Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Massachusetts
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Massachusetts Staff Member

Dr. Paul Sievert

Paul Sievert
Assistant Unit Leader
Phone: (413) 545 - 4888
Email: psievert@eco.umass.edu

Education

  • Ph D University of Pennsylvania 1996
  • MS University of Wisconsin 1983
  • BS Iowa State University 1981

Biography

I received my B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University in 1981, my M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin in 1984, and my Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996. I have been the Assistant Unit Leader for Wildlife at the Massachusetts Unit since 2000.

Research Publications Publication Date
Suryan, R. M., Sato, F., Balogh, G., Hyrenbach, K. D., Sievert, P. R., and Ozaki, K. 2006. Foraging destinations and marine habitat use of short-tailed albatrosses: A multi-scale approach using first-passage time analysis. Deep Sea Research II 53(3-4):370-386. June 2006
Suryan, R. M., D. J. Anderson, S. A. Shaffer, D. D. Roby, Y. Tremblay, D. P. Costa, P. R. Sievert, F. Sato, and K. Ozaki. 2007. Wind, waves, and wing loading: their relative importance to the at-sea distribution and movements of North and Central Pacific albatrosses. PLoS ONE 3(12):e401 January 2008
Kanda, L. L., T. K. Fuller, P. R. Sievert, and R. L. Kellogg. 2009. Seasonal source-sink dynamics at the edge of a species range. Ecology 90(6):1574-1585. July 2009
Kanda, L. L., Fuller, T. K., and Sievert, P. R. 2006. Local distribution and landscape associations of road-killed Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in central Massachusetts. American Midland Naturalist 156:128-134. August 2006
Kanda, L. L., Fuller, T. K., and Sievert, P. R. 2006. Landscape associations of road-killed Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in central Massachusetts. American Midland Naturalist 156:128-134. July 2006
Kanda, L. L., Fuller, T. K., Sievert, P. R., and Friedland, K. D. 2005. Variation in winter microclimate and its potential influence on Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) survival in Amherst, Massachusetts. Urban Ecosystems 8: 213-223. September 2005
Haggerty, S. A., and Sievert, P. R. 2005. Managing firebreak fuels to promote habitat of an imperiled moth. Ecological Restoration 23(1): 67-68. March 2005
Grgurovic, M., and Sievert, P. R. 2005. Movement patterns of Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) in the suburban landscape of eastern Massachusetts. Urban Ecosystems 8: 201-211. September 2005
Fuller, T. K., and P. R. Sievert. 2001. Carnivore demography and the consequences of changes in prey availability. Pages 163-178 in J. L. Gittleman, S. M. Funk, D. W. Macdonald, and R. K. Wayne, editors. Carnivore conservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom. February 2001
Finkelstein, M., V. J. Bakker, D. F. Doak, B. Sullivan, W. H. Satterthwaite, R. L. Lewison, P. B. McIntyre, S. Wolf, D. Priddel, J. M. Arnold, R. W. Henry, P. R. Sievert, and J. P. Croxall. 2008. Evaluating the potential effectiveness of compensatory mitigation strategies for marine bycatch. PLoS ONE 3(6): e2480. June 2008
Finkelstein, M., Keitt, B. S., Tershy, B., Jarman, W. M., Rodriguez-Pastor, S., Anderson, D. J., Sievert, P. R., Croll, D. A., and Smith, D. R. 2005. Albatross species demonstrate regional differences in North Pacific marine contamination. Ecological Applications 16(2):678-686. April 2006
Field, R., R. J. Warren, H. Okarma, and P. R. Sievert, editors. 2001. Wildlife, land, and people: priorities for the 21st century. Proceedings of the Second International Wildlife Management Congress. The Wildlife Society, Betheseda, Maryland, USA. December 2001
Fernandez, P., D. J. Anderson, P. R. Sievert, and K. P. Huyvaert. 2001. Foraging destinations of three low-latitude albatross (Phoebastria) species. Journal of Zoology, London 254:391-404. June 2001
Arata, J.A., P.R. Sievert, and M.B. Naughton. 2009. Status assessment of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses, North Pacific Ocean, 1923-2005: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations report 2009 - 5131, 80 p. June 2009
Albanese, G., P. D. Vickery, and P. R. Sievert. 2007. Habitat characteristics of adult frosted elfins (Callophrys irus) in sandplain communities of southeastern Massachusetts, USA. Biological Conservation. 136(1):53-64. January 2007
Albanese, G., M. W. Nelson, P. D. Vickery, and P. R. Sievert. 2007. Larval feeding behavior and ant association in frosted elfin, Callophrys irus, (Lycaenidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists? Society 61(2):61-66. June 2007
Albanese, G. , P. D. Vickery, and P. R. Sievert. 2008. Microhabitat use by larvae and females of a rare barrens butterfly, frosted elfin (Callophrys irus). Journal of Insect Conservation 12(6): 603-615. (Publication date: Dec 2008) December 2008
Project Completion Date
Conserving Snake Species of Greatest Conservation Need Threatened by an Emerging Fungal Skin Disease December 2015
Assessing Habitat Occupancy of Tiger Prey in the Hukaung Valley of Northern Myanmar May 2014
Inventory and Monitoring for the Federally Endangered Northern Red-bellied Cooter December 2015
Movements of Coastal Birds in Southern New England December 2016
Conserving Wood Turtles and Associated Riparian Species June 2017
Offshore Movements of Migratory Bats in the Gulf of Maine December 2017
Making decisions in complex landscapes: headwater stream management across multiple agencies May 2016
Population Size and Distribution of Sumatran Rhinoceros September 2014
Ant Diversity in Pine Barrens of the Northeast May 2014
Offshore Wind Energy Technology, Environmental Impacts, and Policy September 2016
Population Ecology of Sumatran Tigers and Their Prey December 2005
Small mammal ecology and Lyme disease on Martha=s Vineyard May 2005
Limitations to the northernmost distribution of Virginia opossums September 2008
Effect of firebreaks on rare insects of M. F. Correllus State Forest, MA May 2005
Local and landscape effects on frosted elfins in sandplain communities August 2008
Ecology and Conservation of Wood Turtles in the Northeast December 2013
Status assessment of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses March 2009
Ecology and Conservation of Short-tailed Albatrosses December 2012
Guiding conservation of eastern box turtles in Massachusetts May 2010
Population viability modeling and conservation of Blanding=s turtles June 2014
Multi-scale modeling of four-toed salamander habitat preference December 2012
Effectiveness of road passage structures for freshwater turtles December 2012
Foraging ecology of auks at their southern range boundary December 2011
Effects of interacting threats on the survival of long-lived species August 2009
Feeding behavior and nest site attendance of Atlantic puffins in Maine December 2011
Habitat, connectivity, and viability of a timber rattlesnake metapopulation in southwestern Massachusetts May 2014
Presentations Presentation Date
Yorks, D., P. R. Sievert, and P. deMaynadier. 2014. Assessing and mitigating the effects of turtle road mortality in Maine, and experimental tests of tunnel and barrier options for reducing road mortality. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Annual Conference, 19-21 Apr 2014. April 2014
Willey, L.L., M.T. Jones, and P.R. Sievert. 2013. An update on regional conservation planning efforts for two rare turtle species in the Northeastern U.S. Northeast Natural History Conference, Springfield, MA. April 2013
Willey, L. L., M. T. Jones, and P. R. Sievert. 2014. The effects of anthropogenic landscape change on characteristics of Blanding’s turtle populations, with implications for regional conservation. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Annual Conference, Newport, RI, 19-21 Apr 2014. April 2014
Stengle, A.G., A. Whiteley, P.R. Sievert, and A.R. Richmond. 2013. Conservation of the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) in New England. Northeast Natural History Conference, Springfield, MA. April 2013
Pusparini, W., T. Wahyudi, A. H. Ritonga, E. E. Rumapea, E. Ramadiyanta, H. T. Wibisono, G.V. Reddy, P. R. Sievert, and T. K. Fuller. 2013. A Spatially Explicit Model of Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) Occurrence in Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Life Sciences Graduate Research Symposium, Amherst, MA, 22 Nov 2013. November 2013
Loring, P., C.R. Griffin, and P.R. Sievert. 2013. Tracking Common Terns and American Oystercatchers in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts: A Pilot Study Using NanoTags. IGERT Symposium, Amherst, MA April 2013
Loring, P., C. Griffin, and P. R. Sievert. 2014. Tracking Common Terns and American Oystercatchers in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts: A pilot study using NanoTags. Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Symposium, Amherst, MA, 2 Apr 2014. April 2014
Loring, P., C. Griffin, and P. R. Sievert. 2013. NanoTag research relevant to Roseate Terns. Roseate Tern Annual Meeting, Hadley, MA, 20 Nov. 2013, November 2013
Jones, M.T., L.L. Willey, and P.R. Sievert, et al. 2013. Conservation planning for Blanding's and wood turtles in the eastern United States. 33rd Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, Baltimore, MD. February 2013
Jones, M. T., L. L. Willey, P. R. Sievert, and T. S. B. Akre. 2014. A new perspective on the regional status of wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) in the Northeastern States. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Annual Conference, 19-21 Apr 2014. April 2014
Dowling, Z., E. Dumont, and P. R. Sievert. 2014. Mitigating effects of wind development on bat species in the Northeast. Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Symposium, Amherst, MA, 2 Apr 2014. April 2014
Technical Publications Publication Date
Willey, L., and P. R. Sievert. 2009. Ecology of eastern box turtles in the Connecticut River Valley, Massachusetts, 2005-2008. Final Report to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, MA, 71 pp. January 2009
Willey, L. L., M. T. Jones, and P. R. Sievert. 2014. Conservation Plan for Blanding's Turtle and Associated Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Northeastern United States. Final Report to the Competitive State Wildlife Grants Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 400 pp. June 2014
Sievert, P.R., DeStefano, S., and Blewett, L.J. 2003. Lyme disease ecological studies on Martha's Vineyard. Progress Report for 2003. October 2003
Sievert, P.R., DeStefano, S., and Blewett, L.J. 2002. Lyme disease ecological studies on Martha's Vineyard. Annual Progress Report for 2002. October 2002
Sievert, P.R., Compton, B.W., and M. Grgurovic. 2002. Ecology and conservation of Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in Massachusetts. Progress Report for 2001 submitted to the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. July 2002
Sievert, P.R. 2008. Population viability analyses for the short-tailed albatross. In: Short-tailed Albatross Recovery Plan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Technical Publication. September 2008
Sievert, P.R. 2006. Population viability analyses for the short-tailed albatross. In: Short-tailed Albatross Recovery Plan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Technical Publication (In Review). January 2006
Sievert, P. R. 2008. Surveying for rare amphibians, rare reptiles, and vernal pools, in Robinson State Park, Massachusetts. Final Report to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, MA, 12 pp. January 2008
Patterson, W. A. III, G. L. Clarke, S. A. Haggerty, P. R. Sievert, and M. J. Kelty. 2005. Wildland fuel management options for the central plains of Martha’s Vineyard: impacts on fuel loads, fire behavior and rare plant and insect species. Final Report to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, RFR# DEM705, 140 pp. June 2005
Jones, M. T., and P. R. Sievert. 2008. Distribution, status, and behavioral ecology of wood turtles in western Massachusetts: A four-year study. Final Report to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, MA, 47 pp. December 2008
Jones, M. T., and P. R. Sievert. 2007. A GIS-based, spatially-explicit model of the distribution of wood turtles in Massachusetts. State-wide GIS model prepared for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, MA. December 2007
Jones, M. T., L. L. Willey, P. R. Sievert, and T. S. B. Akre. 2014. Status and Conservation of the Wood Turtle in the Northeastern United States. Final Report to the Regional Conservation Needs (RCN) Program. 289 pp. January 2014
Grgurovic, M., Sievert, P.R., and Compton, B.W. 2002. Blanding's turtle conservation plan for the towns of Boxford, Groveland, and Georgetown, Massachusetts, 44 pp. December 2002
Fuller, T. K., and P. R. Sievert, editors. 2001. Carnivore ecology, behavior, and conservation. Departmental Report Series Number 3, Department of Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA. April 2001
Compton, B.W., Sievert, P.R., and Grgurovic, M. 2003. Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) conservation plan for Massachusetts. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. 61 pp. August 2003
Compton, B. W., P. R. Sievert, and M. L. Hunter. 2006. Status assessment for the Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in the Northeast. Sponsored by the USGS/FWS Science Support Partnership Program, 79 pp. June 2006
Compton, B. W., K. McGarigal, and P. R. Sievert. 2006. Models of priority sites for spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata), wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta), and Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii). Final Report to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, MA, 26 pp. December 2006
Compton, B. W., F. Beaudry, K. McGarigal, and P. R. Sievert. 2007. Habitat modeling for Blanding?s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in the Northeast. Final Report to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Westborough, MA. April 2007
Arata, J.A., P.R. Sievert, and M.B. Naughton. 2008. Status Assessment of Laysan and Black-footed Albatross Populations. U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Technical Publication (In Press). September 2008