Virginia Staff Member
Dr. Elizabeth A Hunter
Assistant Unit Leader
Phone: (540) 231 - 6831
Email: eahunter@usgs.gov
Faculty Email: ehunter1@vt.edu
Faculty Website
Education
- Ph D University of Georgia 2016
- MS State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) 2012
- BS University of Wisconsin - Madison 2006
Biography
Dr. Hunter received her M.S. degree from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and her PhD from the University of Georgia. She joined the Virginia Unit as an Assistant Unit Leader in 2021. Her research program focuses on developing management strategies for at-risk species in the face of global change, with a primary taxonomic focus on birds and reptiles. Her research is centered around two main themes: the conservation and management of species in the face of climate change, and ecosystem restoration through species reintroductions and habitat management. She has expertise in population estimation through Bayesian hierarchical population models used in wildlife ecology (e.g., spatial mark-recapture models, occupancy, and density models), but uses a variety of quantitative techniques regularly (e.g., generalized linear and additive [mixed] models, individual-based simulation models, and machine learning methods such as random forests). She has taught college courses on landscape ecology, conservation biology, and introductory programming in R.
Areas of Expertise
Climate Change, Decision Support/Analysis, Fire Ecology, GIS/Spatial Analysis, Habitat Management, Landscape Ecology, Marine/Coastal Ecology, Population Dynamics, Population and Community Ecology, Remote Sensing, Species Distribution Modeling, Species Management, Species Status Assessments, Statistics and Modelling, T&E Species Management, Wetland Ecology, Wildlife Management
Taxon Groups Studied
Gamebirds, Reptiles, Songbirds, Species of Greatest Conservation Need, Waterfowl
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Wilson, L., G. Lonsdale, J.D. Curlis, E.A. Hunter, and C.L. Cox. 2022. Predator-based selection and the impact of edge sympatry on components of coral snake mimicry. Evolutionary Ecology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-021-10143-8. | January 2022 |
| Whitesell, M.J., E.A. Hunter, D.C. Rostal, and J.M. Carroll. 2022. Direct and indirect pathways for environmental drivers of hatching success in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Marine Ecology Progress Series 701: 119-132. | November 2022 |
| Valdes, K., E.A. Hunter, and N.P. Nibbelink. 2016. Salt marsh elevation is a strong determinant of nest site selection for Clapper Rails in Georgia, USA. Journal of Field Ornithology 87:65-73. https://doi.org/10.1111/jofo.12134 | December 2016 |
| Roach, N.S., E.A. Hunter, N.P. Nibbelink, and K. Barrett. 2017. Poor transferability of a distribution model for a widespread coastal marsh bird in the southeastern United States. Ecosphere 8:e01715. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1715 | December 2017 |
| Quinzin M.C., Sandoval-Castillo, J., Miller, J.M., Beheregaray, L.B., Russello, M.A., Hunter, E.A., Gibbs, J.P., Tapia, W., Villalva, F., and Caccone, A. 2019. Genetically informed captive breeding of an extinct species of Galapagos tortoise. Conservation Biology 33:1404-1414. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13319 | December 2019 |
| Nuse, B.L., R.J. Cooper, and E.A. Hunter. 2015. Prospects for predicting changes to coastal wetland bird populations due to accelerated sea level rise. Ecosphere 6:art286. https://doi.org/10.1890/ES15-00385.1 | December 2015 |
| Newsome, C.N., and E.A. Hunter. 2022. Habitat edges influence the distribution of nest predators for Seaside Sparrows, but not nesting decisions or success. Ornithological Applications 124:duac023. | Abstract | May 2022 |
| Newsome, C.D., Evans, K.M., and E.A. Hunter. 2020. Birds versus fish: Nest flooding introduces predator-prey interactions in Georgia’s coastal marshes. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 132:481-485. | December 2020 |
| Mitchell, C.I., D.A. Friend, L.T. Phillips, E.A. Hunter, J.E. Lovich, M. Agha, S.R. Puffer, K.L. Cummings, P.A. Medica, T.C. Esque, K.E. Nussear, and K.T. Shoemaker. 2021. ‘Unscrambling’ the drivers of egg production in Agassiz’s desert tortoise: climate and individual attributes predict reproductive output. Endangered Species Research 44:217-230. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01103 | March 2021 |
| Miller, J.M., Quinzin, M.C., Poulakakis, N., Gibbs, J.P., Beheregaray, L.B., Garrick, R.C., Russello, M.A., Ciofi, C., Edwards, D.E., Hunter, E.A., Tapia, W., Rueda, D., Carrion, J., Valdivieso, A.A., Caccone, A. 2018. Identification of genetically important individuals of the rediscovered Floreana Galápagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis elephantopus) provide founders for species restoration program. Scientific Reports 7:11471. 10.1038/s41598-018-22519-y | December 2018 |
| Loope, K.J., J.N. DeSha, G.R. Lawson, and E.A. Hunter. 2021. Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) Twinning. Herpetological Review 52:846-847. | March 2022 |
| Loope, K.J., D.C. Rostal, M.A. Walden, K.T. Shoemaker, and E.A. Hunter. 2022. A comparison of non-surgical methods for sexing young gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus). PeerJ: e13599. | May 2022 |
| Hunter, E.A., and J.P. Gibbs. 2014. Densities of ecological replacement herbivores required to restore plant communities: a case study of giant tortoises on Pinta Island, Galápagos. Restoration Ecology 22:248-256. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12055 | December 2014 |
| Hunter, E.A., S. Blake, L.J. Cayot, and J.P. Gibbs. 2020. “Role in Ecosystems.” In J.P. Gibbs, L.J. Cayot, and W. Tapia (Eds.), Galapagos giant tortoises (pg. 299-312). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817554-5.00006-X | January 2021 |
| Hunter, E.A., P.A. Raney, J.P. Gibbs, and D.J. Leopold. 2012. Improving wetland mitigation site identification through community distribution modeling and a patch-based ranking scheme. Wetlands 32:841-850. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-012-0315-7 | July 2012 |
| Hunter, E.A., N.P. Nibbelink. 2017. Using environmental heterogeneity to plan for sea level rise. Conservation Biology 31:1409-1417. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12920 | December 2017 |
| Hunter, E.A., N.P. Nibbelink, and R.J. Cooper. 2017. Divergent forecasts for two salt marsh specialists in response to sea level rise. Animal Conservation 20:20-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12280 | December 2017 |
| Hunter, E.A., N.P. Nibbelink, and R.J. Cooper. 2016. Threat predictability influences seaside sparrow nest site selection when facing trade-offs from predation and flooding. Animal Behaviour 120:135-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.08.001 | December 2016 |
| Hunter, E.A., N P. Nibbelink, C.R. Alexander, K. Barrett, L.F. Mengak, R.K. Guy, C.T. Moore, and R.J. Cooper. 2015. Coastal vertebrate exposure to predicted habitat changes due to sea level rise. Environmental Management 56:1528-1537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-015-0580-3 | December 2015 |
| Hunter, E.A., Matocq, M.D., Murphy, P.J., and Shoemaker, K.T. 2017. Differential effects of climate on survival rates drive hybrid zone dynamics. Current Biology 27:3898-3903. | December 2017 |
| Hunter, E.A., K.J. Loope, K.K. Drake, K. Hanley, D.N. Jones, Jr., K.T. Shoemaker, and D.C. Rostal. 2021. Warming conditions boost reproductive output for a northern gopher tortoise population. Endangered Species Research 46:215-226. | Abstract | December 2021 |
| Hunter, E.A., J.P. Gibbs, L.J. Cayot, and W. Tapia. 2013. Equivalency of Galápagos giant tortoises used as ecological replacement species to restore ecosystem functions. Conservation Biology 27:701-709. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12038 | December 2013 |
| Hunter, E.A., J.P. Gibbs, L.J. Cayot, W. Tapia, M.C. Quinzin, J.M. Miller, A. Caccone, K.T. Shoemaker. 2020. Seeking compromise across competing goals in conservation translocations: The case of the “extinct” Floreana Island Galapagos giant tortoise. Journal of Applied Ecology 57:136-148. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13516 | December 2020 |
| Hunter, E.A., A. Dwire, and T.M. Schneider. 2022. Demography and site fidelity of a grassland bird, the Henslow's Sparrow, in powerline right-of-way habitat. Journal of Field Ornithology 93:art9. | March 2022 |
| Hunter, E.A. and J.P. Gibbs. 2020. “Habitats.” In J.P. Gibbs, L.J. Cayot, and W. Tapia (Eds.), Galapagos giant tortoises (pg. 281-297). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817554-5.00001-0 | January 2021 |
| Hunter, E.A. and D.C. Rostal. 2021. Fire management effects on long-term gopher tortoise population dynamics. Journal of Wildlife Management 85:654-664. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22033 | May 2021 |
| Hunter, E.A. 2017. How will sea level rise affect threats to nesting success for Seaside Sparrows? The Condor: Ornithological Applications 119:459-468. https://doi.org/10.1650/CONDOR-17-11.1 | December 2017 |
| Gibbs, J.P., E.A. Hunter, K.T. Shoemaker, W.H. Tapia, and L.J. Cayot. 2014. Giant tortoise reintroduction to Española Island, Galápagos: demographic outcomes and ecosystem implications. PLoS ONE 9:e110742. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0110742 | December 2014 |
| Davidson, A.D., Hunter, E.A., Erz, J., Lightfoot, D.C., McCarthy, A.M., Mueller, J.K., and Shoemaker, K.T. 2018. Reintroducing a keystone burrowing rodent to restore an arid North American grassland: challenges and successes. Restoration Ecology 26:909-920. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12671 | December 2018 |
| Cayot, L.J., and E.A. Hunter. 2020. “Floreana and Pinta Islands: Restoring tortoise populations through lost lineage recovery.” In J.P. Gibbs, L.J. Cayot, and W. Tapia (Eds.), Galapagos giant tortoises (pg. 465-479). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817554-5.00003-4 | January 2021 |
| Carroll, J.M., R. Dashiell, J.C. Watts, and E.A. Hunter. 2021. Tidal level affects the prevalence and impacts of pests and parasites on oysters (Crassostrea virginica) on intertidal reefs in Georgia, USA. Marine Biology 168:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-021-03848-5 | April 2021 |
| Carroll, J.M., Furman, B., Jackson, L., Hunter, E.A., and Peterson, B. 2019. Propagule risk in a marine foundation species: seascape effects on Zostera marina seed predation. Journal of Ecology 107:1982-1994. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13154 | December 2019 |
| Carroll J.M., M.J. Whitesell, E.A. Hunter, and D.C. Rostal. 2022. First time’s a charm? Loggerhead neophyte mothers have higher hatch success. Southeastern Naturalist 21: 291-298. | November 2022 |
| Barrile, G.M., D.J. Augustine, L.M. Porensky, C.J. Duchardt, K.T. Shoemaker, C.R. Hartway, J.D. Derner, E.A. Hunter, and A.D. Davidson. 2023. A big data–model integration approach for predicting epizootics and population recovery in a keystone species. Ecological Applications 33: e2827. | February 2023 |
| Annis, W.K., Hunter, E.A., and J.M. Carroll. 2022. Within-marsh and landscape features structure ribbed mussel distribution in Georgia, USA, marshes. Estuaries and Coasts. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-022-01090-w | Abstract | June 2022 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| Watson, D.H., J. Renner, and E.A. Hunter. Avian Response to Heavy Mineral Surface Mine Reclamation in Southeastern Georgia. American Ornithological Society Annual meeting, Estes Park, Colorado, October 2024. | October 2024 |
| Watson, D.H. and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Comparison of early successional avian habitat use between mining reclamation and timber production sites. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Walden, M.A., K.J. Loope, E.A. Hunter, S.J. Divers, J.R. Comolli, T.C. Esque, and K.T. Shoemaker. 2022. Innate Testosterone Identifies Sex of Hatchling Mojave Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). 47th Annual Desert Tortoise Symposium, virtual. | February 2022 |
| Thomas, V.A., D. Donahoe, E.A. Hunter, and A.A. Dayer. 2023. Multitemporal lidar and satellite analysis for the quantification and detection of coastal forest degradation in the Eastern United States. SilviLaser 2023, London, UK. | September 2023 |
| Thomas, V.A., D. Donahoe, A. Dayer, and E.A. Hunter. Multitemporal lidar and satellite analysis for the quantification and detection of coastal forest degradation in the Eastern United States. ForestSat Conference, New Zealand, 2024. | September 2024 |
| Re, B.C., and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Mechanisms of nest predation risk assessment for a declining tidal marsh songbird. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Re, B.C. and E.A. Hunter. Assessing within-season dispersal dynamics and breeding pressures for a declining tidal marsh obligate songbird. American Ornithological Society Annual meeting, Estes Park, Colorado, October 2024. | October 2024 |
| Moore, S., A. Dwire, and E.A. Hunter. 2021. Using remote sensing to quantify habitat for a declining grassland bird species. The Wildlife Society’s 28<sup>th</sup> annual conference, virtual. | November 2021 |
| Metz, E., and E.A. Hunter. Integrating existing demographic data to identify critical data gaps and estimate population dynamics of Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea). American Ornithological Society Annual meeting, Estes Park, Colorado, October 2024. | October 2024 |
| McMillian, Z., and E.A. Hunter. Informing Reintroduction of Confiscated Eastern Box Turtles in Virginia. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Loope, K.J., M.J. Aresco, D.B. Breakfield, R.A. Cozad, and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Unexpected effect of geographic origin on post-translocation survival in the gopher tortoise. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Loope, K.J., M.J. Aresco, D.B. Breakfield, R.A. Cozad, and E.A. Hunter. 2022. Survival analysis of carcasses indicates limited role of geography in translocated tortoise mortality. Gopher Tortoise Council 44th Annual Meeting, Freeport, FL. | November 2022 |
| Loope, K.J., J.N. DeSha, M.J. Aresco, K.T. Shoemaker, and E.A. Hunter. 2022. Reproductive integration of gopher tortoises in a translocated population with multiple source populations. North American Congress for Conservation Biology annual meeting. | July 2022 |
| Loope, K.J., J.N. DeSha, M.J. Aresco, K.T. Shoemaker, and E.A. Hunter. 2021. Reproductive integration of gopher tortoises in a translocated population with multiple source populations. The Wildlife Society’s 28th annual conference, virtual. | November 2021 |
| Loope, K.J., J.N. DeSha, M.J. Aresco, K.T. Shoemaker, and E.A. Hunter. 2021. Reproductive integration of gopher tortoises in a translocated population with multiple source populations. 43rd Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, virtual, October 29 2021. | October 2021 |
| Loope, K.J., J. Nicole DeSha, R.A. Cozad, D.B. Breakfield, M.J. Aresco, K.T. Shoemaker, and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Survival and reproduction in translocated tortoises: region-of-origin effects and outbreeding depression. Gopher Tortoise Council Annual Meeting, Tifton, GA. November 17-19, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Lawson, G.R., E.A. Hunter, and L.L. Smith. 2023. Gopher tortoise nest-site selection at burrows and the effects of nest environment on hatching success. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Lawson, G.R., E.A. Hunter, and L.L. Smith. 2023. Gopher tortoise nest-site selection at burrows and the effects of nest environment on hatching success. Gopher Tortoise Council Annual Meeting, Tifton, GA. November 17-19, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Lawson, G.R., E.A. Hunter, and L.L. Smith. 2022. Gopher tortoise nest-site selection at burrows and the effects of nest environment on hatching success. Gopher Tortoise Council 44th Annual Meeting, Freeport, FL. | November 2022 |
| K.T. Shoemaker, M. Walden, E.A. Hunter, K.E. Nussear, T.C. Esque, K.K. Drake, and R. Averill-Murray. 2022. Modeling the rangewide environmental drivers of population dynamics for desert tortoises using long-term capture-recapture data. North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Reno, Nevada. | July 2022 |
| Jones, M.D., and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Mitigation translocation of gopher tortoises in Florida: spatial ecology and population monitoring. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Jones, M.D., and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Mitigation translocation of gopher tortoises in Florida: spatial ecology and population monitoring. Gopher Tortoise Council Annual Meeting, Tifton, GA. November 17-19, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Jones, M.D., L.L. Smith, and E.A. Hunter. 2022. "Development of gopher tortoise recipient site monitoring methods: a scenario-building and simulation approach." Gopher Tortoise Council 44th Annual Meeting, Freeport, FL. | November 2022 |
| Hunter, E.A., and A.A. Dayer. Will salt marsh migration create replacement habitat for edge sensitive birds? 75th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association and Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Roanoke, Virginia, October 2021. | October 2021 |
| Hunter, E.A., and A.A. Dayer. 2022. Will salt marsh migration create replacement habitat for edge sensitive birds? Annual Meeting of the Virginia Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Waynesboro, Virginia, February 2022. | February 2022 |
| Hunter, E.A., Loope, K.J., and K.T. Shoemaker. 2023. Indirect effects of climate change on habitat management drive population declines in Gopher Tortoises. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Hunter, E.A., K.J. Loope, J.N. DeSha, M.J. Aresco, D.C. Rostal, B.B. Rothermel, L.L. Smith, and K.T. Shoemaker. 2022. Natural variation and plasticity in response to climate change in gopher tortoise nest-site selection, nest thermal environment, and hatching success. North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Reno, Nevada. | July 2022 |
| Hunter, E.A., A.A. Dayer, and V.A. Thomas. "The Interplay between Land User Decisions and Landcover Change in Coastal Ecosystems and Working Lands Under Sea Level Rise in the Mid-Atlantic U.S." NASA Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Joint Science Workshop, College Park, Maryland. May 8-12, 2023. | May 2023 |
| Hunter, E.A., A. Dwire, and T. Schneider. 2021 Powerline right-of-ways as wintering habitat for a declining grassland bird species. The Wildlife Society’s 28<sup>th</sup> annual conference, virtual. | November 2021 |
| Hunter, E.A. Organized Symposium: Climate impacts to wildlife populations and habitats. 75th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association and Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Roanoke, Virginia, October 2021. | October 2021 |
| Allred, C., and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Using Remote Sensing Data to Predict Habitat Occupancy of Early Successional Bird Species in Georgia. The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. November 5-9, 2023. | November 2023 |
| Allred, C., and E.A. Hunter. 2023. Using Remote Sensing Data to Predict Habitat Occupancy of Bachman’s Sparrow, an Early Successional Bird Species, in Georgia. Virginia Chapter of The Wildlife Society annual meeting, Martinsville, VA. | February 2023 |