee, J.B., D.J. Vargo, J.B. Bulger, C.J. Cardinal, M.A. Boggie, E.J. Goldstein, A.J. Lawson. 2022. Natural history and reintroduction of the white-tailed ptarmigan in New Mexico. New Mexico Ornithological Society Meeting, Virtual; March 26th, 2022. | March 2022 |
| Lawson, A.J., and K.W. McFadden. 2014. Optimizing survey designs for complex habitat: evaluating seasonal variation of alligator abundance estimates derived from nightlight surveys in South Carolina. Crocodile Specialist Group Working Meeting, Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA. | May 2014 |
| Lawson, A.J., and K.W. McFadden. 2014. Optimizing Alligator Nightlight Survey Designs for Complex Habitat: Evaluating Seasonal Variation in Abundance and Detectability in South Carolina. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Poster Presentation. | October 2014 |
| Lawson, A.J., and K.W. McFadden. 2013. South Carolina alligator adaptive management strategies: population dynamics, habitat utilization, and conservation threats. U.S. Geological Survey South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Coordinating Committee Meeting, Clemson, South Carolina. | May 2013 |
| Lawson, A.J., and K.W. McFadden. 2013. Influence of habitat on American Alligator densities in coastal South Carolina derived from nightlight survey data (1971-2012). The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Poster presentation. | October 2013 |
| Lawson, A.J., P.G.R. Jodice. 2015. Do changes in size class composition influence ontogenetic niche shifts in American alligators? Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Maryland. | September 2015 |
| Lawson, A.J., P.G.R. Jodice, and C.T. Moore. 2019. Synthesizing monitoring data to estimate abundance and detection probability in American alligators in South Carolina. Southeastern Assoc Fish & Wildlife Agencies. | October 2019 |
| Lawson, A.J., M.L. Stantial, M.D. Correll, M. Hartley, K. Kalasz, M.C. Runge, A. Schwarzer, C. Watson, A. Weldon, and J.E. Lyons. 2021. Reducing uncertainties in eastern black rail conservation: qualitative value of information to identify field experiments in a resilience-experimentalist adaptive management framework. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Virtual, November 1–5 2021. | November 2021 |
| Lawson, A.J., M.L. Stantial, A.D. Smith, and J.E. Lyons. 2021. Best-case scenario planning: evaluating tradeoffs among abundance and occupancy monitoring frameworks to detect eastern black rail population trends in optimal habitat. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Virtual, November 1–5 2021. | November 2021 |
| Lawson, A.J., K.W. McFadden, P.G.R. Jodice. 2015. Does harvest pressure influence body size class composition in American alligator populations? The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting. Winnipeg, Manitoba. | October 2015 |
| Lawson, A.J., J.S. Sedinger, and E.J. Taylor. 2013. Does density dependence influence local recruitment and population growth of Common Goldeneyes? The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Oral presentation. | October 2013 |
| Lawson, A.J., J.H. Gardner, M.L. Stantial, and C.S. Rushing. 2022. Value added conservation: prioritizing critical uncertainties for rosy-finch conservation in a warming world. Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences, Indianapolis, Indiana, 16-19 October. | October 2022 |
| Lawson, A.J., J.H. Gardner, J.E. Lyons, C.S. Rushing, M.L. Stantial, M.C. Runge. 2022. Value-added conservation: Prioritizing critical uncertainties in avian conservation using value of information. Wilson Ornithological Society, Santa Fe, New Mexico; July 17–20, 2022. | July 2022 |
| Lawson, A.J., J.E. Lyons, K. Kalasz, M.C. Runge, M. Woodrey. 2020. Application of Value of Information to Prioritize Conservation Actions for the Eastern Black Rail. Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences. Virtual, November 8-13. | November 2020 |
| Lawson, A.J., J.E. Lyons, K. Kalasz, M.C. Runge, A. Schwarzer, M.L. Stantial, M. Woodrey. 2020. Application of Value of Information to Prioritize Conservation Actions for the Eastern Black Rail on the Atlantic Coast. The Waterbirds Society Meeting, Virtual, November 3-13. | November 2020 |
| Lawson, A.J., C.T. Moore, and P.G.R. Jodice. 2018. Synthesizing multiple data streams to estimate abundance and detection probability in a highly wary, long-lived apex predator: an integrated modeling approach. International Statistical Ecology Conference, 2-6 July 2018, St. Andrews, Scotland. | July 2018 |
| Lawson, A.J., C.T. Moore, T.R. Rainwater, F.M. Nilsen, P.M. Wilkinson, R.H. Lowers, L.J. Guillette Jr., K.W. McFadden, and P.G.R. Jodice. 2019. Non-linear mercury bioaccumulation patterns in American alligators are a function of predicted age. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Reno, Nevada, USA. | October 2019 |
| Lawson, A.J. 2014. Land cover influence on South Carolina American alligator densities derived from nightlight surveys (1971-2013). Clemson University Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium, Clemson, South Carolina, 4 April 2014. | April 2014 |
| Lawson, A.J, P.G.R. Jodice, C.T. Moore. 2015. Using Seasonal Abundance Patterns to Improve Monitoring Programs and Conservation Decision-Making: An American Alligator Example. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 1-4 November 2015, Asheville, NC. | November 2015 |
| Lawson, A., P. Jodice, T. Rainwater, K.McFadden. Evaluating American alligator home range size and site fidelity patterns in artificial wetlands. Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology. | July 2017 |
| Lawson, A. J., T. G. Crawford, and C. T. Moore. 2019. Development of an American alligator adaptive harvest management framework: what can be learned from waterfowl management? Oral presentation at Joint Annual Conference of American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, 29 September - 3 October 2019, Reno, NV. | September 2019 |
| Lawson, A. J., C. T. Moore, P. G. R. Jodice, and K. W. McFadden. 2016. Optimizing American alligator population survey design to improve management decision-making. The Wildlife Society 23rd Annual Conference, 15-19 October 2016, Raleigh, NC. | October 2016 |
| Lawson, A. J., C. T. Moore, B. E. Ross, and P. G. R. Jodice. 2018. Synthesizing multiple data streams to estimate abundance and detection probability in a highly wary, long-lived apex predator: an integrated modeling approach. The Wildlife Society 25th Annual Conference, 7-11 October 2018, Cleveland, OH. | October 2018 |
| Lawson AJ, DeMay SM, Rivenbark E, Soileau K, London K, Waddle JH, Yarborough L, Coppola C, and McGowan, CP, 2020, Accounting for Multiple Uncertainties to Evaluate Population Viability of the Alligator Snapping Turtle for the Species Status Assessment. The Wildlife Society annual meeting. Virtual Conference, October 2020.<br><br><br> | October 2020 |
| Correll, M.D., A.J. Lawson, M. Hartley, M.L. Stantial, C. Watson, A. Weldon, and J.E. Lyons. 2021. Reducing uncertainties in eastern black rail conservation: identifying species and management needs for a rare and highly cryptic marsh bird. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Virtual, November 1–5 2021. | November 2021 |