Massachusetts Staff Member
Dr. Tammy L. Wilson
Assistant Unit Leader
Email: tlwilson@usgs.gov
Faculty Email: tammywilson@umass.edu
Faculty Website
Links:
Education
- Ph D Utah State University 2010
- MS Utah State University 2005
- BA University of Colorado 1994
Biography
Dr. Wilson received a BA from the University of Colorado, and graduate degrees from Utah State University. Prior to joining USGS, she was a Biometrician with the National Park Service Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Program. Dr. Wilson is an applied quantitative ecologist interested in the responses of wildlife to anthropogenic change. Her research focuses on the application of statistical models to determine species distribution, abundance, and habitat selection at multiple scales. She applies this work to support science-based decision-making in wildlife management and conservation. Although she mainly works on birds and mammals in upland habitats, she occasionally gets her feet wet to work on fish and marine invertebrates. Dr. Wilson teaches courses that improve students understanding of nature through quantitative ecology. This includes teaching advanced topics in landscape ecology, biometrics, and spatial modeling. She is committed to future that embraces and represents the full diversity of our nation so that all can feel inspiration and awe in nature.
Areas of Expertise
Landscape Ecology, Species Distribution Modeling, Statistics and Modelling, Wildlife Management
Taxon Groups Studied
Carnivores, Nongame Fish/Wildlife, Small Mammals, Songbirds, Ungulates
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Wright, M. R.L. Sherriff, A.E. Miller, T. Wilson. 2018. Stand basal area and temperature interact to influence growth in white spruce in southwest Alaska. Ecosphere. 9(10): e02462. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2462 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2018 |
| Wilson, T.L., T. Shepherd, C. Miller, B.A. Mangipane, and T. Hamon. 2018. Protocol implementation plan for monitoring moose in Southwest Alaska Network Parks. Natural Resource Report NPS/SWAN/NRR—2018/1755. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2018 |
| Wilson, T.L., L.M. Phillips, and B. Mangipane. 2017. Improving bald eagle nest monitoring with a second spring survey. The Journal of Wildlife Management 81: 545-551. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21219 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Wilson, T.L., J.H. Schmidt. 2015. Scale dependence in occupancy models: implications for estimating bear den distribution and abundance. Ecosphere 6(9): art168. https://doi.org/10.1890/ES15-00250.1 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2015 |
| Wilson, T.L., J.H. Schmidt, W.L. Thompson, L.M. Phillips. 2014. Using double‐observer aerial surveys to monitor nesting bald eagles in Alaska: Are all nests available for detection? The Journal of Wildlife Management 78: 1096–1103. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.753 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2014 |
| Wilson, T.L., J.B. Odei, M.B. Hooten, T.C. Edwards Jr. 2010. Hierarchical spatial models for pygmy rabbit distribution and relative abundance. Journal of Applied Ecology 47: 401-409. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01766.x | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2010 |
| Wilson, T.L., F.P. Howe, T.C. Edwards Jr. 2011. Effects of sagebrush treatments on multi-scale resource selection by pygmy rabbits. The Journal of Wildlife Management 75: 393–398. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.51 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2011 |
| Wilson, T.L., E.A. Weiss, T. Shepherd, L.M. Phillips, and B. Mangipane. 2017. Monitoring bald eagles in Southwest Alaska Network parks: Standard operating procedures version 1.0. Natural Resource Report NPS/SWAN/NRR—2017/1384. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Wilson, T.L., E.A. Weiss, T. Shepherd, L.M. Phillips, and B. Mangipane. 2017. Monitoring bald eagles in Southwest Alaska Network parks: Protocol narrative. Natural Resource Report NPS/SWAN/NRR—2017/1382. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Wilson, T.L., A.P. Rayburn, T.C. Edwards Jr. 2012. Spatial ecology of refuge selection by an herbivore under risk of predation. Ecosphere 3(1): art6. https://doi.org/10.1890/ES11-00247.1 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2012 |
| Wilson, T.L, J.H. Schmidt, B. Mangipane, R. Kolstrom, K. Bartz. 2018. Nest use dynamics of an undisturbed population of bald eagles. Ecology and Evolution. 8: 7346-7354. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4259 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2018 |
| Wilson, T. L., E. J. Johnson, and J. A. Bissonette. 2009. Relative importance of habitat area and isolation for bird occurrence patterns in a naturally patchy landscape. Landscape Ecology 24:351-360. | Publisher Website | April 2009 |
| Sirén, A.P.K., J. Berube, L.A. Clarfeld, C.F.Sullivan, B. Simpson, T.L. Wilson. 2024. Accounting for missing ticks: Use (or lack thereof) of hierarchical models in tick ecology studies. Ticks and Tickborne Diseases 15:102342. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102342. | Abstract | Publisher Website | April 2024 |
| Schumann, D.A., W.W. Hoback, K.D. Koupal, C.W. Schoenebeck, S. Schainost, T.L. Wilson. 2017. Experimental analysis of reintroduction strategies to conserve the imperiled Plains Topminnow Fundulus sciadicus in Nebraska. Endangered Species Research. 34: 349-355. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00861 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Schmidt, J.H., W.L. Thompson, T.L. Wilson, J.H. Reynolds. 2022. Understanding the impacts of the detection process on distance sampling surveys: selecting among approaches and minimizing total error. Wildlife Monographs 210: e1070. https://doi.org/10.1002/wmon.1070 | Abstract | July 2022 |
| Schmidt, J.H., T.L. Wilson, W.L. Thompson, J.H. Reynolds. 2017. Improving inference for aerial surveys of bears: The importance of assumptions and the cost of unnecessary complexity. Ecology and Evolution 7:4816-4821. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2912 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Schmidt, J.H., T.L. Wilson, W.L. Thompson, B.A. Mangipane. 2022. Integrating distance sampling survey data with population indices to separate trends in abundance and resource use. Journal of Wildlife Management 86:e22185. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22185 | Abstract | Publisher Website | January 2022 |
| Schmidt, J.H., J. Putera, T.L. Wilson. 2020. Direct and indirect effects of temperature and prey abundance on bald eagle reproductive dynamics. Oecologia. 192: 391-401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-019-04578-8 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| Miller, A.E., T.L. Wilson, R.L. Sherriff, J. Walton. 2017. Warming drives a front of white spruce recruitment near western treeline, Alaska. Global Change Biology. 23: 5509-5522. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13814 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Lindsay, C., J. Zhu, A.E. Miller, P. Kirchner, T.L. Wilson. 2015. Deriving snow cover metrics for Alaska from MODIS. Remote Sensing 7: 12961-12985. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs71012961 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2015 |
| Larsen, R.T., J.A. Bissonette, J.T. Flinders, M.B. Hooten and T.L. Wilson. 2010. Summer spatial patterning of chukars in relation to free water in western Utah. Landscape Ecology 25: 135-145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-009-9407-z | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2010 |
| Kolstrum, R., T. L. Wilson, and L. M. Gigliotti. 2020. Using the Delphi process to gather information from a bald eagle expert panel. National Resource Report NPS/SEAN/NRR-2020/2128. | June 2020 |
| Kolstrom, R., T. L. Wilson, and L.M. Gigliotti. 2020. Using a Structured Decision Analysis to Evaluate Bald Eagle Vital Signs Monitoring in Southwest Alaska National Parks. Ecology and Evolution, Open Access: Manuscript ID: ECE-2019-10-01387.R1 https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6499 | Abstract | Publisher Website | June 2020 |
| Ellis, K.S., R.T. Larsen, J.C. Whiting, T.L. Wilson, and B.R. McMillan. 2017. Assessing indirect measures of abundance and distribution with remote cameras: simplifying indices of activity at pygmy rabbit burrows. Ecological Indicators 77: 23-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.01.041 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Counihan, K., L. Bowen, B. Ballachey, H. Coletti, T. Hollmen, B. Pister, T.L. Wilson. 2019. Physiological and gene transcription assays to assess responses of mussels to environmental changes. Peerj 7:e7800. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7800 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2019 |
| Coletti, H.A., L. Bowen, B. Ballachey, T.L. Wilson, S. Waters, M. Booz, K. Counihan, T. Hollmen, and B. Pister. 2022. The mysterious case of the missing razor clams: using gene transcription to uncover clues to razor clam population differences. Frontiers for Young Minds 10: 715425. doi: 10.3389/frym.2022.715425 | Publisher Website | October 2022 |
| Coletti, H., L. Bowen, B. Ballachey, T.L. Wilson, S. Waters, M. Booz, K. Counihan, T. Hollmen, B. Pister. 2021. Gene expression profiles in two razor clam populations: discerning drivers of population status. Life 11:1288. DOI: 10.3390/life11121288 | Abstract | Publisher Website | November 2021 |
| Clarfeld, L., A. Sirén, B. Mulhall, T. Wilson, E. Bernier, J. Farrell, G. Lunde, N. Hardy, K. Gieder, R. Abrams, S. Staats, S. McLellan, and T. Donovan. 2023. Evaluating a tandem human-machine approach to labelling of wildlife in remote camera monitoring. Ecological Informatics 77:e102257 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102257. | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | August 2023 |
| Bowen, L., K. Counihan, B. Ballachey, H. Coletti, T. Hollmen, B. Pister, T.L. Wilson. 2020. Monitoring nearshore ecosystem health using Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula) as an indicator species. Peerj: e8761. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8761 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| Berube, J., A.P.K. Sirén, B. Simpson, K.B. Klingler, T.L. Wilson. 2024. Monitoring off-host winter tick abundance on traditional moose hunting lands. Journal of Wildlife Management 88:e22630. DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22630. | Abstract | Publisher Website | July 2024 |
| Bartz, K.K., M.P. Hannam, T.L. Wilson, R.F. Lepak, J.M. Ogorek, D.B., Young, C.A. Eagles-Smith, D.P. Krabbenhoft. 2023. Understanding drivers of mercury in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), top-predator lake fish from southwest Alaska parklands. Environmental Pollution 330: 121678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121678 | Abstract | May 2023 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| Wittig, T.W., T.L. Wilson, K. Zolfonoon, Z.S. Ladin. 2022. Using nest cameras and machine learning to explore nesting and provisioning of Bald Eagles (<i>Haliaeetus leucocephalus</i>). Annual Meeting of the Raptor Research Foundation and the Florida Ornithological Society. 4 - 9 October. Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA | October 2022 |
| Wilson, TL, APK Sirén, J Berube, L Clarfeld TM Donovan. 2023. Designing camera trap arrays for multi-species monitoring of mammals at large spatial extents. Annual Meeting, International Association for Landscape Ecology- North America, Riverside, California, 19-23 March2023. | March 2023 |
| Wilson, TL, APK Sirén, J Berube, B Simpson. 2023. Effects of imperfect detection on inference from tick-borne disease surveillance data. Joint Workshop on Transboundary Wildlife Diseases. Jeju, Republic of Korea, October 10-11 2023. | October 2023 |
| Wilson, T.L., K.K. Bartz, D.B. Young R.F. Lepak, J.M. Ogorek, D.P. Krabbenhoft, C. Eagles-Smith. Landscape factors affecting lake trout mercury concentration in Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks. Annual Meeting, North American Regional Association of the International Association for Landscape Ecology. Reno, NV, 12-15 April 2021. | April 2021 |
| Wilson, T.L., J.A. Berube, A.P.K. Sirén. Perfecting the Imperfect Detection of Ticks: Winter Tick Epizootics and Moose Populations in the Northeastern U.S. Moose research in the Northeast U.S. and eastern provinces of Canada: 6 July 2022. On-line meeting. | July 2022 |
| Wilson, T.L., A.P.K. Sirén, J. Berube, B. Simpson. A novel method for monitoring off-host winter ticks in habitat where detection and abundance are expected to be low. Workshop of moose research needs in the Northeast. Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. 13 December 2023. | December 2023 |
| Wilson, T., and J. A. Bissonette. 2006. Moving beyond area-density relationships- a challenge for conservation planning. US-IALE, San Diego, CA, 31 March. | March 2006 |
| Wilson, T. L., and T. C. Edwards, Jr. Evaluating habitat use and connectivity using occupancy and density indices. Poster presented at the 2007 US International Association of Landscape Ecology, Tucson, Arizona, USA. | April 2007 |
| Wilson, T. L., J. Berube, A.P.K Sirén, B. Simpson, K. Klingler. Understanding drivers of winter tick (<i>Dermacentor albipictus</i>) abundance and distribution in New England. Asia-Pacific Wildlife Health Workshop, 6-8 August 2024. Hilo, HI. | August 2024 |
| Wilson, T. L., E. J. Johnson, and J. A. Bissonette. 2005. Supplementation and sagebrush habitat specialists in patchy mountainous landscapes. US-IALE, Syracuse N.Y. 2005 14 March. | March 2005 |
| Skora, L.C. and T.L. Wilson. Flying low and slow: estimating brown bear (Ursus arctos) density using aerial distance sampling in Katmai National Preserve, Alaska. Contributed oral presentation. International Statistical Ecology Conference. Swansea, United Kingdom. 2024. | July 2024 |
| Skora, L, TL Wilson. 2023. Estimating brown bear abundance along salmon spawning streams in Katmai National Park, Alaska. EURING Analytical Meeting & Workshop, Montpellier, France, 17 – 21 April. | April 2023 |
| Sirén, A.P.K., T.L. Wilson, K.Dunfey-Ball, K.D. Gieder, C.A. Bernier, N.L. Fortin, T. Smith, J.R. Kilborn, C.B. Callahan, R.M. Cliché, L.S. Prout, S, Wixsom, S. Staats, R. Abrams, S. Gifford, R. K. Patry, L.E. Kantar, T.L. Morelli. Broad-scale climate and habitat influences winter tick-moose dynamics along trailing range edges. North American Moose Conference, Midway, UT, USA. 13-16 May 2024. | May 2024 |
| Sirén, A.P.K., J. Clark, R.M. Cliché, C.B. Callahan, J.R. Kilborn, C.S. Bernier, K.D. Gieder, P.G. Jensen, R. Patry, L.S. Prout, S. Wixsom, S. Gifford, T.L. Morelli, T.L. Wilson. 2024. Form fits function: Matching camera trap protocols with research objectives. NEAFWA, Hyannis, MA. Invited Oral Presentation. 21-24 April 2024. | April 2024 |
| Sirén A.P.K., T.L. Wilson, K. Dunfey-Ball, K.D. Gieder, C.A. Bernier, N.L. Fortin, T. Smith, J.R. Kilborn, C.B. Callahan, R.M. Cliché, L. S. Prout, S. Wixsom, S. Staats, R. Abrams, S. Gifford, R.K. Patry, L.E. Kantar, and T.L. Morelli. Broad scale climate and habitat drivers mediate occupancy-dependent parasitism along trailing range edges. Workshop on moose research needs in the Northeast. Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. 13 December 2023. | December 2023 |
| Siren, A., L. Clarfeld, C. Balantic, K. Gieder, P. Jensen, T. Wilson, and T. Donovan. Northeast Wildlife Monitoring Network (NEWMN): A Unifying Framework for Regional Collaboration Using Autonomous Monitoring Units. Northeast Natural History Conference, Burlington VT, 21-23 April 2023. | April 2023 |
| Kolstrom, R., Wilson, T. L., and Gigliotti, L.M. 2018. Developing a standardized bald eagle monitoring program for Southwest Alaska National Parks. Alaska Chapter of the Wildlife Society Meeting. March 28. Anchorage, AK. | March 2018 |
| Kolstrom, R. L., L. M. Gigliotti, and T. L. Wilson. 2018. Developing an optimal bald eagle monitoring program for Southwest Alaska National Parks. 25th Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society. Cleveland, OH. October 11. | October 2018 |
| Grimes, E. S, Michael T. Jones, Tammy L. Wilson, Annie E. Curtis, Jacob C. McCumber, Alex Entrup, Caren Caljouw, Joel R. Carlson, Graziella V. DiRenzo. Using field and lab studies to comprehensively examine the impacts of wildland fire on Eastern Box Turtle (<i>Terrapene carolina</i>) populations. Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Conference. Wesleyn U, Middleton, CT. 30 July 2023. | July 2023 |
| Berube, J., A.P.K Sirén, B. Simpson, K. Klingler, T.L. Wilson. Moose’n around with ticks in New England. NEAFWA, Hyannis, MA. Contributed Oral Presentation. 21-24 April 2024. | April 2024 |
| Berube, J., A. P. K. Sirén, C. Frank, L. Clarfeld, B. Simpson, T.M. Donovan, T. L. Wilson. 2022. Perfecting the Imperfect Detection of Ticks: Winter Tick Epizootics and Moose Populations in the Northeastern U.S. Presentation. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Spokane, WA. 6-10 November. | November 2022 |
| Berube, J. APK Sirén, CF Sullivan, L Clarfeld, B Simpson, TM Donovan, TL Wilson. 2023. A Big Little Problem: Assessing Winter Tick Epizootics and Moose Populations in the Northeastern U.S. 78<sup>th</sup> Annual Fish and Wildlife conference, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Hershey Pennsylvania, April 30 – May 2. | May 2023 |
| Berube, J. APK Sirén, CF Sullivan, L Clarfeld, B Simpson, TL Wilson. 2023. A big little problem. Assessing winter tick epizootics and moose populations in the Northeastern US. Northeast Regional Native American Fish and Wildlife Society. 6-9 November. | November 2023 |
| Technical Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Bissonette, J. A., E. Johnson, and T. L. Wilson. 2006. Sagebrush-Dominated Mountain Meadows Bird and Small Mammal Community Dynamics. Project Report No. 4. USGS Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Utah State University, Logan Utah. 2006(4):1-166 (theses numbered independently within report) | May 2006 |
| Type | Citation | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|
| Data Release | Wilson, T. L., Siren, A. P. K., Berube, J. A., Morrow, C. M., Wattles, D. W., Huguenin, M., Clarfeld, L. A., Huber, K. E., Donovan, T. M., 2024, Massachusetts Wildlife Monitoring Project (2022 - 2024): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13UNTFB. | June 2024 |
| Data Release | Siren, A., and Wilson, T. 2024. Monitoring animal populations with cameras using open, multistate, N-mixture models. U.S. Geological Survey data release https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.tqjq2bw76. | September 2024 |
| Data Release | Prout, L. S., Siren, A. P. K., Callahan, C. B., Wilson, T. L., Clarfeld, L. A., Huber, K. E., and Donovan, T. M., 2024, USDA White Mountain National Forest Volume 1 (2014 - 2024): U.S. Geological Survey data release, doi:10.5066/P1PUEYQK. | June 2024 |
| Data Release | Kantar, L. E., Sirén, A. P. K., Wilson, T. L., Clarfeld, L. A., Huber, K. E., and Donovan, T. M., 2024, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Moose Project - Volume 2 (2021 - 2024): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P132SU4S. | April 2024 |
| Data Release | Jones, H., Sirén, A. P. K., Callahan, C. B., Holman, H., Marchand, M. N., Kilborn, J. R., Wilson, T. L., Morelli, T. L., Clarfeld, L. A., Huber, K. E., and Donovan, T. M., 2024, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Volume 1 (2014 - 2024): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13ISNAI. | June 2024 |
| Role and Organization | Individual | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wildlife Society - Biometrics Working Group Member | Wilson | October 2008 | Present |
| International Association for Landscape Ecology - North America Chapter | Wilson | January 2005 | Present |