Georgia Research: Projects, Research Publications, Presentations, Thesis and Dissertations, Technical Publications

Georgia Research Activities

Rainbow trout are an important sportfish in Georgia.

The Georgia Unit conducts research on a variety of topics including broad areas of life history, population dynamics, ecology, and management of important game and non-game fish and wildlife through the region. Recent research has been in partnership with a variety of agencies including the GA Department of Natural Resources, GA Power Company, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Nemours Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Projects

Project	Completion Date
Using Qualitative Knowledge of Life History Traits to Predict Taxon Group Response to Levels of Coarse Woody Debris	December 2017	This project addresses how to utilize various qualitative and disparate sources of information to develop a reliable predictive framework for specific management actions or practices. For example, ecologists may be asked for their expert opinion on how species respond to the experimental addition or removal of coarse woody debris in a forest. There is a need to impose a more rigorous and objective approach that may be achieved through the applications of techniques from social science and statistics.	Forest management practices influence species abundance and biotic community richness in part through the deposition or removal of coarse woody debris (CWD). Knowledge of how species and taxonomic groups respond to CWD dynamics can help managers achieve forest management objectives, but it is unclear how to synthesize various qualitative and disparate sources of information into reliable predictive frameworks for management decision making. Expert opinion in the form of qualitative statements is often all that is available for the making of natural resource management decisions. Methods that translate this form of information into useful predictions may serve as a starting point for adaptive management endeavors, with the promise of supplanting the initial expert judgment with empirical evidence as decisions are made and outcomes are monitored. This research was a collaboration between U.S. Forest Service, the University of Georgia, and USGS. This work resulted in an estimation model that assigns species into a few discrete guilds based on similarities among empirically-estimated relationships and sensitive to prior (expert) information about guild compositions. The predictions generated by this model can be used to inform managers about responses by groups of species to forest management actions.
Decision Support for Public Alligator Harvesting in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina	June 2017	Regulations for public alligator harvesting in the states of Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina are based on an assessment of current-year alligator population size against statistically-estimated historical trends in abundance. However, mechanistic models offer certain advantages over statistical models in that (1) they may be able to better predict harvest outcomes that are outside of historical experience, (2) they facilitate the making of optimal harvest decisions based on threshold conditions tied to the biology of the species, not the population's past performance, and (3) they provide a straightforward way to account for biological uncertainty about the response of populations to harvest management. In this project, we will employ a structured decision making approach to consider the problem of public alligator harvesting in the three participating state agencies. The approach will explicitly recognize the policy differences (management objectives and regulatory options) among the agencies, but it will take advantage of regional commonalities in population biology, habitat relationships, and sampling characteristics in the development of a set of decision models. Under this design, we expect that efficiencies can be created because the model set can be informed and improved by data contributed by any agency, and the models may indicate uncertainties toward which agencies can coordinate focused research efforts.
A Spatially Explicit Population Modeling Framework to Support Conservation Decision Making for Gopher Tortoises in Georgia	June 2017	Through a combination of meta-analysis and targeted field work, we propose to construct models that combine spatially explicit population processes and landscape elements to predict response of gopher tortoise populations to conservation actions. Probabilities of patch colonization and patch abandonment could be modeled as functions of the local population distribution, habitat and landscape attributes, and assessments of connectivity. Some of the parameters may be obtained from the literature or existing data sources; alternatively, some model parameters may quantified from targeted monitoring that we conduct. Where no information exists at all for a critical parameter, competing models could be developed around plausible values of the parameter. Over time, as conservation actions are carried out and their results are assessed, evidence will accumulate to better inform these models.
Responses of Targeted Herpetological Communities to Fire Management Practices in Pine-Oak Forests of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park	July 2014	Forest managers at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are working to reintroduce a fire regime that once characterized the southwest portion of the park. However, managers are uncertain about the effects of fire - especially detrimental effects - on populations of amphibians and reptiles. This project will investigate relationships between prescribed fire management and herptile community response in this area of the park. The investigation will rely on field sampling and predictive modeling approaches. The outcome of this study, along with a companion project on bird community associations with fire management, will help inform park managers about responses by forest fauna to the reintroduction of fire.	None
Time-series Analysis for Monitoring Indicator Species	August 2015	Throughout the world, monitoring surveys produce count data that are used to provide essential information for understanding, restoring, and managing natural populations. Indicator species are typically monitored to assess changes in their status or distribution (e.g., to evaluate the effects of natural and anthropogenic stressors on the spatio-temporal dynamics of populations). Initially, this project will involve discussing management or monitoring situations with partner agencies. Specifically, this research project will involve analysis of priority data as identified by the US FWS. An overarching research goal for this project is to advance time-series analysis for monitoring of important indicator species.	None
Communicating and Using Uncertain Scientific Information in the Production of ‘Actionable Science’	August 2014	Conservation practitioners must navigate many challenges to advance effective natural-resource management in the presence of multiple uncertainties. Numerous climatic and ecological changes remain on the horizon, and their eventual consequences are not completely understood. Even so, their influences are expected to impact important resources and the people that depend on them across local, regional, and sometimes global scales. Although forecasts of future conditions are almost always imperfect, decision makers are increasingly expected to communicate and use uncertain information when making policy choices that affect multiple user groups. The degree to which management objectives are met can depend on 1) how critical uncertainties are identified and accounted for, and 2) effective communication among user groups, scientists, and resource managers. The objective of this project is to help facilitate strategic decision support and synthesize the state of the science related to communicating and using uncertain information in conservation decision making. By providing a forum on the communication of scientific uncertainty, we aim to traverse traditional disciplinary boundaries, with a focus on climate change in the southeastern United States. We expect this process to generate transferable guidance that will directly assist resource managers across agencies to identify common goals and shared research priorities.
Characterization of spatial and temporal variability in fishes in response to climate change	August 2017	Predicting population responses to climate change requires an understanding of how population dynamics vary over space and time. Although variability has historically been viewed as an impediment to understanding population responses to ecological changes, it can provide an important signal, rather than just being viewed as noise. In this project, we will build upon recently completed analyses of fish population data in the Great Lakes basin to help predict how spatial and temporal variation in fish populations may respond to climate change and other important drivers. We suggest that shifting variance structure can be indicative of population-level responses to climate change. Our proposed research will help elucidate the extent to which quantifiable responses in spatial and temporal variability occur in different forms of fish population data.	The number of fish collected in routine monitoring surveys often varies from year to year, from lake to lake, and from location to location within a lake. Although some variability in fish catches is expected across factors such as location and season, we know less about how large-scale disturbances will influence population variability. Our objective was to evaluate spatial and temporal variation in fish catches from large freshwater lakes that have experienced large-scale changing conditions. This was a collaborative project, involving partners from around the Great Lakes region, and it relied on established data sets of fish catches, including from Oneida Lake in NY, Lake Michigan, and the Bay of Quinte in Lake Ontario. This research helps elucidate the extent to which quantifiable responses in spatial and temporal variability occur in fish population data, which can help managers develop adaptation strategies to prepare for decisions about monitoring and management of dynamic ecological systems.
Trans-boundary management and conservation: linking large-scale dynamics to ecological monitoring and management	September 2014	A central challenge to natural resource management is to understand and predict ecological responses to management and environmental change over large spatial scales. It is recognized, however, that the management and conservation of many important ecological systems and the services they provide must be addressed at spatial scales that transcend jurisdictional and political boundaries. For example Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) recognize that managing natural resources is complex and requires landscape-scale (i.e., trans-boundary) approaches. Although trans-boundary approaches are necessary to understand large-scale phenomenon (e.g., species range), it remains unclear in many cases how best to address the inherent complexities in managing ecosystems at large (e.g., regional) spatial scales. In addition to challenges associated with performing trans-boundary research, it is often unclear how to link large-scale system dynamics with on-the-ground decision-making processes, which are often done using adaptive management principles. For example, a critical component for successfully implementing adaptive management is the development of a rigorous monitoring program, which provides a critical feedback loop for learning about system dynamics. It is unclear, however, how the interplay between components acting at different, hierarchical scales will affect the ability of natural resource managers to detect changes in important state variables (e.g., animal abundance, occupancy, etc.) at trans-boundary spatial scales. Thus, our overarching objective is to use freshwater stream fish populations as model systems to develop a framework and tools for addressing the inherent challenges in performing trans-boundary research and for linking large-scale dynamics to ecological monitoring and management.	None
An assessment of water-borne and sediment-borne contaminant loading in the Conasuaga River: Implications for the Health of Aquatic Fauna	July 2000	The Conasauga River, an important tributary to the Coosa River and Mobile Basin drainage systems in northwest Georgia, has recently come to the forefront in river preservation and restoration. The Conasauga River is one of the few remaining free-flowing rivers in the southeastern United States and the second largest river flowing into the northern Gulf of Mexico (RCDC 1996). The River begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Cohutta Wilderness Area in Murray County, Georgia, and flows northwest from its headwaters into Polk County, Tennessee. It is later joined by the Jacks River about 10 miles before turning south back into Georgia where it forms the boundary between Whitfield and Murray Counties. The Conasauga River then flows about 100 miles south through Georgia before it confluences with the Coosawattee to form the Oostanaula River. The Conasauga River drainage forms a 500,000-acre watershed that mostly consists of forested and agricultural lands. The watershed lies within the Southern Ridge and Valley Provinces (SRVP) and the Southern Blue Ridge Province. It has a diverse aquatic fauna and provides important habitat for breeding and migrating land birds (RCDC 1996). The upper Conasauga River is considered to be a high quality watershed that serves as the major headwaters to the Coosa/Alabama River system (RCDC 1996). The headwaters of the Conasauga are located primarily within the Cherokee and Chattahootchee National Forests. A portion of the acreage (119,000 acres) of the watershed is protected within the boundaries of these national forests and 3,400 acres are situated within Fort Mountain State Park. Portions of the river runs through urban and industrialized areas, and the water quality in these reaches may reflect activities within that watershed. Degraded water quality may cause variable levels of stress to fishes, mussels, and other macroinvertebrates. The overall condition of the Conasauga River’s watershed and associated water quality parameters are unknown. The watershed was last scored in October 1997, and a variety of environmental factors (i.e, designated use attainment, fish consumption advisories, source water condition, contaminated sediments, ambient water quality-toxic ambient water quality-conventional, and wetland loss) were used to assess its conditions. The data reported for four out of the seven listed areas (fish consumption advisories, water quality and condition) were insufficient to score the watershed’s condition. The vulnerability of the watershed was assessed by scoring the following areas: wetland aquatic species at risk, toxic loads over permit limits, conventional loads over permits, urban runoff index, population change, and hydrologic modification from dams. The overall condition and vulnerability of the Conasauga River’s watershed could not be determined because of insufficient data (EPA 1998). Therefore, additional data are needed on aquatic species at risk, the effects of urban and agricultural runoff, and dam-related hydrologic modifications on the watershed and related water quality status. Point source and non-point source pollution are potential problems in the Conasauga River. Point source pollution may stem from municipal sewage discharges, industrial waste water, and accidental spills of hazardous materials. Non-point source pollution are contaminants that are generated over large areas such as runoff from croplands, mismanaged forests, paved surfaces, septic tanks, construction activities, and unpaved roads. Other harmful items to the river ecosystem are septic leachate, pesticides and fertilizers, and chemicals disposed of within the watershed. Sedimentation, considered a non-point source pollution, is the largest contributor to pollution in rivers (FISRWG 1998). Sediment is defined as particles of rock and soil that have been dislodged and transported by water (FISRWG 1998). Many aquatic species e.g., fishes, mussels, dragonflies) are threatened by degradation of water and habitat quality because of erosion from riparian habitat and resulting siltation and sedimentation. Also, clearcutting forests or removal of vegetation for powerline right-of-ways may cause spring run or seasonal streams to disappear before fish eggs hatch (Rhett Jackson, personal communication). Siltation from roads, land development, and agricultural activities can smother fish eggs and kill the insects that provide and important food source for other organisms. Also, timber sedimentation that results from improper construction or placement of logging roads and failure to revegetate skid and haul roads in a timely manner may threaten the survival of aquatic species and degrade water quality in the river ecosystem.	None
Experimental assessment of variable flows on growth and survival	April 2001	In this study, we investigated the effects of pulsed, high-velocity water flow on the eggs and larvae of robust redhorse M. robustum and V-lip redhorse M. collapsum in three separate experiments that lasted from 21 to 38 d after egg fertilization. Hatch sucess and length at 24 h posthatch were quantified for eggs and larvae to discern any effects before larvae emerged from nests. Final length (of surviving larvae) and larval survival were quantified at the end of experimental periods to discern any effects after larvae emerged from nests. The research suppors the hypothesis that pulsed, high-velocity water flow can affect some aspects of catostomid early life development. Catostomid suckers are a diverse group of fishes endemic to most streams and rivers in the south-eastern United States. Reproduction occurs during late spring when water temperatures begin to rise. Water releases from hydropower-generating dams often occur in the spring as energy demand for cooling increases. These water releases increase the frequency of both high-velocity and low-velocity flow pulses while reducing their duration. Because of the low abundance of robust redhorses and other species of catastomids across thir historic ranges, special attention should be given to understanding the biological and physical conditions necessary for successful reproduction. Extended low-velocity flow periods are natural occurrences in low-rainfall years, and at least two species of catastomids (i.e., robust and V-lip red horse) might benefit from longer periods of stable low-velocity water flow during the spring spawning season. A return to natural flow patterns in dam-regulated rivers could help increase early larval survival and restore populations downstream from dams to their predam densities.	None
Morphological and meristic characteristics of four species	September 2004	In 1991, the imperiled robust redhorse was discovered in the Oconee River. Initially, nothing was known about this species but research conducted for the past eight years has answered many questions about the biology and ecology of these fish. Many questions remain including: 1) the fate of wild-spawned larvae and hatchery-produced juveniles, 2) their eventual contribution to the adult population, 3) dispersal behavior, habitat use and movement patterns of hatchery-reared juvenile redhorse 4) where and when to release hatchery-reared fish Information that we receive from this study will provide data to ongoing efforts to restore this species too much of its historic range.	None
Fish community response to commercial operation of the Richard	September 2007	We propose to reinstate the fish community monitoring conducted previously on J. Strom Thurmond and Richard B. Russell by the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. The goals for this 5-year effort are two fold. First, evaluate the effects of commercial pump-back operation of the Russell Project; and second, provide statistically-rigorous, scientifically-sound information on which to base management decisions about the operation of the Russell Project. The proposed study will encompass a variety of hydrological and climatological conditions and several year-classes of blueback herring and threadfin shad. The main tasks and objectives of this study are to: Task One: Evaluate fish community response in J. Strom Thurmond and Richard B. Russell Reservoirs to commercial operation of the Russell Project Objective: Monitor trends in fish populations in the Savannah River Arm of the Reservoir and the lower third of Richard B. Russell Reservoir. Task Two: Evaluate response of pelagic fishes to the installment and operation of a dissolved oxygen diffuser system in J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir. Objective: Determine if pelagic species with high dissolved oxygen requirements use habitat created by the operation of dissolved oxygen diffuser installed in J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir	None
Habitat use and movement patterns of adult robust redhorse released in the Oconee River, GA	December 2008	The status and fate of the adult population of robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum in the Oconee River, GA, has been the subject of much investigation (e.g., Jennings et al. 1996, 1998, Freeman 1998, Jennings et al. 2000, 2003, 2004a, 2004b, 2005) and discussion by the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee (RRCC) for more than a decade. The central issues in recent discussions include habitat use during spawning and non-spawning periods, movement pattersn, the apparent reduction in the number of individuals spawning annually at the Avant mine site, and a steady decline in catch rates during brood stock collection. There is increased concern among RRCC members about the fate of the robust redhorse population in the Oconee River. Radio telemetry has been used successfully to document dispersal rates, movement patterns, and habitat use of hatchery-reared juvenile robust redhorse released in the Oconee (Hess et al. 2001) and Ocmulgee (Jennings and Shepard 2003) rivers. The use of radio telemetry to evaluate movement patterns and habitat use of adult robust redhorse in the Oconee River has been considered in the past, but was never undertaken for a variety of reasons. However, recent dramatic successes with radio telemetry studies of adults in the Savannah (Grabowski and Isley 2006) and Pee Dee (R. Heise-NC Wildlife Resources Commission, personal communication ) rivers have renewed interest in the use of this technique to address long-standing questions about habitat use and movement patterns of adult robust redhorse in the Oconee River. Accordingly, I propose to use radio telemetry to conduct a long-term (i.e., minimum of 1 year; second year dependant on additional funding) assessment of habitat use of adult robust redhorse stocked in the Oconee River. The specific objectives of this study are to 1) compare habitat use and movement patterns of stocked fish during specific periods (i.e., pre-, spawning, and post-spawning) of the year; 2) use radio tagged robust redhorse as guide fish that might lead to unknown spawning aggregations or population centers; and 3) determine the detection probability of radio-tagged individuals. This work will provide long-term data on dispersal behavior, habitat use, and movement patterns of adult robust redhorse released into the Oconee River. Although some of the fish used in this study may have been produced in a hatchery and grew to adulthood in the wild, they are expected to behave as naturally spawning adults. Therefore, the behavior of the radio-tagged fish should allow for inference about the seasonal habitat use and movement patterns of wild-produced adults in the Oconee River and elsewhere. Further, the tagged fish may lead to undiscovered spawning sites in the Oconee River. An estimate of the probability of capturing (i.e. detection probability) adult robust redhorse, if one is present, can be incorporated into estimates of population size. Taken in total, this information should allow for new inferences about the status and prognosis of the adult robust redhorse population in the Oconee River and facilitate better management decisions for restoring or enhancing this species.	None
A study of the ecological value of managed tidal wetlands compared to adjacent natrual marshes in the ACE Basin, SC	December 2010	The ACE Basin represents a unique opportunity for comparative studies between managed and unmanaged rice fields in the same location across a range of species and impoundment types (salinity, management objectives). However, a record growth in residential and commercial development on the fringes of the ACE Basin suggest the window of opportunity for science based decision-making in natural resources conservation and sustainability in this basin is quickly closing. The study we propose addresses two priority goals of SAMBI (South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative): (1) to provide optimal breeding habitat to maintain and increase populations of priority species, and (2) to provide high quality managed habitat to support requirements of species migrating through or spending winter in the region. outputs from this study will provide general information helpful to goals 2 and 6 outlined in the SSPD Resource Protection Funds. The ACE Basin is considered an Important an Important Bird Area for South Carolina by the National Audubon Society and American Bird Conservancy and supports numerous priority habitats and species listed in the South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture.	None
Reproductive status of the Tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis Aggregation Offshore Jekyll Island Georgia	June 2011	The goal of this study is to describe the reproductive status of the tripletail aggregation near Jekyll Island, GA. The use of traditional histological methods requires researchers to collect and sacrifice large numbers of fish in order to produce meaningful results. However, non-lethal alternative may also be effective. Objectives: * Use of non-lethal measures of reproductive physiology (e.g, sex hormones, vitellogenin, ultrasound imaging) for assessment of tripletail reproductive status. * Validate non-lethal assessment methods by comparing results with gonad histology * evaluate efficacy of using sagittal otolith and first dorsal spine for determining age of tripletail in Jekyll Island aggregation.	None
Abundance, size structure, and spawning locations of Robust Redhorse stocked in the Ogeechee River, Georgia	December 2011	As part of the ongoing recovery effort for the robust redhorse, refugial populations have been established in several rivers in GA and SC. One such population was established in the Ogeechee River, GA, which has received about 40,000 fingerling robust redhorse during the period 1997-2004 (J. Evans, GDNR, pers. comm.). The overall status of this population, including size-structure, abundance, and habitat use is unknown. Further, successful reproduction and recruitment of wild-spawned fish has not yet been documented for this population. The goal of the proposed work is to evaluate reproduction and recruitment success for the population of robust redhorse stocked into the Ogeechee River. Specific objectives include: 1) estimating the size structure of the population to determine if reproduction and recruitment are occurring, 2) documenting spawning location(s), and 3) estimating the number of individuals in the adult population. The first component of the project will address the question of where in the river robust redhorse are spawning and will be based on the use of radio telemetry to locate spawning aggregations during the spawning season. During the fall, 30 robust redhorse will be captured with boat-mounted electrofishing and surgically implanted with ATS radio transmitters. The radio-tagged fish will be tracked monthly after the initial tagging until March 2011. Beginning in April 2011 and continuing through the end of June 2011, the fish will be tracked weekly to identify where in the system robust redhorse are spawning. These data should allow for habitat characterization and protection of spawning site(s) within the Ogeechee River. The second component will address the questions of: a) how many robust redhorse have survived in the Ogeechee and; b) what is the size structure of this population. This component will be based on a capture recapture approach in which boat-mounted electrofishing will be used to sample robust redhorse throughout their known range in the Ogeechee River. Additional surveys that are based on seines and other gear types will specifically target juvenile robust redhorse during late summer and fall.	None
Use of occupancy modeling to estimate the abundance distribution of introduced Robust Redhorse in Upper Reaches of the Ocmulgee River, GA	December 2011	This work will provide long-term data on dispersal behavior, habitat use, and movement patterns of hatchery-reared robust redhorse released into regional rivers. Specifically, husbandry efforts by the Warm Spring Fish Technology Center (USFWS) have produced many stockable-sized fish, but questions about their dispersal behavior, long-term habitat use and movement patterns have hindered decisions about when and where to release these fish. As a result, ongoing efforts to restore this species to much of its historic range (i.e., medium-sized and large rivers in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain physiographic provinces of the Atlantic Slope) also have been hindered. Also, information about the habitat use of juveniles (relative to that of adults) will help interpret size-class data from the Oconee River population and facilitate better management decisions for protecting this species. Finally, this work will provide evidence of the value of stocking robust redhorse in selected river reaches for the purposes of establishing refugial populations.	None
Influence of Limnological Classification on sportfish production in lakes on Georgia's Public Fishing Areas	June 2012	Currently, the lakes in GADNR’s PFA system have not been classified, and fish production among the lakes in inconsistent. Efforts to manage the lakes for trophy sportfish (e.g., largemouth bass) have been hampered by uncertainties about how the lakes differ and which chemical or physical factors may be affecting fish production. Accordingly, we propose a 2-year study to measure a suite of chemical and physical factors for lakes in the PFA system and to classify the lakes based on similarities (or lack thereof) among these variable. The objectives for this work is to assign lakes on the PFAs into classes based on their chemical and physical characteristics and to determine which class of lakes is better suited for trophy sportfish management.	None
GA DNR - Gill Net Comparison	December 2024	The specific objectives of this proposal are to (1) assess differences in the capture rate [i.e., catch per unit effort (CPUE; fish/net/night)] of GADNR and AFS nets for target sportfish species including Black Crappie, Channel Catfish, Striper (including hybrids) and Walleye across ~4-6 selected Georgia reservoirs ranging in productivity; (2) assess differences in the size structure of captured target sportfish between the GADNR and AFS nets, and (3) develop methods for estimating conversion factors for CPUE to allow continued use of historical data.	None
A decision analytic framework for assessing aquatic invasive species status, risk, and biosecurity measures for three units of the National Park System in the Southeastern U.S.	July 2027	Aquatic invasive species are a concern for National Parks throughout the southeastern United States. There is not a coordinated plan for early detection and rapid response among the parks. A coordinated plan, which includes decisions about which actions would be most helpful under a given set of circumstances, would enable NPS staff to more quickly and efficiently respond to threats. We are partnering with the National Parks Service and the USGS Wetlands Science Center to conduct a series of structured decision making workshops in three parks within the southeastern US. This project will result in an EDRR plan that can be applied to parks throughout the region, as well as training for NPS staff and partners. We will also update the WildSpotter app to allow citizens to directly report sightings of AIS in and around the parks.	None
Modeling to support SSAs	April 2025	This research is expected to advance models used to forecast persistence probability of at-risk species under alternate future scenarios. Specific focal areas will be determined in consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service.	This research is expected to advance models used to forecast persistence probability of at-risk species under alternate future scenarios. Specific focal areas will be determined in consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Water availability for ecological needs: A pilot study of the Upper Flint River System, GA	September 2010	Sustaining the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems while meeting human needs for water resources is a major challenge facing today's society. In many regions, including much of the eastern US, the growing demand for water supply and changing land use in urbanizing areas are altering hydrologic regimes in streams and rivers that society depends upon for ecosystem services, including support of native biodiversity. Meeting the challenge of balancing human needs for water resources with protecting aquatic ecosystems will require science-based information to answer the question: "What aspects of natural, or unaltered, hydrologic conditions are essential for the long-term maintenance of healthy aquatic ecosystems?" Aquatic resource managers have repeatedly expressed the need for science-based answers to the questions such as (1) how much can hydrologic conditions be altered in streams and rivers without impairing ecological function? and (2) what are the consequences of altering flows beyond those limits? River scientists around the world are currently engaged in developing methods to prescribe flow regimes that will protect ecological integrity of managed rivers (Postel and Richter 2003, Richter et al. 2003, Tharme 2003). This study provides an opportunity for USGS scientists to build on current concepts and, working with others, advance the science needed to understand linkages between hydrologic alteration and ecological integrity (See Box). In the case of the upper Flint River system, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) issues permits for water withdrawals and stipulates minimum instream flow requirements. The State currently is operating under an interim instream flow policy; GDNR has explicitly requested an objective effort to define the range of hydrologic regimes that should be protected in streams and rivers used for water supply. The purpose of this project is to advance the science needed to specify the hydrologic conditions necessary to support flowing water ecosystems in the context of municipal water-supply management. Specific objectives are to: 1) Develop conceptual economic models that relate hydrologic conditions, by way of hydraulic, geomorphic and water-quality change, to biological management objectives in a Piedmont river system. 2) Evaluate and determine the major driving factors (i.e., parameterize) in the conceptual ecological models using available data, and determine additional data needs. 3) Use the Upper Flint River system to demonstrate the potential for developing a decision-support system for use in evaluating options for water-supply development, incorporating ecological models developed and parameterized in Steps 1 and 2 to link hydrologic conditions to biological management objectives in an explicit landscape context. 4) Develop a long-term monitoring plan to allow model refinement and guide adaptive management relative to water supply in the Upper Flint River system.	None
Science support for the upper Coosa Basin, Phase I	December 2009	Watersheds in the Upper Coosa currently face increased threats due to increased development associated with the rapidly expanding Atlanta and Chattanooga metropolitan areas. Agricultural lands and forests are being converted to subdivisions, industrial parks, recreational facilities, and other developments at an accelerated rate. Riparian vegetation that stabilizes stream banks and moderates water quality is being cleared, runoff from upland areas converted to hardscapes has increased and is of poorer quality, and stream geomorphology is being altered by fill, piping, channelization, flashy stream flows, and other modifications. These changes in land use frequently cause accelerated erosion that silts in stream bottoms and reduces foraging and spawning success and/or increases point source and nonpoint source pollution in streams. In order to assist decision makers, managers and partners to better protect and recover the six listed fish, 6 listed mussels, and other rare species in the Upper Coosa Basin, the following objectives are proposed: Objectives: 1. Develop, evaluate, and model nonbiased stream-fish sampling methods 2. Develop a prioritized GIS inventory of manmade culverts, dams, and other structures impeding fish passage in priority sub-watersheds of the Upper Coosa Basin. The first project objective will evaluate three stream-fish sampling methods --backpack electrofisher, minnow seine, and snorkeling in the varied physiographic regions of the Upper Coosa (Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, Blue Ridge) over various channel substrates to (1) investigate the effect of species and physical habitat characteristics on capture efficiency, (2) synthesize capture efficiency models, and (3) estimate sample size requirements for detecting rare fish species. These data will be essential to - Evaluate both the success of localized habitat restoration projects (such as dam or culvert removals, channel restoration projects, or riparian restoration efforts) and watershed protection efforts (such as the basin-wide Etowah HCP guidelines). - Evaluate impacts of different development types to improve Service recommendations provided during Endangered Species Act or Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act consultation. - Collect adequate monitoring data to improve adaptive management efforts, particularly in the Etowah Basin when the HCP guidelines are implemented. The second project objective will inventory dams and road crossings with respect to fish passability within the sub-watersheds in the Upper Coosa Basin that are highest priority for protected fishes. Data will be entered into a GIS database and will include barrier location, hydraulic and geomorphic data (baseflow velocities, culvert elevation relative to stream bed, degree of bed scour), and an estimate of the length of stream habitat that would be reconnected by barrier removal. This database would allow identification of reaches where barrier removal could achieve the greatest habitat restoration for rare fish and would complement ongoing protection efforts in the Basin.	None
Park monitoring: Using decision models to assist vital signs monitoring in National Parks, a prototype using sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in coastal Alaska	December 2010	A fundamental goal of the National Park Service (NPS) is the long-term protection and management of resources in the National Park system. Achievement of this goal requires multiple approaches, including the conservation of essential habitats and the identification and elimination of potential threats to biota and habitats. To accomplish these, the NPS has implemented the Alaska Region Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program to monitor key biological, chemical, and physical components (i.e., vital signs) of ecosystems at 270 national parks. By monitoring these vital signs over large spatial and temporal scales, it is thought that park managers will be provided with 1) information on the status and trajectory of park ecosystems and 2) a greater understanding and insight into the ecosystem dynamics. Detecting and quantifying changes is important to conservation efforts. However, if the information provided by the monitoring does not coincide with management objectives, it would be of limited use for formulating remedial actions (Lee 1993). Similarly, monitoring data would provide limited insight into system dynamics if were not collected in such a manner as to resolve key uncertainties (e.g., structural uncertainty; Williams et al. 2002). There remains the need to develop tools to assist managers and their collaborators with current decisions and allow for the formal integration of monitoring data to improve the understanding of system dynamics, thereby improving future decisions. One such tool is decision analysis, which formalizes complex systems into a straightforward framework consisting of explicit quantitative relationships among management actions, sources of uncertainty, and potential outcomes (Clemen 1996). It allows natural resource managers to examine the expected effects of different management strategies, incorporate multiple objectives and values of stakeholders, determine the relative influence of various sources of uncertainty, and estimate the value of collecting additional data (Possingham 1997; Dorazio and Johnson 2003; Nichols and Williams 2006; Conroy et al. in press). Decision analysis can incorporate structural uncertainty by including more than a single representation of the system (Williams et al. 2002). These alternative representations of the system can differ completely in terms of the factors considered (e.g., density dependent vs. independent). For example, Peterson and Craven (2007) developed a decision model for the NPS Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area that included two alternative representations of streamflow effects, high flow vs. flow variability, on native fish recruitment. Monitoring data can be used to reduce these uncertainties and to learn about how the system works. If done in conjunction with management decision-making, this leads to a formal process that has been defined as adaptive management (Williams et al. 2002). Thus, the decision models would provide park managers with the means to quantify potential risks to ecosystems so that (1) the effects of different scenarios can be examined a priori, (2) changes park vital signs can be readily interpreted, and (3) monitoring data can be formally incorporated to reduce uncertainty and improve the understanding of system dynamics. For several important reasons (including many that influenced their selection as a "vital sign"), sea otters are an ideal prototype species for building and testing a decision-modeling approach to management of vital signs in the National Parks.	None
Multi-resolution Assessment of potential Climate Change Effects on Aquatic and Hydrologic Dynamics Part I: Estimating Ecological Change	September 2013	The southeastern US span broad ranges of physiographic settings and harbors exceptionally high levels of aquatic faunal diversity. Unfortunately, many of these ecosystems are under increasingly threat due to the rapid human development in the region. The effects of human development will be further exacerbated by continued and possibly, accelerating climate change. Natural resource conservation managers and planners can be effective at preserving these ecosystems in the face of climate change only if they can adapt current conservation efforts to minimize the varying threats posed by climate change. Indeed, climate change challenges many of the basic assumptions used by conservation planners and managers. Previous aquatic conservation planning efforts identified and prioritized areas for conservation based on the current environmental conditions, such as aquatic habitat quality, and assumed that conditions in conservation lands would be largely controlled by management actions (including no action). Climate change, however, will likely alter important system drivers (e.g., temperature and precipitation) making it difficult, if not impossible, to maintain desirable conditions in conservation lands into the future. Climate change will also influence the future conservation potential non-conservation lands, complicating conservation planning. To develop and adapt effective conservation strategies, managers need to consider the effects of climate change on future environmental conditions. Aquatic conservation planning and management have traditionally been separated into components (water use for human consumption and water availability for ecological needs) without formal integration of objectives and outcomes. Management actions, however, affect multiple aspects of the aquatic ecosystem such tat an action that is focused on desirable human use objectives will affect aquatic ecosystems and vice versa. For example, urban development changes vegetative cover and can alter runoff and streamflows-affecting water availability and ecological systems. Failure to consider alternative objectives in resource planning and management is inefficient and can potentially waste important opportunities or worse, can result in management actions that, while useful for achieving one objective, can negatively affect another important objective. Thus, there remains a need to develop a comprehensive approach to aquatic resource planning that incorporates multiple ecological and non ecological objectives. The objective of this research is to develop tools that aquatic resource managers can use to predict the effects of climate-change and management actions on water availability and aquatic communities at local landscape-scales. Using probabilistic projections of climate change, landcover dynamics, stream geomorphogy, and hydrology currently being developed for an integrated assessment in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, we will model effects on aquatic biota at fine resolutions (i.e., stream networks), providing estimates of biological responses for alternative climate scenarios and potential management actions. These models will then be placed in user-friendly formats for use by resources managers.	None
Decision Support Models for the Conservation and Recovery of Imperiled Mussels	September 2012	The effective conservation and management of at risk mussels in the lower Flint River Basin requires a credible assessment of the suitability of specific areas (habitats) to support each species and means to assess the potential risks, such as extinction due to fragmentation and isolation of populations. Such an approach should also allow for the integration of monitoring data so that reliable information on the status and distribution of at risk taxa can be updated as data are collected. The timely integration of monitoring data also is crucial for evaluating the success or failures of management actions to recover existing populations. The ultimate goal of this project will be to develop decision support tools for assisting biologists manage at risk mussels. Towards this end, this project will address four objectives: (1) to develop, evaluate and model mussel demographic rates; (2) to evaluate the physiological response of mussels exposed to chronic stress; (3) to develop culture techniques for at risk mussel species; and (4) to build decision support models. These data will assist the Service and partners to better protect and recover the listed mussels, and other rare species in the lower Flint River Basin. The scope of this project will be the lower Flint River Basin (LFRB) in southwest Georgia. The LFRB is located predominantly within the Fall Line Hills and Dougherty Plain districts of the Coastal Plain physiographic province. Streams flowing through the Fall Line Hills district are characterized by sandy-mud substrate and relatively high turbidity levels, whereas streams flowing through the Ocala Limestone formation contain greater amounts of coarse substrates and lower turbidity (Peterson et al in press). Ocala Limestone streams also generally receive substantial amounts of groundwater from the underlying Floridan aquifer and have higher temperatures during the winter. This project will study the response of individuals and populations of mussels to environmental stressors and compile existing information on at risk mussel populations to: (1) estimate the relations between mussel population demographics and environmental conditions; (2) evaluate the efficacy of chronic stress markers for monitoring mussel populations; and (3) develop techniques for propagating at risk mussels. This information, when combined into a decision support model will be essential to: � Identify the management actions that will have the greatest benefit to mussel populations at local (project specific actions) and watershed levels (such as the basin-wide guidelines). � Prioritize areas (basins, stream segments) for conservation and to improve Service recommendations provided during Endangered Species Act or Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act consultations. � Estimate the likely effects of anthropogenic changes (hydrologic alteration) on mussel populations. � Identify the key components for monitoring mussel populations. � Develop a means to formally incorporate monitoring data to improve adaptive management efforts.	None
Fish community response to commercial operation of the Richard B Russell pump-storage hydropower facility on the Savannah River, GA-SC	September 2010	The purpose of this project is to continue the research into the fish community response to full commercial operation of the J. Strom Thurmond and Richard B. Russell hydropower project; this work will be used to evaluate data collected previously on JST and RBR by the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. The goals for the 5-year effort are two fold. First, evaluate the effects of full commercial pump-back operation of the Russell Project; and second, provide statistically-rigorous, scientifically-sound information on which to base management decisions about the operation of the Russell Project. The proposed study will encompass a variety of hydrological and climatological conditions and several year-classes of blueback herring and threadfin shad. Objectives and Methods: Task One: Evaluate fish community response in JST and RBR reservoirs to commercial operation of the Russell Project. Objective: Monitor trends in fish populations in the Savannah River Arm of Reservoir and the lower third of Richard B. Russell Reservoir. Task 1-A Routine Gill Net Surveys Task 1-B Supplemental Gill Net Surveys Task 1-C Electrofishing Task 1-D Cove Rotenone Task Two: Evaluate response of pelagic fishes to the installment and operation of a dissolved oxygen diffuser system in JST Reservoir. Objective: Determine if pelagic species with high dissolved oxygen requirements use habitat created by the operation of dissolved oxygen diffuser installed in JST Reservoir. Task 2-A Diffuser System Gill Net Surveys	None
Technical support for Adaptive Harvest Management for American black ducks	December 2010	Scientific management for American black ducks (Anas rubripes) has been hampered by a lack of understanding regarding factors affecting the dynamics of black duck populations. This has resulted in a lack of agreement among stakeholders as to the potential for arresting the decline of black duck stocks through management intervention, especially through harvest regulations. This work builds on previous work for the Principal Investigator, entitled, "Development of an Integrated, Adaptive Management Protocol for American Black Ducks" (RWO 50). In that work, the PI developed and evaluated several single-and multiple-population adaptive harvest management (AHM) models. Initially, a single-population model was developed based on the monograph by Conroy et.al. (2002), in which abundance of black ducks and mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were parameterized by midwinter surveys. The AHM project extended these models to breeding surveys implemented by Canadian Wildlife Service starting in 1990, and developed both spatially-stratified and non-stratified models. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service have now agreed to move forward with implementation of AHM for black ducks. Additional technical work is needed to support this implementation, and to address technical issues not completely resolved by the recently completed work order (RWO 85). Specific tasks to be addressed in the proposed project are: The objective of this work is to produce models that can be used to support AHM as an international harvest management strategy for American black ducks. Each of the tasks and deliverables below is essential to meet this objective. 1. Incorporate new integrated fixed-wing/helicopter BPOP estimates into Python models of black duck dynamics. 2. Incorporate historical, longer-term data from MWS surveys and US harvest surveys via Bayesian analyses, in which the latter would be used to build prior distributions. 3. Incorporate estimates from 1) and 2) into dynamic optimization tools (ASDP). 4. Investigate approaches using MCMC or other methods for updating model weights through monitoring.	None
A proposed approach for implementing a region-wide search for the ivory-billed woodpecker with the objective of estimating occupancy and related parameters	June 2010	The purpose of this document is to propose and facilitate a survey design for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) search effort that will: (1) allow estimation of occupancy, use, and detection probability for habitats at two spatial scales within its former range, (2) assess relationships between occupancy, use, and habitat characteristics at those scales, (3) allow the development of a population viability model that depends on patch occupancy instead of difficult-to-measure demographic parameters, and (4) be adaptive, allowing newly collected information to update the above models and search locations.	None
Review of Georgia reservoir fish monitoring data and sampling procedures	June 2024	The Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has regularly sampled fish populations across Georgia’s freshwater systems for over 30 years. The data collected are maintained in the Division’s Long-Term Fish Monitoring Database. Attributes recorded in the database include sampling event details (location and date), methods (gear and effort), and metrics on individual fish (e.g., species, length, weight). We are working with the Division’s Fisheries Section to identify research questions that can be addressed by the data and conduct analyses relevant to those questions. We will make determinations about the utility of the data for assessing status and trends of populations or fish communities, increasing monitoring efficiency, and designing focused monitoring or research efforts.	The Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has regularly sampled fish populations across Georgia’s freshwater systems for over 30 years. The data collected are maintained in the Division’s Long-Term Fish Monitoring Database. Attributes recorded in the database include sampling event details (location and date), methods (gear and effort), and metrics on individual fish (e.g., species, length, weight). We are working with the Division’s Fisheries Section to identify research questions that can be addressed by the data and conduct analyses relevant to those questions. We will make determinations about the utility of the data for assessing status and trends of populations or fish communities, increasing monitoring efficiency, and designing focused monitoring or research efforts.
[GADNR] DMAP Camera Trap Image Classification	August 2022	The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) launched the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) in 2019 to provide site-specific deer management to private landowners in Georgia. As part of this effort, landowners enrolled in DMAP conduct camera trap surveys on their properties. Data from these surveys may prove valuable for improving site-specific deer management plans by providing an independent source of data that can be used alone or be integrated with other data sources (e.g., deer harvest data) to estimate parameters such as deer distribution and possibly abundance on private properties. Under this project, we began classifying camera images to determine the utility of camera data for estimating deer population parameters.	The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) launched the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) in 2019 to provide site-specific deer management to private landowners in Georgia. As part of this effort, landowners enrolled in DMAP conduct camera trap surveys on their properties. Data from these surveys may prove valuable for improving site-specific deer management plans by providing an independent source of data that can be used alone or be integrated with other data sources (e.g., deer harvest data) to estimate parameters such as deer distribution and possibly abundance on private properties. Under this project, we began classifying camera images to determine the utility of camera data for estimating deer population parameters.
[GADNR] Entry of Point-Count Data for Sandhill Restoration Project	October 2022	The Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the lead organization for planning, data collection, and analysis of data from bird monitoring point-count stations established on experimental sandhill restoration sites in the southeast. Data from the 2022 breeding season have now been collected and recorded on paper-based field forms. To analyze the information, the data must be transcribed and entered into a digital database. We are working with the Division’s Wildlife Conservation Section to digitally enter and organize these data.	The Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the lead organization for planning, data collection, and analysis of data from bird monitoring point-count stations established on experimental sandhill restoration sites in the southeast. Data from the 2022 breeding season have now been collected and recorded on paper-based field forms. To analyze the information, the data must be transcribed and entered into a digital database. We are working with the Division’s Wildlife Conservation Section to digitally enter and organize these data.
Movement and distribution of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River	May 2024	Efforts to restore Lake Sturgeon to northwest Georgia began nearly 20 years ago. These large prehistoric fish were historically present in the Coosa River basin but were thought to be extirpated by the late 1970s due to overfishing and degraded water quality. Following improvements in water quality via the Clean Water Act of 1972, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources commenced a Lake Sturgeon reintroduction program that included annual stocking of fish with the goal of producing a self-sustaining population. The initial cohorts have theoretically reached sexual maturity. <br><br>The specific objective of this study is to determine seasonal habitat use and movement of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River basin. New information about reproductive status and behaviors, movement, and habitat use will aid in recovery efforts and inform managers on the status of the population.<br><br>This project will use radio telemetry to track Lake Sturgeon movements. We anticipate targeting 40 Lake Sturgeon for tagging.<br><b> </b>	Efforts to restore Lake Sturgeon to northwest Georgia began nearly 20 years ago. These large prehistoric fish were historically present in the Coosa River basin but were thought to be extirpated by the late 1970s due to overfishing and degraded water quality. Following improvements in water quality via the Clean Water Act of 1972, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources commenced a Lake Sturgeon reintroduction program that included annual stocking of fish with the goal of producing a self-sustaining population. The initial cohorts have theoretically reached sexual maturity. <br> <br>The specific objective of this study is to determine seasonal habitat use and movement of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River basin. New information about reproductive status and behaviors, movement, and habitat use will aid in recovery efforts and inform managers on the status of the population.<br><br>This project will use radio telemetry to track Lake Sturgeon movements. We anticipate targeting 40 Lake Sturgeon for tagging. <br><b> </b>
Evaluation of Contaminant Stressors to Endangered and At-Risk Freshwater Mussel Health in the Conasauga River Basin	May 2024	The Conasauga River, in southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia, is a biodiversity hotspot for fishes and freshwater mussels. Some of these species are rare, at-risk, or listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Additionally, two species of mussels have been characterized as extinct from the basin. We propose a collaborative multiyear research study to evaluate the threat of contaminants on freshwater mussels in the Conasauga River. This study will examine the use of sediment and <i>in situ</i> water exposures to non-point source pollutants to further understand toxicant effects on juvenile freshwater mussels. We intend to collect information that will help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Georgia Ecological Services Field Office prioritize conservation or management actions to support freshwater mussels. Further, data collected on the effects of contaminants on mussel growth and survival could be used in population models to evaluate population-level effects in contaminated vs non-contaminated sites. More broadly, such results may improve understanding of the potential effects of non-point-source pollution on freshwater mussels.	The Conasauga River, in southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia, is a biodiversity hotspot for fishes and freshwater mussels. Some of these species are rare, at-risk, or listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Additionally, two species of mussels have been characterized as extinct from the basin. We propose a collaborative multiyear research study to evaluate the threat of contaminants on freshwater mussels in the Conasauga River. This study will examine the use of sediment and <i>in situ</i> water exposures to non-point source pollutants to further understand toxicant effects on juvenile freshwater mussels. We intend to collect information that will help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Georgia Ecological Services Field Office prioritize conservation or management actions to support freshwater mussels. Further, data collected on the effects of contaminants on mussel growth and survival could be used in population models to evaluate population-level effects in contaminated vs non-contaminated sites. More broadly, such results may improve understanding of the potential effects of non-point-source pollution on freshwater mussels.
Continuation of Sicklefin model development for GA DNR.	June 2023	We are extending model development to add additional data and explore potential variability (e.g., between males and females, over seasons) for estimating parameters for a rare fish species (<i>Moxostoma</i> sp.).	We are extending model development to add additional data and explore potential variability (e.g., between males and females, over seasons) for estimating parameters for a rare fish species (<i>Moxostoma</i> sp.).
Population Dynamics of Introduced Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River Basin, Georgia	June 2024	This study aims to fill critical knowledge gaps for Lake Sturgeon population demographics and dynamics in the Coosa River, Georgia. Our approach will provide estimates of the total population size, annual survival rates, information on population dynamics, habitat use, and movement. This information will be important for increased effectiveness of management activities for this species in the Coosa River system and throughout the Southeastern United States where Lake Sturgeon reintroduction efforts have occurred.	This study aims to fill critical knowledge gaps for Lake Sturgeon population demographics and dynamics in the Coosa River, Georgia. Our approach will provide estimates of the total population size, annual survival rates, information on population dynamics, habitat use, and movement. This information will be important for increased effectiveness of management activities for this species in the Coosa River system and throughout the Southeastern United States where Lake Sturgeon reintroduction efforts have occurred.
Comparison of Largemouth-Bass reservoirs in GA.	August 2022	The overarching objective of this proposed project is to further assess variability in monitoring data for fish populations. For instance, we may be able to further explore quantifiable shifts in fish population metrics in response to ecological perturbations or management interventions. Thus, the project’s focus will be on data analytics and multi-agency collaboration. This project is intended to involve a partnership with one or more federal or state agencies in the southeastern U.S. Analyses focused on variability may help inform survey designs (e.g., reduce monitoring effort by eliminating sites or skipping years?), have implications for interpreting data produced by monitoring programs (e.g., trend detection), and be an important consideration for scenario forecasting (e.g., predicting potential frequency of extreme events).	We intend to collaborate with one or more partners conducting monitoring, research, or management of fishes in the southeastern U.S. This partnership will likely include working with the collaborator to identify and prioritize an information need along with an assessment of access to sufficient monitoring data. Model development will be initially guided by discussions with potential project partners in order to identify availability of fish population data (e.g., # of sampling sites and sampling years) as well as availability of covariate information or site-level characteristics (e.g., water clarity, temperature, sampling depth, spatial location). Of course, some details of model development and data analysis will be dependent on available data. However, we expect that a mixed-model framework will be conducive for asking questions about changes in spatial or temporal variation. This project will support the professional development of one or more graduate students, including the opportunity to report findings. The project will help build capacity in quantitative assessment and further support development of statistically sound long-term natural resource monitoring.
Updating population parameters of Sicklefin Redhorse with new data form the Hiawassee River Basin	August 2021	The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) is engaged in collaborative efforts to monitor Sicklefin Redhorse (<i>Moxostoma</i>, undescribed) in north Georgia. We are adding new data from GADNR and attempting to estimate additional parameters.	Sicklefin Redhorse (<i>Moxostoma</i> sp.) is a native freshwater fish (undescribed species), whose range includes the Hiwassee River Basin in NC and GA, and the Little Tennessee River Basin in NC. The fish is rare within its range and is facing potential threats such as habitat degradation and migratory barriers. Little is currently known about the status and population dynamics of Sicklefin Redhorse, which could impede effective management. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is engaged in collaborative efforts to monitor Sicklefin Redhorse in north Georgia. In addition, the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee (which is a partnership that consists of state agencies, federal agencies, NGOs, and power companies) is devoted to conservation and management of the species. The Georgia Cooperative Research Unit recently collaborated with the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee and researchers from University of Georgia to develop a population model estimating important parameters to evaluate the status of the Sicklefin Redhorse population in Brasstown Creek, GA using capture-mark-recapture data. More recent data will be included in an updated model to refine estimates of important population parameters, which may influence future monitoring or management decisions.
Identifying Pollinator Habitat Along Power Line Right of Ways in the Georgia Piedmont	September 2022	The Piedmont prairie is a biologically diverse grassland found in Georgia, hosting several obligate plant species and other plant species that allow pollinators, including the monarch butterfly, to complete their life cycle. This diversity is under threat due to habitat fragmentation caused by incompatible land uses, but powerline right-of-ways (ROWs) may provide an opportunity to conserve these grasslands and maintain some degree of habitat connectivity. Little is known about the occurrence and distribution of Piedmont prairies along powerline ROWs. Identifying these sites will assist managers in making decisions about resource allocation between management of existing prairie habitat and creating new habitat. The University of Georgia is conducting this work in collaboration with the Georgia Power Company and the Electric Power Research Institute. The research will contribute to basic understanding about distribution and abundance of Piedmont prairies within the powerline ROW network in Georgia. The research will also help managers decide on targets for pollinator habitat conservation.	The Piedmont prairie is a biologically diverse grassland found in Georgia, hosting several obligate plant species and other plant species that allow pollinators, including the monarch butterfly, to complete their life cycle. This diversity is under threat due to habitat fragmentation caused by incompatible land uses, but powerline right-of-ways (ROWs) may provide an opportunity to conserve these grasslands and maintain some degree of habitat connectivity. Little is known about the occurrence and distribution of Piedmont prairies along powerline ROWs. Identifying these sites will assist managers in making decisions about resource allocation between management of existing prairie habitat and creating new habitat. The University of Georgia is conducting this work in collaboration with the Georgia Power Company and the Electric Power Research Institute. The research will contribute to basic understanding about distribution and abundance of Piedmont prairies within the powerline ROW network in Georgia. The research will also help managers decide on targets for pollinator habitat conservation.
Chinook salmon passage and recovery on the Willamette River	September 2024	Willamette River basin adult spring-run Chinook salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus tshawytscha</i>) are prevented from returning to their historic spawning grounds by large dams managed jointly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bonneville Power Administration, and Bureau of Reclamation. In response, USACE and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists initiated an adult transportation program in the 1990’s with an objective of facilitating natural spawning of these populations above the dams. Unfortunately, annual rates of pre-spawn mortality (PSM) in adult Chinook salmon transported upstream of dams are high (often >40%), and could limit the ability to establish a natural population of spring Chinook if not reduced. The progeny of these outplanted adults face similar downstream passage difficulties that is further complicated by very high parasitic infection rates (>90%) of a native copepod (<i>Salmincola californiensis</i>). The infections affect the ability of outmigrating juvenile to swim, withstand stressors, and survive in saltwater during their ocean transition. This is an integrated project whose ultimate goal is the safe passage of juvenile and adult spring-run Chinook salmon to assist in the recovery of this listed stock.	Stream fragmentation and water development are among the greatest threats facing Chinook Salmon in the Pacific Northwest.<br><br>Recovery of this iconic species will require the development of effective fish passage strategies to facilitate juvenile and adult passage to and from their historic spawning grounds.<br><br>This project is a collaboration of an interdisciplinary team of researchers and managers from USGS, USACE, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oregon State University, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.<br><br>Water resource managers will be provided with the information needed to develop safe and efficient passage systems for juvenile and adult Chinook salmon.
Modeling and Optimization to Advance Decision-making for Trust and At-risk Species	March 2022	Since 2012, an adaptive management framework has been in place to guide harvest of horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay in a way that maximizes crab harvest while leaving in place sufficient foraging resources for shorebirds. However, estimates of crab abundance that inform the decision model are known to have biases, and the software that generates tables of optimal actions runs only on outdated, unsupported operating systems. Basing harvest management decisions on biased information compromises management performance, and outdated optimization software prevents the implementation of technical improvements. Addressing both shortcomings of the decision making framework will increase quality of harvest management decisions. The University of Georgia is conducting this work in collaboration with USGS and member agencies of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). The research will result in improved estimates of state, model refinements, and a new optimization platform. Together, these components will provide annual recommendations of optimal harvest packages to be considered by members of the ASMFC.	Since 2012, an adaptive management framework has been in place to guide harvest of horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay in a way that maximizes crab harvest while leaving in place sufficient foraging resources for shorebirds. However, estimates of crab abundance that inform the decision model are known to have biases, and the software that generates tables of optimal actions runs only on outdated, unsupported operating systems. Basing harvest management decisions on biased information compromises management performance, and outdated optimization software prevents the implementation of technical improvements. Addressing both shortcomings of the decision making framework will increase quality of harvest management decisions. The University of Georgia is conducting this work in collaboration with USGS and member agencies of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). The research will result in improved estimates of state, model refinements, and a new optimization platform. Together, these components will provide annual recommendations of optimal harvest packages to be considered by members of the ASMFC.
Mitigating emerging disease impacts in fisheries: adaptive strategies to ensure a safe, healthy seafood supply	December 2021	A diverse team is organized at the University of Georgia to synthesize existing literature and for adaptive strategies for fisheries in the face of disease outbreaks.	Humans are expected to have increased demands for seafood. The health and population size of fish stocks are important to food production and security. There are needs for a systematic and comprehensive analysis and for new tools to address consequences and form adaptive strategies for fisheries in the face of disease outbreaks. For instance, in Georgia, shrimp fishing is important, but detrimentally affected by an ongoing epidemic of a parasitic ciliate called shrimp black gill. A diverse team is organized at the University of Georgia to synthesize existing literature, develop flexible modeling approaches for predicting and managing disease outbreaks in fisheries, and leverage efforts into a larger discipline-bridging proposal. A PhD student at the University of Georgia is being supported by this project. This interdisciplinary work aims to broaden the University’s capacity to lead in anticipating or responding to emerging diseases that threaten provision of safe and sustainable seafood (fishery and aquaculture).
Benefit-cost Analysis for the Threatened and Endangered Species Program of the Bureau of Land Management	January 2021	The Georgia Unit is partnering with applied economists at the University of Georgia in an attempt to quantify and monetize the resulting beneficial outputs stemming from a selection of BLM programs and evaluate the benefits of avoiding the listing of a species or the delisting of a previously listed species.	This project is a first step to focus on operational cost savings or other programmatic benefits derived from the BLM’s Threatened and Endangered Species program. Effort is focusing on a question of broad interest: “What are the benefits of proactive conservation?” The Georgia Unit is partnering with applied economists at the University of Georgia in an attempt to quantify and monetize the resulting beneficial outputs stemming from a selection of BLM programs and evaluate the benefits of avoiding the listing of a species or the delisting of a previously listed species. Project tasks include producing an annotated bibliography with a narrative discussion related to economics of endangered species and ESA programs and seeking additional federal case-study examples to document restrictions, expenditures, transaction costs, or benefits related to delisting or avoiding listing.
Statistical support for long-term natural resource monitoring	October 2023	This project provides statistical and technical assistance to the National Park Service’s Inventory and Monitoring Division, with a focus on developing interactive data dashboards for reviewing and analyzing long-term monitoring data for a variety of resources (including but not limited to water, vegetation, cave biota, and amphibians).	Throughout the world, monitoring surveys provide essential information for understanding, restoring, and managing populations. The National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program aims to understand status and trends in resource conditions and provide accessible information. The Georgia Unit is assisting NPS I&M with evaluation of sampling designs and pilot data as well as analytical and reporting approaches for monitoring data. This project supports development of statistically sound long-term natural resource monitoring, and will directly assist NPS consider monitoring objectives, data limitations, and potential predictors of interest. The project is currently looking to support a Post-doctoral Research Associate, at the University of Georgia, to collaboratively develop methods and tools for quality-control review; provide statistical and technical applications for analyzing or visualizing monitoring data; and interact with several partners across the southeast region.
Comparing recruitment estimation methods for age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, GA from 2008-2020	August 2021	This project is comparing methods for estimating abundance of age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, Georgia in an attempt to improve population estimates and gain insight into potential factors influencing recruitment.	The Atlantic Sturgeon (<i>Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus</i>) is an anadromous fish species that was once of great commercial importance in many of the coastal rivers of the eastern U.S. As a result of multiple centuries of overharvest and habitat degradation, this species is now listed as endangered over most of its range. Due to a complex life history, determining population size within a particular river is logistically difficult. Sampling river-resident juveniles is therefore a practical method for investigating long-term population trends. The project is being conducted by the University of Georgia and is funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service as well as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at UGA. Three abundance estimation methods, which will consider different components of the capture data including spatial information, environmental covariates, and varying effort, will be used to estimate age-1 abundance of Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, Georgia. Comparing the precision of these methods will improve future population estimates as well as give insight into the abiotic factors affecting recruitment variability within Atlantic Sturgeon populations.
Assessing Actively Poached Galax Populations to Inform Restoration and Law Enforcement	December 2021	This project is a partnership with the National Parks Service, the Appalachian Highlands Monitoring Network, as well as the University of Georgia and USGS. This research will support decisions on galax management within the Blue Ridge Parkway, including law enforcement activity and identifying further research needs to assess the status of galax in the park.	The southern Appalachians are a hotspot of biodiversity and some local species may be being harvested to the point of overexploitation. <i>Galax urceolata</i> is harvested for sale and use in background foliage and floral decorations. In recent years, illegal harvest on the Blue Ridge Parkway has increased to a point that it may be contributing to population declines. There is a growing need to understand the scope of poaching in protected areas, and to study the impact of harvest on non-timber forest products. Assessment of the impact of harvest and other factors on galax abundance will help identify possible solutions to this issue. This project is a partnership with the National Parks Service, the Appalachian Highlands Monitoring Network, as well as the University of Georgia and USGS. This research will support decisions on galax management within the Blue Ridge Parkway, including law enforcement activity and identifying further research needs to assess the status of galax in the park.
Incorporating Structured Decision Making and Alternative Sources of Data into Management of White-tailed Deer in Georgia	June 2022	In Georgia, the management of deer populations across the state is challenging because of regional variation in landscapes, deer population status, property ownerships, and other factors. Sources of harvest data available to the state of Georgia primarily through self-reporting mechanisms are potentially usable for providing harvest management decision support, but these data sources have unknown biases. We will investigate the utility of these data sources under a structured decision making framework, which establishes the context for the types of data needed to support harvest decision making and their required degree of quality. This approach will help to identify analytical processes or ancillary data sources that protect the quality of decisions from influence of sampling and self-reporting biases. This work is being performed in a collaboration between the University of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The research will result in recommendation of one or more candidate harvest decision support frameworks that address the goals of stakeholders and that identify priorities for the collection of data most useful for guiding management.	In Georgia, the management of deer populations across the state is challenging because of regional variation in landscapes, deer population status, property ownerships, and other factors. Sources of harvest data available to the state of Georgia primarily through self-reporting mechanisms are potentially usable for providing harvest management decision support, but these data sources have unknown biases. We will investigate the utility of these data sources under a structured decision making framework, which establishes the context for the types of data needed to support harvest decision making and their required degree of quality. This approach will help to identify analytical processes or ancillary data sources that protect the quality of decisions from influence of sampling and self-reporting biases. This work is being performed in a collaboration between the University of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The research will result in recommendation of one or more candidate harvest decision support frameworks that address the goals of stakeholders and that identify priorities for the collection of data most useful for guiding management.
Improving and Field Testing Novel Methods to Estimate White-tailed Deer Density Using Camera Traps	September 2021	Reliable methods for estimating deer abundance and for monitoring temporal trends in density are important components of effective deer management. A cost-effective, camera-based survey method would be useful for assessing the effects of management practices on trends in density and recruitment rates. In Georgia, concerns exist about declining densities of deer and declining recruitment rates that have resulted from changes in land use and changes in the predator community. Customary camera-based survey approaches for estimating population quantities at the degree of accuracy and precision needed for decision making are cost-prohibitive. This study is a collaborative effort between the University of Georgia and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This research will produce a cost-effective camera-based survey approach that is cost-effective to apply at large scales and is free of the estimation assumptions that encumbered previous approaches. Deer managers for the state of Georgia will be able to make population and habitat management decisions using more robust demographic information.	Reliable methods for estimating deer abundance and for monitoring temporal trends in density are important components of effective deer management. A cost-effective, camera-based survey method would be useful for assessing the effects of management practices on trends in density and recruitment rates. In Georgia, concerns exist about declining densities of deer and declining recruitment rates that have resulted from changes in land use and changes in the predator community. Customary camera-based survey approaches for estimating population quantities at the degree of accuracy and precision needed for decision making are cost-prohibitive. This study is a collaborative effort between the University of Georgia and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This research will produce a cost-effective camera-based survey approach that is cost-effective to apply at large scales and is free of the estimation assumptions that encumbered previous approaches. Deer managers for the state of Georgia will be able to make population and habitat management decisions using more robust demographic information.
Restoration of a Relict Population of Gopher Tortoises Through Translocation of Waif Animals	April 2019	The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) has declined over most of its range and is currently a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Active conservation management is being employed, including the translocation of “waif” tortoises (animals temporarily in human custody that cannot be returned to the point of origin in the wild) in some efforts to augment existing populations. The efficacy of translocating waif animals for the purpose of population augmentation is unknown, both with respect to the demographic performance of released tortoises and the health of the population into which they are released. This research, conducted at an isolated site on the periphery of the range, will provide needed information on the benefits and risks of translocating waif tortoises. This research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. This research will be used by conservation agencies and their partners to weigh the risks of using waif animals for reintroduction stock for the augmentation of existing populations.	The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) has declined over most of its range and is currently a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Active conservation management is being employed, including the translocation of “waif” tortoises (animals temporarily in human custody that cannot be returned to the point of origin in the wild) in some efforts to augment existing populations. The efficacy of translocating waif animals for the purpose of population augmentation is unknown, both with respect to the demographic performance of released tortoises and the health of the population into which they are released. This research, conducted at an isolated site on the periphery of the range, will provide needed information on the benefits and risks of translocating waif tortoises. This research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. This research will be used by conservation agencies and their partners to weigh the risks of using waif animals for reintroduction stock for the augmentation of existing populations.
Head-Starting as a Recovery Strategy for the Desert Tortoise	December 2021	The Mojave Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) population, classified as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, is in decline and in need of active management for population recovery. The rearing of neonate tortoises until they are more likely to survive (head-starting) is one strategy for population augmentation. Although head-starting has intuitive appeal as a conservation strategy, the strategy is expensive, and its success depends on how soon and how successfully head-started animals reproduce in the wild compared to wild-reared animals. While the husbandry phase of captive tortoises is well understood, the function and performance of head-started tortoises once released in the wild have not been evaluated. This research is conducted in collaboration with the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of California-Davis, and National Park Service. This research will be used by conservation agencies and their partners to weigh trade-offs between the costs of head-starting against the expected benefit of head-starting to enhance tortoise population growth and persistence.	The Mojave Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) population, classified as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, is in decline and in need of active management for population recovery. The rearing of neonate tortoises until they are more likely to survive (head-starting) is one strategy for population augmentation. Although head-starting has intuitive appeal as a conservation strategy, the strategy is expensive, and its success depends on how soon and how successfully head-started animals reproduce in the wild compared to wild-reared animals. While the husbandry phase of captive tortoises is well understood, the function and performance of head-started tortoises once released in the wild have not been evaluated. This research is conducted in collaboration with the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of California-Davis, and National Park Service. This research will be used by conservation agencies and their partners to weigh trade-offs between the costs of head-starting against the expected benefit of head-starting to enhance tortoise population growth and persistence.
Impacts of Extreme High Tide Events on Sea Turtle Nesting on Georgia Barrier Islands	April 2018	Climate change and associated sea level rise is expected to lead to an increase in extreme high tide events and consequent storm surges, erosion, and coastal flooding on the Atlantic coast. Reproductive success of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), which is listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, is dependent on the timing of emergence, nest siting, and nest laying activity, and these in turn are linked to dynamics of tidal cycles and storm events. Conservation of the loggerhead sea turtle requires an understanding of how nesting habitats and hatchling productivity will be affected by factors associated with climate change. Results from this work will help Georgia Department of Natural Resources and other management agencies understand the likely impact of extreme high tide events on sea turtle productivity and the necessary conservation measures needed to mitigate against adverse impacts. This research was conducted in collaboration with Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the University of Georgia. This work produced projections of the frequency of extreme high tide events, which served as inputs to models that predicted nest success in response to physiographic and habitat attributes of the nest. This research will be used by conservation agencies in Georgia and elsewhere to plan for mitigation and adaptation strategies for the turtle.	Climate change and associated sea level rise is expected to lead to an increase in extreme high tide events and consequent storm surges, erosion, and coastal flooding on the Atlantic coast. Reproductive success of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), which is listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, is dependent on the timing of emergence, nest siting, and nest laying activity, and these in turn are linked to dynamics of tidal cycles and storm events. Conservation of the loggerhead sea turtle requires an understanding of how nesting habitats and hatchling productivity will be affected by factors associated with climate change. Results from this work will help Georgia Department of Natural Resources and other management agencies understand the likely impact of extreme high tide events on sea turtle productivity and the necessary conservation measures needed to mitigate against adverse impacts. This research was conducted in collaboration with Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the University of Georgia. This work produced projections of the frequency of extreme high tide events, which served as inputs to models that predicted nest success in response to physiographic and habitat attributes of the nest. This research will be used by conservation agencies in Georgia and elsewhere to plan for mitigation and adaptation strategies for the turtle.
Hardwood Management in Open Pine Ecosystems on Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge	July 2018	Managers of the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge are currently conducting hardwood management control to generate high quality foraging habitat for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers on two management units. Response by open pine-dependent avian species that are not the focus of this management is of interest to refuge managers. Habitat management on wildlife conservation areas, such as units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, is often oriented at single-species response. This research will help inform quantify carry-over benefits, if any, to non-target avian species in mixed pine-hardwood systems. This research was conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Georgia, and USGS. This research will help the Refuge plan sampling strategies and provide analytical models for the evaluation of habitat management effects on non-target avian species.	Managers of the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge are currently conducting hardwood management control to generate high quality foraging habitat for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers on two management units. Response by open pine-dependent avian species that are not the focus of this management is of interest to refuge managers. Habitat management on wildlife conservation areas, such as units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, is often oriented at single-species response. This research will help inform quantify carry-over benefits, if any, to non-target avian species in mixed pine-hardwood systems. This research was conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Georgia, and USGS. This research will help the Refuge plan sampling strategies and provide analytical models for the evaluation of habitat management effects on non-target avian species.
Completing a Double-Loop Learning Cycle in the Native Prairie Adaptive Management System	December 2019	Under the Native Prairie Adaptive Management (NPAM) program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, land managers in the National Wildlife Refuge System in Regions 3 and 6 receive annual habitat management guidance for the goal of restoring prairies to desired composition levels of native grasses and forbs. While this operational adaptive management program has successfully provided guidance through nine decision cycles, longstanding concern about the use of expert-elicited quantities in the predictive models has not abated among the managers and the developers of the program, and the concern has prompted a comprehensive “double-loop” evaluation of the framework elements. This research will produce models for decision guidance that conform more closely with the system responses observed to date, leading to better management performance. Examples of operational adaptive management systems are rare, and examples of double-loop learning are rarer still, so this research will provide a durable and transferable demonstration of this concept. This research is conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Georgia, and USGS. The models supporting the decision framework were employed in time for the August 2019 decision cycle. Management recommendations provided to cooperators at that time reflected the improved decision guidance.	Under the Native Prairie Adaptive Management (NPAM) program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, land managers in the National Wildlife Refuge System in Regions 3 and 6 receive annual habitat management guidance for the goal of restoring prairies to desired composition levels of native grasses and forbs. While this operational adaptive management program has successfully provided guidance through nine decision cycles, longstanding concern about the use of expert-elicited quantities in the predictive models has not abated among the managers and the developers of the program, and the concern has prompted a comprehensive “double-loop” evaluation of the framework elements. This research will produce models for decision guidance that conform more closely with the system responses observed to date, leading to better management performance. Examples of operational adaptive management systems are rare, and examples of double-loop learning are rarer still, so this research will provide a durable and transferable demonstration of this concept. This research is conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Georgia, and USGS. The models supporting the decision framework were employed in time for the August 2019 decision cycle. Management recommendations provided to cooperators at that time reflected the improved decision guidance.
Technical Assistance to Georgia DNR for Nongame Bird Monitoring and Research	September 2021	The Wildlife Conservation Section of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, which has management authority for a diversity of animal and plant species within Georgia, needs (1) reliable population estimates of nesting Florida Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis) in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and (2) reliable inferences on demographic parameters of Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii). This work will provide survey design enhancements and analytical models to meet these needs. These two species are of conservation concern to the state, and Georgia DNR already invests heavily in monitoring and obtaining demographic data on them. Georgia DNR is an important cooperator with USGS, and this work addresses its concerns that its efforts could be better aligned with its objectives of understanding these populations. This work is being done in collaboration with Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the University of Georgia. The production of reliable biological information for these two species will help the state of Georgia better target their resources towards actions that conserve these species.	The Wildlife Conservation Section of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, which has management authority for a diversity of animal and plant species within Georgia, needs (1) reliable population estimates of nesting Florida Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis) in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and (2) reliable inferences on demographic parameters of Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii). This work will provide survey design enhancements and analytical models to meet these needs. These two species are of conservation concern to the state, and Georgia DNR already invests heavily in monitoring and obtaining demographic data on them. Georgia DNR is an important cooperator with USGS, and this work addresses its concerns that its efforts could be better aligned with its objectives of understanding these populations. This work is being done in collaboration with Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the University of Georgia. The production of reliable biological information for these two species will help the state of Georgia better target their resources towards actions that conserve these species.
Forestry BMP for Sensitive Aquatic Species Southeastern US	August 2021	In the Southeastern United States, forestry is a major land use and an important component to the economy. Monitoring by state agencies has confirmed that generally, forestry Best Management Practices (BMP) are implemented at high rates (82% - 99%), but implementation varies by locale and BMP type. The distribution of aquatic at-risk species and their degree of imperilment also vary across the southern landscape. Some BMPs are effective in the protection of water quality, but information on the degree to which BMPs might support conservation of at-risk aquatic species is lacking. This information gap is especially acute in the southeastern US with its high degree of endemism and levels of imperilment for several species. Filling this critical information gap will provide a better understanding of the effectiveness of BMPs for protecting sensitive aquatic species and their habitat and will help to inform conservation measures.	During FY18, we conducted activities to clarify which Best Management Practices (BMP) are of interest to both forest managers and aquatic biologists and documented with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to be useful in the modelling of aquatic species response. We have identified individuals within the forestry and aquatic conservation committees who will serve on an advisory board for the project. We have identified appropriate data sources and are in the process of quality assurance on a variety of point datasets of fish presence derived from museum and collection records.<br>In our initial discussions with these groups, Foresters have focused on activities to minimize the acute impact of harvest (e.g., sediment management zones) or forest roads (e.g., appropriate crossing designs). While stream biologists acknowledge the importance of these primarily sediment-focused measures, they also indicate that they sometimes consider other aspects of timber management, including rotation schedule, thinning, and fire suppression, to be BMPs due to their ability to affect water yield. Work to date on the project has been preparatory, and the modeling to evaluate which BMPs are offer conservation benefits to imperiled aquatic species in the region will continue in earnest in FY19.
Estimating population size of Sicklefin Redhorse in the Hiwassee River system	June 2019	The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) is engaged in collaborative efforts to monitor Sicklefin Redhorse (Moxostoma, undescribed) in north Georgia. We assisted the GADNR by developing a model to estimate population parameters, using combined data from fyke netting and PIT antenna arrays.	Sicklefin Redhorse (<i>Moxostoma</i> sp.) is a native freshwater fish (undescribed species), whose range includes the Hiwassee River Basin in NC and GA, and the Little Tennessee River Basin in NC. The fish is rare within its range and is facing potential threats such as habitat degradation and migratory barriers. Little is currently known about the status and population dynamics of Sicklefin Redhorse, which could impede effective management. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is engaged in collaborative efforts to monitor Sicklefin Redhorse in north Georgia. In addition, the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee (which is a partnership that consists of state agencies, federal agencies, NGOs, and power companies) is devoted to conservation and management of the species. The Georgia Cooperative Research Unit recently collaborated with the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee and researchers from University of Georgia to develop a population model estimating important parameters to evaluate the status of the Sicklefin Redhorse population in Brasstown Creek, GA using capture-mark-recapture data. The model provided information such as survival probability, recruitment, and spawning population abundance. A future project is anticipated so that more recent data can be included in an updated model to refine estimates of important population parameters, which may influence future monitoring or management decisions.
Black Rail ecology to inform effective survey design and support population modeling	August 2021	The Black Rail is currently under review by the USFWS for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Black Rails have experienced population declines, breeding range retractions, and reductions in number of breeding locations within its core range. In the Southeast U.S., most remnant populations occur in high elevation marshes near or along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, a habitat particularly vulnerable to development pressure, altered hydrological patterns, Phragmites and fire ant invasion, sea-level rise, and incompatible management practices. Research priorities identified by consensus of government and non-government partners include (1) extensive surveys of appropriate habitat using a standardized protocol specific to Black Rails, and (2) basic life history research including nest success and factors limiting productivity, and habitat requirements of breeding, transient, and wintering birds.<br><br>This project addresses multiple research and technical assistance objectives to address the above priorities: Employ automated telemetry on a known population of Black Rails (St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge) to (1) estimate Black Rail vital rates; (2) estimate breeding and wintering home ranges and habitat selection; and (3) quantify diel patterns of activity. Collect biological samples to evaluate (4) migratory origins of wintering Black Rails using stable isotopes. Additionally, (5) devise, implement, and evaluate modifications of existing marsh bird protocols to improve the applicability to Black Rails. Finally, (6) coordinate USFWS-funded comprehensive marsh bird surveys on southeast national wildlife refuges.	Black rails (Laterallus jamaicensis) have experienced population declines, breeding range retractions, and reductions in number of breeding locations within its core range, and the species is currently under review by the USFWS for protection under the Endangered Species Act. With the species facing an array of threats, research priorities identified by consensus of government and non-government partners include (1) extensive surveys of appropriate habitat using a standardized protocol specific to black rails, and (2) basic life history research including nest success and factors limiting productivity, and habitat requirements of breeding, transient, and wintering birds. This work will directly inform the status assessment for the black rail’s candidacy for protection under the ESA. The work will also address information needs identified by coalitions of conservation groups and management agencies. This work is being conducted by a collaboration of partners in USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the University of Georgia. This project includes multiple research and technical assistance components to address the research priorities identified by conservation partners. The work will produce estimates of vital rate parameters usable in predictive population models supporting decision making, and the work will provide modifications of existing marsh bird protocols to better monitor this secretive species.
Assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in the Upper Conasauga River, Georgia	September 2018	The project will evaluate the prevalence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals along a disturbance gradient in the upper Conasauga River and relate that prevalence to intersex in fish.	During FY18, lab experiments in which Japanese medaka and tricolor shiners were exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals were completed successfully. Analysis of metabolites in fish liver and mucous also were completed, but statistical analysis remain to be completed. The final analysis will be determined in consultation with quantitative biologists at EPA and USGS and will evaluate relationships between environmental variable and oocyte numbers at the individual-fish level. Manuscripts for the controlled lab experiment and UCR intersex model are nearing completion and are expected to be submitted for peer review in fall 2018. Preliminary qualitative results have been presented at a variety of international/national/regional/state scientific meetings including the American Fisheries Society (AFS), the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Southern Division - AFS, and Georgia Chapter of AFS.
Impacts of Rabbit Hunting on Northern Bobwhite Demographics and Behavior	August 2021	Management of early successional habitat for northern bobwhites often provides habitat for other species, such as rabbits, with similar habitat preferences. This positive by-product creates additional opportunities for those who participate in small-game hunting. However, the concurrent pursuit of two species with similar habitat requirements may create conflicts among hunters or affect the demography or behavior of one or both of the species. Rabbit hunting, in particular, has the potential to disrupt bobwhite movements and behavior given the nature of pursuit involving large hunting parties and packing dogs. This disruption may subsequently affect bobwhite survival and/or bobwhite hunter satisfaction. This study focuses on effects of hunting at one Georgia DNR Wildlife Management Area in which activities of the two types of hunters are separated in time. Specifically, the study investigates whether rabbit hunting activity disrupts bobwhite behavior sufficiently to impact bird demography and consequently bobwhite hunter satisfaction.	Management of early successional habitat for northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) may provide as a byproduct habitat suitable for other species, such as rabbits (Silvilagus floridanus). Although this association creates additional sport hunting opportunities on the same site, concurrent pursuit of harvest objectives for two co-occurring species may create conflicts among hunters or affect demography or behavior of one or both species. Wildlife management agencies seek to increase opportunities for hunting on public areas, and strategies that appear to provide added opportunity for the same management effort are highly attractive to agencies. However, such strategies can have deleterious consequences if hunting activities directed at one species disrupts populations of the other species, ultimately leading to decreased satisfaction among hunters of that species. This research is conducted in collaboration with Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the University of Georgia. Research results will inform the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on costs – in terms of population performance and hunter satisfaction – for the perceived benefits of coincidental habitat and harvest management for two co-occurring species.
Environmental Stressors and Priority Plant Communities on Jekyll Island, Georgia	May 2020	Jekyll Island is a Georgia barrier island that supports developed tourism amenities and a residential community, but is also a state park that is committed to conserving and managing most of the island's area as natural habitat. Natural areas on Jekyll Island are facing a multitude of environmental stresses, most of whose root causes are anthropogenic. Sea level rise, climate change, altered surface and groundwater hydrology, fire suppression, invasive species, land development, and altered wildlife abundances can all affect the dynamics of vegetation communities. Many of Jekyll Island’s vegetation communities are locally or globally rare, unique to barrier islands, and highly regarded for their aesthetic and recreational values, all of which create a strong impetus for conserving the integrity of these vegetation communities and ecosystems. However, formulating natural areas management strategies is a complex challenge because of the simultaneous multiple stressors that are impacting plant communities, and the diverse range of ecological and social objectives – from biodiversity conservation and climate resilience, to tourism amenities and educational opportunities – that the Jekyll Island Authority’s mission seeks to balance. To surmount these complexities, this project combines three suites of scientific studies to (1) investigate the effects of multiple stressors on vegetation structure and dynamics in three high-priority plant communities, (2) integrate field and existing data on expected management outcomes into a decision support framework, and (3) evaluate stakeholder attitudes toward management options. This approach will deliver relevant, novel ecological information on the consequences of ecological stressors on high-priority natural areas, contextualized in terms of management options, in order to facilitate the Jekyll Island Authority in conservation planning. The findings delivered from the social research component will allow JIA managers to evaluate the potential tradeoffs, synergies, and leverage points between ecological conservation strategies and the values held by diverse stakeholders.	Jekyll Island is a Georgia barrier island that supports developed tourism amenities and a residential community, but it is also a state park that is committed to conserving and managing most of the island's area as natural habitat. Formulating natural areas management strategies is a complex challenge because of the simultaneous multiple stressors that are impacting plant communities, and the diverse range of ecological and social objectives – from biodiversity conservation and climate resilience, to tourism amenities and educational opportunities – that the Jekyll Island Authority’s mission seeks to balance. Jekyll Island is a prototypical example of a place that is vulnerable to both environmental stressors and the direct human stressor of being “loved to death.” This work will have relevance to the management of other barrier islands faced with similar threats. Partners in this work are USGS, the University of Georgia, and the Jekyll Island Authority. This work is expected to deliver relevant, novel ecological information on the consequences of ecological stressors on high-priority natural areas, contextualized in terms of management options, to facilitate the Jekyll Island Authority in conservation planning.
Adaptive Management of Federal Investments to Great Lakes Restoration Activities	September 2021	The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is a large federal program aimed at protecting and restoring the largest system of surface freshwater in the world. Among its project portfolios are efforts to prioritize terrestrial conservation projects to increase habitat connectivity for species of conservation importance to GLRI partners. Anthropogenic land uses can reduce native wildlife species’ ability to move through landscapes, potentially obstructing the movement of non-volant species to climate refuges to the north. An area of focus of the GLRI is the support of decisions aimed at restoring and conserving areas that link habitats across the complex of federal-owned lands in the ecoregion. The principal scientific partners in this work are USGS and the University of Georgia, and client partners consist of federal agencies involved in the GLRI. This work will produce analyses of landscape connectivity under alternative future scenarios and will quantify local-level contributions to regional-scale connectivity. This granular information will aid decision makers charged with choosing conservation acquisitions and actions aimed at maintaining high levels of connectivity in the face of uncertain future landscapes.	The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is a large federal program aimed at protecting and restoring the largest system of surface freshwater in the world. Among its project portfolios are efforts to prioritize terrestrial conservation projects to increase habitat connectivity for species of conservation importance to GLRI partners. Anthropogenic land uses can reduce native wildlife species’ ability to move through landscapes, potentially obstructing the movement of non-volant species to climate refuges to the north. An area of focus of the GLRI is the support of decisions aimed at restoring and conserving areas that link habitats across the complex of federal-owned lands in the ecoregion. The principal scientific partners in this work are USGS and the University of Georgia, and client partners consist of federal agencies involved in the GLRI. This work will produce analyses of landscape connectivity under alternative future scenarios and will quantify local-level contributions to regional-scale connectivity. This granular information will aid decision makers charged with choosing conservation acquisitions and actions aimed at maintaining high levels of connectivity in the face of uncertain future landscapes.
Accelerating Conservation of At-Risk Species in the Longleaf System	June 2022	The Southeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working actively with state wildlife agencies and other partners, through the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to assess the status of >300 species awaiting reviews for listing decision and to implement conservation for these species on public and private lands. The longleaf pine ecological system supports a number of priority at-risk species, including the gopher tortoise, striped newt, gopher frog, southern hognose snake, and Florida pine snake. Major science needs are to analyze and integrate new information from status surveys for this group of species and to identify those conservation actions to improve the status of these species. By involving partner groups in this work, this project will synthesize data for these priority species and will develop models that predict population viability as a consequence of predicted exogenous threats (e.g., climate change and land use conversion) and conservation actions in space and time to mitigate those threats. These products will be delivered in form that facilitates a future formal decision analysis in which tradeoffs in alternative conservation actions may be explored.	The Southeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working actively with state wildlife agencies and other partners to assess the status of >300 species awaiting reviews for listing decision and to implement conservation for these species on public and private lands. The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem supports several species of priority at-risk species, including the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), gopher frog (Rana capito), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus); for these species, there has been no comprehensive effort to synthesize information and identify knowledge gaps for their conservation. Conservation agencies face an immense workload in assessing the status of numerous species and formulating conservation actions in response. By taking a comprehensive view of species within an ecosystem, the expectation is that efficiencies for planning conservation action will emerge, compared to a piece-by-piece approach. This work relies on a collaboration between USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Georgia, and several state, federal, and NGO partners. By involving partner groups in this work, the project is expected to synthesize data for the five priority species above and to develop models that predict population viability as a consequence of predicted exogenous threats (e.g., climate change and land use conversion) and conservation actions in space and time to mitigate those threats. These products will be delivered in a form that facilitates a future formal decision analysis in which tradeoffs in alternative conservation actions may be explored.
Assess Field- and Landscape-Level Effects of NRCS Conservation Practices on Gopher Tortoise Habitat	August 2020	The Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service provides financial incentives for private landowners to manage their lands in ways that enhance habitat suitability for wildlife species of conservation concern, including the gopher tortoise. This project has two purposes: (1) assess how well WLFW has delivered conservation benefit on enrolled properties with respect to habitat and population metrics, and (2) develop enhancements in population assessment technology to more sensitively gauge how tortoise populations respond to conservation actions in short time frames.	The NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) program for the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) was initiated in 2013, with enrollments in the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The program provides incentive payments to private landowners for implementing habitat management practices believed to promote sustainability of tortoise populations, but there has been no assessment of whether WLFW is achieving its goals and no identification of challenges in its implementation. A component of this research addresses enhancements to the field survey protocol used across the range of the tortoise; thus the management community will have a better tool to quantify tortoise populations. The research will also help determine if the allocation of public dollars to incentivize private landowners is having the intended effect and will further clarify how tortoise populations respond to habitat management actions across the range. Partners from USGS, NRCS, the University of Georgia, and the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center are collaborating on this project. The implementation of an improved survey tool will provide more precision to management decision making. The work is also expected to inform NRCS about the effectiveness of the WLFW program in meeting habitat objectives and to identify attributes (local to landscape scale) that contribute to or impinge on the meeting of objectives.
Demographic Estimation and Conservation Modeling for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle	June 2020	Successful recovery of the threatened loggerhead sea turtle will hinge on decisions about where to invest limited resources into conservation actions, and these decisions will be informed by predictions of population response to each action. This study focuses on the development of decision or scenario planning models for the northern recovery unit of the turtle. We will first construct a demographic model by integrating data from various sources, including genetic mark-recapture data, nest counts, and in-water monitoring data. Next, we will outfit this model as a scenario/decision analysis tool and simulate the model to product output of use to managers. The main purpose of the model is to help state agency resource managers in the northern recovery unit discern the relative efficacy of actions under their control, to assess the relative contributions of stressors so that broad scope conservation strategies may be devised, and to identify key uncertainties in sea turtle demography to which targeted information gathering would yield more effective conservation delivery.	Decision-making aimed at recovering the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) from threatened status is dependent on models that evaluate population vulnerability to an array of potential threats and that assess trade-offs of alternative conservation actions. Crucial uncertainties in population mechanisms exist, and demographic models can be used to identify those uncertainties to which targeted information gathering would yield more effective conservation delivery. Conservation management for loggerhead sea turtles is uncertain because key mechanisms and components of the population are unknown, and no framework exists to evaluate trade-offs of alternative actions in the face of this uncertainty. This work will provide the needed framework to advance conservation for the turtle, and it will provide a blueprint for model development and decision analysis for related conservation problems hampered by uncertainty. This work is a collaboration between USGS, the University of Georgia, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This work will result in a population model that integrates multiple sources of data including genetic mark-recapture, nest counts, and in-water surveys, and it will be outfit as a scenario/decision analysis tool for generating demographic output of use to managers. Among possible scenarios investigated are those that trade off one form of management for another if total resources for conservation are capped.
Statistical Support for NPS Southeast Region I&M Networks	July 2019	We are helping the NPS develop sampling designs and providing guidance for statistical analysis for data collected from long-term monitoring protocols by multiple Inventory & Monitoring Networks within the Southeast Region.	The National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program was introduced into more than 200 parks, where the NPS is charged with developing monitoring protocols for vital signs. To meet this important charge, the NPS, the Georgia Unit, and the University of Georgia partnered to develop objectives and statistical protocols for NPS monitoring programs within the Southeast Region. Several analyses of pilot survey data for amphibians, reptiles, and water quality were completed and informed development of I&M Standard Operating Procedures. This project completed a PhD-level Research Professional IV and led to an ongoing partnership with the NPS.
Develop Adaptive Management Framework for Robust Redhorse	November 2021	Structured decision making and scenario forecasting are being used in collaboration with several stakeholders to evaluate alternative conservation strategies for Robust Redhorse.	Robust Redhorse (<i>Moxostoma robustum</i>) is a native freshwater fish species, which inhabits a few river systems on the Atlantic slope of the southeastern U.S., and is considered imperiled. The species faces threats such as sedimentation and migration barriers created by hydropower dams. Some evidence suggests a potential population decline in recent years. A diverse group of stakeholders exists for supporting conservation efforts for Robust Redhorse. The Georgia Unit has been collaborating with the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee (a partnership that includes federal agencies, state agencies, and utility companies) to develop an adaptive management framework to help stakeholders make informed management decisions. This project is helping to support a PhD student in the Interdisciplinary Conservation program at the University of Georgia. The objectives of the project include assessing current population status for each Robust Redhorse ecologically significant unit (ESU) and conducting scenario forecasts for each ESU to investigate population viability under different conservation strategies. The results from the forecasting models will then help decision makers identify preferable management options.
Assessment of Trout Management in Georgia	December 2019	We conducted a collaborative assessment to help GA DNR update or formulate a trout management strategy that will satisfy a plurality of GA’s trout anglers and be relatively robust to identified critical uncertainties. The overarching goal for this project is to increase both the amount and usability of socioecological information available to managers when making fisheries management decisions.	The northern part of Georgia is home to the native Brook Trout, but Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout are now considered to be naturalized in the state. In the early 2000s, a comprehensive management program (i.e., the “Georgia Trout Management Plan”) was developed around five major categories: 1) Trout Habitat Conservation; 2) Wild Trout Management; 3) Management of Hatchery Supported Waters; 4) Hatchery Production Program; and 5) Access and Angler Use Issues. The efficacy of this plan is a question of immediate interest to fishery managers at GA Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This project is a collaboration of the Fisheries Section of GA DNR, the University of Georgia, and the Georgia Unit. A stakeholder survey was completed in 2017. A corresponding student-led paper, which included an importance-satisfaction analysis of catch and noncatch attributes, was published in 2019 in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management. Two MS students have completed degree requirements. Local, regional, and national presentations have been provided along with several interactions with GA DNR to report findings in an effort to increase socioecological information available to managers when making fisheries management decisions, such as choosing among potential future stocking scenarios.
Integrating Metapopulation Ecology and Landscape Ecology for Improved Population Viability Analysis and Conservation Decision-Making	December 2017	Provide assistance with population viability analysis related to recovery planning for the federally-threatened Chiricahua leopard frog in Southern Arizona.	Some populations exist as fragmented subpopulations linked by dispersal. Metapopulation theory is applicable when a species occurs in a set of habitat patches within a landscape dominated by unsuitable habitat. Effective management relies on understanding factors affecting population dynamics. Objectives of this project include improving linkages between metapopulation and landscape ecology by applying spatially-explicit metapopulation models and providing assistance with population viability analysis related to recovery planning for the federally-threatened Chiricahua leopard frog in Southern Arizona. This research was conducted in collaboration with the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative.
Develop an Adaptive Management Framework to Reduce the Impact of Invasive Phragmites in the Great Lakes Basin	September 2021	This project will develop decision support tools for Phragmites management in the Great Lakes Basin. This effort will develop dynamic system models and decision support tools for Phragmites management that are informed by on-the-ground data. The new integrated approach will build on existing successful programs and resources (e.g., the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC), structured decision making at the local land-unit scale, Best Management Practices (BMP) guidelines), develop much needed new components (e.g., standardized scalable monitoring protocol, centralized data management system, larger scale state/transition models, expanded BMP toolkit), and put in place a strategic information stream to support decision makers. Development of the integrated approach will need to be a multi-institution effort to both take advantage of existing investments and maximize basin-wide participation and investment by resource managers. Success of this project will result in a framework for using adaptive management to manage Phragmites on the patch and landscape scale.	Wetland invasion by Phragmites australis (common reed) in the Great Lakes coastal zone is a significant ecosystem and economic threat recognized by the public, NGOs, and governmental agencies at all levels. Although a tremendous amount of time and energy has been invested in invasive Phragmites management and control, the plant continues to be a regional threat (estimated at over 24,000 ha in 2010). Best approaches for the control of Phragmites are uncertain, and current management attempts are disjointed and have not been informative to other efforts. This project will provide a framework in which results from management actions across the region can be synthesized and converted into knowledge useful for further rounds of decision making. This work involves a scientific collaboration among three principal partners – the USGS, University of Georgia, and the Great Lakes Commission – and voluntary participation in the program occurs across a diversity of landowners including federal, state, and local government organizations, NGOs, and private individuals. The research has led to models, monitoring methods, and a decision support infrastructure that has successfully been implemented as an adaptive management system, the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). Participants enrolled in PAMF receive management guidance for invaded sites, and they contribute data to the program that are informative for adaptive refinements of the system models.
Uncertainty and the Entanglement of Habitat Loss and Fragmentation Effects in the Management of Northern Bobwhites and Eastern Meadowlarks	February 2016	This project evaluates threats to important grassland bird habitats of the Gulf Coast Prairie resulting through oil and gas development, changes in land ownership patterns, and invasive species. We will build models that project results of these drivers under future economic scenarios and that predict the consequences of management alternatives intended to ameliorate these drivers. We will also identify the drivers of habitat fragmentation so that actions can be designed to minimize threats to high-risk areas.	None
An Adaptive Landscape Planning and Decision Framework for Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Conservation	June 2018	Our project goal is to develop a decision support system for the iterative selection of conservation actions that leads to a viable landscape supporting the statewide tortoise population and associated species and communities of interest. We will approach this goal by using principles of structured decision making, in which the decision maker, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), is directly involved in the articulation of objectives, the definition of alternative actions, and the development of predictive models to evaluate consequences of different actions. Key uncertainties that make the decision difficult will be identified with DNR and incorporated into the decision making framework. This work will result in an integrated system of databases, computer algorithms, and monitoring designs that provides a mostly automated process for decision making under uncertainty and for acquiring information to reduce uncertainty.	The rangewide decline of populations of gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) led to its designation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as “warranted but precluded” for listing in the eastern portion of the species range. The state of Georgia has undertaken a concerted effort to conserve the tortoise, associated species, and isolated communities of concern within its borders. A decision to list the gopher tortoise across its range is expected to incur significant costs and burdens to the citizens of Georgia; therefore, the state of Georgia is motivated to preclude its listing by investing in science-based conservation efforts. Although the state has an array of management options available, including purchase of lands, establishment of conservation easements, and providing habitat management incentives to landowners, it lacks an objective means to evaluate benefits and tradeoffs among them under uncertainties about biological responses and future patterns of land use and climate change. The main client/partner of this project was the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and other partners involved in this effort included the USDI Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, the University of Georgia, the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, and USGS. The work resulted in gopher tortoise population models and a decision framework that identifies sets of contiguous land parcels that maximize attributes pertaining to tortoise population viability. Georgia DNR may use this model to evaluate alternative land protection strategies to select those that efficiently meet conservation goals.
Validating Gopher Tortoise Habitat and Population Predictions for Georgia	December 2016	This project seeks the collection of fine-scale habitat data at sites that are occupied by gopher tortoises and at reference sites where tortoises are not found to assess performance of current habitat prediction models and to investigate their improvement through the use of other spatial data products. We also explore whether habitat conditions and extent predict gopher tortoise population size, and whether different forest management practices are predictive of those conditions.
Landscape Level Population Modeling as a Decision Support Tool for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken	September 2017	Under this project, we use spatially explicit population models to characterize the viability of the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) under various future conservation scenarios. This modeling effort will provide the prediction of future conditions for the species following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Species Status Assessment framework to support future decisions under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) related to drafting recovery criteria, proposing designation of critical habitat, and implementing a range of conservation efforts.
Growth of spotted and largemouth bass	May 2016	John Perry, University of Georgia: Growth rates of spotted and largemouth bass on three Georgia lakes. Senior Thesis (in progress).	None
Brook Trout Population Analysis	December 2014	Hayley Glassic, University of Georgia: Evaluating stream restoration efforts for eastern brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Senior Thesis, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia (2014).	None

Research Publications

Research Publications	Publication Date
Thomson, D. L., M. J. Conroy, D. R. Anderson, K. P. Burnham, E. G. Cooch, C. M. Francis, J. D. Lebreton, M. S. Lindberg, B. J. T. Morgan, D. L. Otis, and G. C. White. 2009. Standardizing terminology and notation for the analysis of demographic processes in marked populations, pp 1099-1106 in Modeling Demographic Processes in Marked Populations, Environmental and Ecological Statistics 3. Thomson, D.L., E.G. Cooch, and M.J. Conroy (Eds.). Springer, New York, NY. \| Publisher Website	April 2009
Zimpfer, N. L., and M. J. Conroy. Movement and fidelity rates of American black ducks. J. Wildl. Manage. 70:1770-1777.	November 2006
Zimpfer, N. L., and M. J. Conroy 2006. Models of production rates in American black duck populations. J. Wildl. Manage. 70:947-954	October 2006
Ziegeweid, J. R., C. A. Jennings, and D. L. Peterson. 2008. Thermal maxia for juvenile shortnose sturgeon acclimated to different temperatures. Environmental Biology of Fishes 82:299-307.	August 2008
Ziegeweid, J. R., C. A. Jennings, D. L. Peterson, M. C. Black. 2008. Effects of temperature, salinity, and body size on the survival of juvenile shortnose sturgeon. Transactions of American Fisheries Society 137:1490-1499.	October 2008
Wirgin, I., D. Currie, J. Stabile, and C. A. Jennings. 2004. Development and use of a simple DNA test to distinguish larval redhorses (Moxostoma) species in the Oconee River, Georgia. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:293-298.	February 2004
Williams, B. K., J. D. Nichols, and M. J. Conroy. 2002. Analysis and management of animal populations. Academic Press .	April 2002
Will, T. A., T. R. Reinert, and C. A. Jennings. 2002. Maturation and Fecudity of a stock-enhanced population of striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), in the Savannah River Estuary, USA. Journal of Fish Biology 60:532-544.	April 2002
Will, T. A., T. R. Reinert, C. A. Jennings. 2002. Maturation and fecundity of a stock-enhanced population of striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), in the Savannah River Estuary, U. S. A. Journal of Fish Biology 60:532-544	April 2002
Whiteman, E. A., C. A. Jennings, and R. S. Nemeth. 2005. Sex structure and potential fecundity in a Epinephelus guttatus spawning aggregation: applying ultrasonic imaging. Journal of Fish Biology 66:983-995.	March 2005
Weyers, R. S., C. A. Jennings, and M. C. Freeman. 2003. Growth and survival of robust redhorse and silver redhorse suckers (Catostomidae)exposed to pulsed, high-velocity water. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 132:84-91.	January 2003
Wenger, S.J, M. C. Freeman, L. A. Fowler, B. J. Freeman, and J. T. Peterson. Conservation planning for imperiled aquatic species in an urbanizing environment. Landscape and Urban Planning 97(1):11-21.	June 2010
Wenger, S. J., J. T. Peterson, M. C. Freeman, B. J. Freeman, D. D. Homans. 2008. Stream fish occurrence in response to impervious cover, historic land use and hydrogeomorphic factors Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 65: 1250?1264	June 2008
Weigel, D. E., J. T. Peterson, and P. Spruell. 2003. The distribution of introgressive hybridization between westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout in the Clearwater Basin, Idaho. Ecological Applications. 13:38-50.	February 2003
Weigel, D. E., J. T. Peterson, and P. Spruell. 2002. A probabilistic model to detect introgression between westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout based on phenotypic characteristics. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society	April 2002
Weber, W., C. A. Jennings, and S. G. Rogers. 2000. Population size and movement patterns of shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, in the Ogeechee River system, Georgia. Proceedings Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 52:18-28.	January 2000
Ward, M. R., D. E. Stallknecht, J. Willis, M. J. Conroy, and W. R. Davidson. 2006. Wild bird mortality and West Nile Virus surveillance: biases associated with detection, reporting, and carcass persistence. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 42:92-106.	January 2006
Walsh, M. G., J. T. Peterson, and T. J. Kwak. 2004. Influence of Long-Term Streamflow Variation on Recruitment of Riverine Fish Populations. Pages 21-25 in J. R. Copeland, F. Fiss, P. E. Balkenbush, and C. S. Thomason, editors. Warmwater streams symposium II. Available online: www. sdafs. org/wwstreams/wwsc1. htm.	February 2004
Wagner, T., S.R. Midway, T. Vidal, B.J. Irwin, and J.R. Jackson. 2016. Detecting unusual temporal patterns in fisheries time series data. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 145:786-794. \| Abstract \| Download	June 2016	Fishery-independent surveys are an important source of information for making inferences about the temporal dynamics of ecologically and recreationally important fisheries. For example, time-series of catch per effort data are often examined for the presence of long-term trends. However, it is also of interest to know if certain sampled locations are exhibiting temporal patterns that deviate from the overall pattern exhibited across all sampled locations. These ‘unusual’ sites may be the result of site-specific abiotic (e.g., habitat) or biotic (e.g., the presence of an invasive species) factors that cause them to respond differently to natural or anthropogenic drivers of population dynamics or to management actions. We present a Bayesian model selection approach that allows for detection of ‘unique’ sites—locations that display temporal patterns with documentable inconsistencies from the overall global average temporal pattern. We apply this modeling approach to long-term gillnet data for yellow perch in Oneida Lake, but the approach is also relevant to shorter time-series data. We used this approach to identify six unique temporal patterns among 15 sampled locations, and describe the magnitude of difference between these patterns and the lake-wide average. Detection of unique sites may be informative to management decisions related to prioritization of rehabilitation or restoration efforts, stocking decisions, determination of fishable areas, and to further understanding changes to ecosystem dynamics.
Wagner, T., B. J. Irwin, J. R. Bence, and D.B. Hayes. 2013. Detecting temporal trends in freshwater fisheries surveys: statistical power and the important linkages between management questions and monitoring objectives. Fisheries 38:309-319. \| Download	July 2013
Vidal, T., B. J. Irwin, C. P. Madenjian, and S. J. Wenger. 2019. Age truncation of alewife in Lake Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2019.06.006	July 2019
Vidal, T. E., B. J. Irwin, T. Wagner, L. G. Rudstam, J. R. Jackson, and J. R. Bence. 2017. Using Variance Structure to Quantify Responses to Perturbation in Fish Catches. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 146:584-593. [Featured Article] \| Abstract	April 2017	Unexpected shifts in the state-space conditions of an ecosystem can result in unintended and undesirable conditions, jeopardizing conservation efforts and efficacy of natural resource management. Previous research has identified general statistical behaviors associated with major ecological shifts, yet reliable prediction of these events remains limited. Development of statistical indicators to detect and forecast large-scale change (i.e., regime shifts) in ecological systems could prove valuable for better understanding population dynamics, continuing effective monitoring of fisheries resources, and allowing for timely management actions. Changes in mean and variance have been previously associated with large-scale shifts in ecosystems; here we provide evidence that source components contributing to total variability may also be responsive to large-scale shifts and therefore have potential as new statistical indicators of ecological response to a changing environment. We present a case study from Oneida Lake in NY that evaluates walleye catch rates over time in response to changes to tropho-dynamics and an exotic species invasion. Our results indicate that variance structure provides insight into how an ecosystem changes across space and through time, and also may serve as an indicator of instability and transition into an alternate stable state.
Tsehaye, I., M. L. Jones, B. J. Irwin, D. G. Fielder, J. E. Breck, and D. R. Luukkonen. 2015. A predictive model to inform adaptive management of double-crested cormorants and fisheries in Michigan. Natural Resource Modeling 28(3):348-376. \| Abstract	August 2015	The proliferation of double-crested cormorants (DCCOs) in North America has raised concerns over their potential negative impacts on game, cultured and forage fishes, island and terrestrial resources, and other colonial water birds, leading to increased demands from angler communities and aquaculturists to reduce their abundance. We developed a predictive model representing bird–fish interactions to help inform an adaptive management process for the control of DCCOs in multiple colonies in Michigan. Comparisons of model predictions with empirical data suggested that our relatively simple model was able to accurately reconstruct DCCO population dynamics during a period of intensive control in the past. Although parameterization of several model components was based on expert opinion or data for related species, we were able to discriminate among alternative parameterizations of demographic processes, especially site fidelity, based on comparisons of model predictions with observations of annual changes in DCCO numbers under management measures implemented from 2004 to 2012. We also identified remaining critical uncertainties in the spatial distribution of affected fish populations relative to the size of DCCO feeding areas, which could be used to prioritize future research and monitoring needs. Using this model, our forecasts suggested that continuation of existing control efforts would be sufficient to achieve long-term DCCO control targets in Michigan. Our model forecasts also suggested that DCCO control may be necessary to achieve management goals for some valued fisheries in Michigan, which were shown to have been impacted by DCCO predation. Finally, our simple DCCO–fish dynamics model could be extended by including more complex assumptions about DCCO and fish population dynamics and can be adopted for other DCCO management programs in North America or elsewhere.
Thurow, R. F., J. T. Peterson, and J. W. Guzevich. 2006. Utility and validation of day and night snorkel counts for estimating bull trout abundance in 1st to 3rd order streams North American Journal of Fish Management. 26:217?232	May 2006
Thomson, D. L., E. G. Cooch, M. J. Conroy. 2008. Modeling Demographic Processes in Marked Populations. Series: Environmental and Ecological Statistics , Vol. 3. Springer.	December 2008
TenHarmsel, H. J., B. B. Boley, B. J. Irwin, and C. A. Jennings. 2021. Perceived constraints and negotiations to trout fishing in Georgia based on angler specialization level. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41:115-129. doi:10.1002/nafm.10540 \| Abstract	February 2021	Anglers face constraints that influence participation and dropout rates. Some recreational anglers may be able to negotiate constraints by altering the timing or frequency of participation, acquiring new skills, or modifying non-recreational aspects such as family or work responsibilities. We consider data collected via a mail survey from Georgia-resident trout license holders to identify both perceived constraints and strategies used to negotiate them. To capture variation among anglers, survey responses were grouped by level of angler specialization using K-means cluster analysis, which resulted in a three-cluster solution of most, moderate, and least specialized anglers. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were used to detect potential differences among the three specialization clusters. Tests revealed the least specialized anglers experienced constraints more frequently (mean=1.74 on a 4-point scale) than the most (1.55) or moderately (1.64) specialized anglers. Likewise, lease specialized anglers negotiated constraints (mean=2.81 on a 5-point scale) less frequently than the most (3.00) or moderately (2.75) specialized anglers. The least specialized anglers used negotiation strategies involving overcoming perceived lack of skill more frequently than their counterparts. The most commonly experienced constraints overall were lack of time due to work or family obligations and distance of Georgia’s trout waters from home. The most frequently used negotiation strategies overall were “learn to enjoy being outside and stress less about catching fish” (mean=3.86/5) and “encourage family or friends to go fishing with me” (mean=3.61/5). This research benefits fishery managers by providing a method of identifying angling groups that perceive more constraints and are less likely to overcome these constraints through constraint negotiation strategies. With this information, managers may choose to tailor efforts towards reducing constraints for angling groups that have low participation and may drop out of the activity all together.
TenHarmsel, H. J., B. B. Boley, B. J. Irwin, and C. A. Jennings. 2019. An importance-satisfaction analysis of trout license holders in Georgia. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 39(6):1227-1241. https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10353	October 2019
Sundmark, A. P. and C. A. Jennings. 2017. Influence of Lake Surface Area and Total Phosphorus on Annual Bluegill Growth in Small Impoundments of Central Georgia. Southeastern Naturalist 16(4):546-566.	December 2017
Stevens, K., Irwin, B. Kramer, D., and Urquhart, G. 2014. Impact of increasing market access on a tropical small-scale fishery. Marine Policy 50:46-52. \| Abstract	May 2014	Small-scale fisheries have historically been marginalized in management and policy investments, and they often remain under-reported in national economic and fisheries statistics. Even so, small-scale fisheries are not entirely buffered from the impacts of globalization, such as the introduction and expansion of markets. This study measures the long-term impact of market-access on a coastal fishery on Nicaragua’s remote Atlantic Coast from approximately the time when fishermen had access to stable and predictable local markets until the present, when the region has been transformed by road connection. In the last four years, fisheries trade has expanded as road connection has facilitated export to distant markets. We used fishery-independent surveys to measure changes in indicators of fish-community status such as length-frequency, mean trophic level, and relative biomass. We also evaluated species-level changes in relative biomass of common snook Centropomus undecimalis and gafftopsail catfish Bagre marinus since these species are the most economically valuable and likely account for the most fish biomass in the system. Using historical records, reports, current observations and interviews, we assess changes in indicators of fishing intensity and market access over the past 17 years. From 1994 to 2011, community and species-specific metrics of the lagoon fishery declined significantly across all indicators. The potential social and economic outcomes of the decline in the fishery are far-reaching for the region, because this tropical fishery comprises the main source of protein and income for residents of twelve indigenous and Afro-descendent communities.
Steven J. Cooke, S. T., C. M. Bunt, S. J. Hamilton, C. A. Jennings, M. P. Pearson, M. S. Cooperman, and D. F. Markle. 2005. Threats, conservation strategies, and prognosis for suckers (Catostomidae) in North America: insights from regional case studies of a diverse family of non-game fishes. Biololgical Conservation 121:317-331.	February 2005
Sitompul, A. F., J. P. Carroll, J. Peterson, and S. Hedges. 2008 Modelling Impacts of Poaching on the Sumatran Elephant Population in Way Kambas National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Gajah 28: 31-40	August 2008
Shoults-Wilson, W.A., J. T. Peterson, J. M. Unrine, J. Rickar, M. C. Black. The Asian clam Corbicula fluminea as a biomonitor of trace element contamination: Accounting for different sources of variation using an hierarchical linear model. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 28:2224-2232.	September 2009
Shea, C. P., and J. T. Peterson. An evaluation of the relative influence of habitat complexity and habitat stability on fish assemblage structure in unregulated and regulated reaches of a large southeastern warmwater stream. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 136:943?958.	July 2007
Senar, J. C., and M. J. Conroy. 2004. Multi-state analysis of the impacts of avian pox on a population of Serins (Serinus serinus): the importance of estimating recapture rates. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation. 27. 1: 133-146.	January 2005
Senar, J. C., M. J. Conroy, L. M. Carrascal, J. Domenech, I. Mozetich, and F. Uribe. 1999. Identifying sources of heterogeneity in capture probabilities: An example with the Great Tit (Parus major). Bird Study 46(Suppl):S245-252.	November 1999
Senar, J. C., M. J. Conroy and A. Borras. 2002. Microgeographical adaptation in a highly dispersing species: a metapopulation analysis of the Citril Finch. J. Applied Statistics 29(1-3):425-442.	February 2002
Senar, J. C., J. Domenech, and M. J. Conroy. 1999. Funnel traps capture a higher proportion of juvenile Great Tits than automatic traps. Ringing and Migration 19:257-259.	November 1999
Sanderlin, JS, BC Faircloth, B Chamblin, and MJ Conroy. 2009. Tetranucleotide microsatellite loci from the black bear (Ursus americanus). Molecular Ecology Resources 9: 288-291.	January 2009
Sanchez-Rubio, G. and C. A. Jennings. 2015. Identifying and Evaluating the Distribution of Fishes, Crab, and Shrimp in the Savannah River Estuary. Final Project Report submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers. Savannah, GA. 53 pp.	June 2015
Runstrom, A. L., B. Vondracek, and C. A. Jennings. 2001. Population statistics for paddlefish in the Wisconsin River. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 130:546-566.	September 2001
Runge, J. R., J. T. Peterson, C. R. Martin. 2008. Survival and dispersal of hatchery-raised rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss)in a river basin undergoing urbanization. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 28:745?757	March 2008
Ruiz, J., and J. T. Peterson. An Evaluation of the Relative Influence of Spatial, Statistical, and Biological Factors on the Accuracy of Stream Fish Species Presence Models. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 136:1640-1653.	December 2007
Ruetz, C. R., and C. A. Jennings. 2000. Swimming performance of larval robust redhorse and low-velocity habitat modeling in the Oconne River, Georgia. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129:398-407.	January 2000
Rudstam, L. G., J. R. Jackson, A. J. VanDeValk, T. E. Brooking, W. W. Fetzer, B. J. Irwin, and J. L. Forney. 2016. Walleye and yellow perch in Oneida Lake - revisiting a coupled predator-prey system. Pages 319-354 in L. G. Rudstam, E. L. Mills, J. R. Jackson, and D. J. Stewart, editors. Oneida Lake: Long-term Dynamics of a Managed Ecosystem and its Fisheries. \| Publisher Website	February 2016
Roop, H.J., N.C. Poudyal, and C. A. Jennings. 2018. Assessing angler effort, catch, and harvest on a multi-lake fishery in middle Georgia. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 38:833-841 (DOI) - 10.1002/nafm.10179	April 2018
Roop, H. J., N. C. Poudyal, and C. A. Jennings. FSP initiated. Fishing preferences, angling behavior, and attitudes towards management: a comparison between White and Non-white Anglers. Human Dimensions of Wildlife. https://doi.org/10.1080/10871209.2020.1794082 \| Abstract	July 2020	Recent trends in outdoor recreation in the United States show declining participation in consumptive outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing, primarily because of a decline in per capita participation among certain ethnic groups, largely due to structural change in demography. In Georgia, the proportion of Whites, which have comprised the largest segment of the recreation resource user base, is declining while the share of other racial groups (i.e., Non-whites) is increasing. Fishery managers benefit by knowing if White anglers differ from Non-white anglers in attributes such as demographic characteristics and fishing behavior and preferences. In this study, we compared the racial differences on angling metrics and other attitudinal variables from an intensively managed fishery. There significant differences between user groups in many of the attributes measured. Differences in demographics, sportfish preference, and harvest-orientated behavior confirm that the White and Non-white anglers constitute two distinct segments of this fishery, and these findings, albeit from one study area, may be applicable to other similar fisheries.
Roop, H. J., N. C. Poudyal, and C. A. Jennings. 2018. Efficacy of a passive use-estimation system for estimating fishing effort on a multi-lake fishery. Fisheries Management and Ecology.2018;00:1–3. https://doi.org/10.1111/fme.12315	October 2018
Roop, H. J., N. C. Poudyal, and C. A. Jennings. Catch and harvest of targeted sportfishes at Marben Public Fishing Area in middle Georgia. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 6:28-34.	April 2019
Robinson, K.F., M.R. DuFour, J.L. Fischer, S.J. Herbst, M.L. Jones, L.R. Nathan, T.J. Newcomb. 2023. Lessons Learned in Applying Decision Analysis to Natural Resources Management for High Stakes Issues Surrounded by Uncertainty. Decision Analysis 20: 326-342. https://doi.org/10.1287/deca.2023.0015. \| Abstract	December 2023	Management agencies are tasked with difficult decisions for conservation and management of natural resources. These decisions are difficult because of ecological and social uncertainties, the potential for multiple decision makers from multiple jurisdictions, and the need to account for the diverse values of stakeholders. Decision analysis provides a needed framework for accounting for these difficulties when making conservation and management decisions. We discuss the benefits of the application of decision analysis for these types of issues and provide insights from three case studies from the Laurentian Great Lakes. These case studies describe applications of decision analysis for decisions within an agency (management of double-crested cormorant), among agencies (response to invasive grass carp), and among agencies and stakeholders (sustainable fisheries harvest management). These case studies provide insight into the ways that decision analysis can be useful for conservation and management of natural resources, but we also highlight future needs for decision making for these resources. In particular, applications of decision analysis for conservation and management would benefit from enhanced integration of both ecological and social science, inclusion of a broader base of stakeholders, and partnering with Indigenous peoples to better include traditional knowledge in these important decisions.
Robinson, K.F., M.L. Jones, R. Clark, B. Roth, J. Jonas, I. Tsehaye, M. Kornis, B. Turschak, D. O'Keefe, B. Brenton. 2023. Updated decision analysis to inform multi-species salmonine management in Lake Michigan. NCTC Cooperator Science Series. \| Download	November 2023
Robinson, K.F., E. Baker, E. Ewing, V. Hemming, M. Kenney, M. Runge. 2023. Decision analysis to advance environmental sustainability. Decision Analysis 20:243-251. https://doi.org/10.1287/deca.2023.intro.v20.n4.	December 2023
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2014. A comparison of resident fish communities in managed and unmanaged coastal wetlands in North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. Southeastern Naturalist 13:(2):237-260. \| Abstract	May 2014	The dominant fish species within impounded coastal wetlands in the southeastern United States may be different from the species that dominate natural marshes. We tested the hypothesis that resident fish assemblages inhabiting impounded coastal wetlands in South Carolina would differ from resident assemblages in natural marshes of the southeastern United States. We used rarefied species richness, Shannon’s H’ diversity, J’ evenness,used Morisita’s Index of Similarity and the Percent Similarity Index to compare resident fish assemblages from two three years of impoundments fish samples to 12 open-marsh resident fish assemblages from previously published studies in North and South Carolina. Fish assemblages in impoundments were sampled with rotenone, and assemblages in natural marsh habitat were sampled with rotenone and seines. Comparisons yielding an index similarity index ≥ 0.50 were deemed moderately similar and those with an index ≥ 0.75 were deemed very similar. Fifty-three percent of the among-impoundment comparisons (Morisita’s Index) were at least moderately similar, whereas 67% of impoundment-natural marsh comparisons were moderately similar. The best-fitting model for describing the observed similarity indicesMorisita’s Indices contained only a difference in tidal influence. A difference in tidal influence between the compared assemblages caused a 63% decrease in the index of similarity. Species richness and diversity were greater in impoundments than natural marshes, but evenness was similar between habitat types. Our results support the hypothesis that resident fish assemblages in impounded wetlands and natural marshes are different, and in our system, a lack of tidal influence drives this difference.
Robinson, K.F. (2024) Review of the SFHA SDM Process: a Report to the Delta Science Program. Delta Stewardship Council. San Francisco, CA. \| Download \| Publisher Website	June 2024
Robinson, K. F. and C. A. Jennings. 2014. Productivity of functional guilds of fishes in managed wetlands in coastal South Carolina. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 5(1):70-86. \| Abstract	June 2014	In coastal South Carolina, many wetlands are impounded and managed as migratory waterfowl habitat. Impoundment effects on fish production and habitat quality largely are unknown. We used the size frequency method to estimate summer production of fish guilds in three impoundments along the Combahee River, South Carolina. We predicted that guild-specific production would vary with impoundment salinity, which ranged from three to 21 psu. We expected greatest marine migrant production in the impoundment with the highest salinity regime and greatest freshwater migrant and freshwater straggler production in the impoundment with the lowest salinity regime. Finally, we expected that estuarine species would be highly productive in all study impoundments, as these species can reproduce within these structures. We found that guild-specific productivity varied both among years and among impoundments, generally following salinity gradients, though to a lesser extent than expected. Our guild-specific estimates of fish productivity fell on the low end of the range of previously published estuarine fish production estimates. Additionally, we observed large mortality events in the study impoundments each summer. The results of our study indicate that during the summer, the study impoundments provided poor quality fish habitat to all guilds.
Robinson, K. F. and C. A. Jennings. 2012. Maximizing Age-0 Spot export form a South Carolina estuary: an evaluation of coastal impoundment management via structured decision making. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 4(1):156-172.	April 2012
Rieman, B. E., J. T. Peterson, J. Clayton, P. Howell, R. F. Thurow, W. Thompson, and D. C. Lee. 2001. Evaluation of the potential effects of federal land management alternatives on the trends of salmonids and their habitats in the Interior Columbia River Basin. Journal of Forest Ecology and Management	August 2001
Reinert, T. R., and J. T. Peterson. 2008. Modeling the Effects of Potential Salinity Shifts on the Recovery of Striped Bass in the Savannah River Estuary, Georgia-South Carolina, U. S. Environmental Management. 41:753-765	April 2008
Reinert, T. R., T. A Will, C. A. Jennings, and W. T. Davin. 2003. Use of egg surrogates to estimate sampling efficiency of striped bass eggs in the Savannah River. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:704-710.	May 2004
Reinert, T. R., J. E. Wallin, M. C. Griffin, M. J. Conroy and M. J. Van Den Avyle. 1998. Long-term retention and detection of oxytetracycline marks applied to hatchery-reared larval striped bass. Canadian Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences 55(3):539-543.	March 1998
Reinert, T. R., C. A. Jennings, T. A. Will, and J. E. Wallin. 2005. Decline and recovery of striped bass in a Southeastern US Estuary. Fisheries 30(3):18-25.	March 2005
Reinert, T. R. and C. A. Jennings. 2011. Effect of egg sampling efficiency on estimates of historic striped bass egg production in the Savannah River Estuary, Georgia-South Carolina. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 65:71-77.	April 2012
Reiman, B. E., J. T. Peterson, and D. L. Myers. 2006. Have Brook Trout Displaced Bull Trout in Streams of Central Idaho ?: An Empirical Analysis of Distributions Along Elevation and Thermal Gradients Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63: 63-78.	April 2006
Rabeni, C. F., J. Lyons., N. Mercado-Silva, J. T. Peterson. 2009. Warmwater Fish in Wadeable Streams, chapter 4 in Standard Sampling Methods for North American Freshwater Fishes. S. Bonar, D. Willis and W. Hubert, editors.	August 2009
Price, A.L. and J.T. Peterson. Estimation and Modeling of Electrofishing and Seining Capture Efficiency for Fishes in Wadeable Warmwater Streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management	April 2010
Powell, L. A., M. J. Conroy, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols, and D. G. Krementz. 2000. Simultaneous use of mark-recapture and radiotelemetry to estimate survival, movement, and capture rates. Journal of Wildlife Management 64:302-313	January 2000
Powell, L. A., M. J. Conroy, G. D. Balkcom, and J. N. Caudell. 2004. Urban Canada geese in Georgia: assessing a golf course survey and a nuisance relocation program. Proceedings of the 2003 International Canada Goose Symposium: 135-139.	September 2004
Powell, L. A., J. D. Lang, M. J. Conroy, and D. G. Kremetz. 2000. Effects of forest management on density, survival, and population growth of wood thrushes. Journal of Wildlife Management 64:11-23.	January 2000
Powell, L. A., J. D. Lang, D. G. Krementz, and M. J. Conroy. 2005. Using radio telemetry to reduce bias in nest searching. Journal of Field Ornithology 76:274-278.	September 2005
Powell, L. A. J. D. Lang, D. G. Krementz, and M. J. Conroy. . 2005. Use of radiotelemetry to reduce bias in nest searching. J. Field. Ornithology 76:274-278	August 2005
Pickzak, M.L., J.A. Robichaud, P. Morrison, A.M. Rous, I.M. Mulder, C.J. Hill, T.S. Prystay, H. Rosner-Katz, K.F. Robinson, J.R. Bennett, S.J. Cooke. 2024. Structured decision making remains underused in ecological restoration despite opportunities. Environmental Systems and Decisions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-023-09940-z	September 2023
Peterson, R. C., and C. A. Jennings. 2007. Effects of river discharge on abundance and instaneous growth of Age-0 Carpsuckers in the Oconee River, Georgia, USA. River Research and Application 23:1016-1025.	November 2007
Peterson, R. C., C. A. Jennings, and J. T. Peterson. 2012. River discharge effects on abundance of age-0 redhorses (Moxostoma spp.) in the Oconee River, Georgia, USA, with implications for robust redhorse. River Research and Application. 29:734-742.	March 2012
Peterson, J.T. and J. Dunham. 2010 Scale and Fishery Management. Chapter 3 in W. Hubert and M. Quist, eds. Inland Fisheries Management, 3rd edition. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.	October 2010
Peterson, J., C. Moore, S. Wenger, K. Kennedy, E. Irwin, and M. Freeman. 2007. Adaptive management applied to aquatic natural resources. Chapter 6.4 in Proceedings of the 2007 Georgia Water Resources Conference, March 27-29, Athens. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	March 2007	Most natural resource management is conducted under conditions of considerable uncertainty; rarely do we have 100% confidence that management actions will deliver the predicted outcome. Adaptive management is a scientific approach to management that explicitly deals with this uncertainty. It involves predicting management outcomes, collecting data to test those predictions (monitoring), revising the predictions and adapting the management strategy to reflect the new knowledge. In this session, we introduce adaptive management and describe three projects where this tool is applied to aquatic resources.
Peterson, J. T., and R. S. Mordecai. 2006. Review of Occupancy estimation and modeling. The Auk 123:1201-1202.	October 2006
Peterson, J. T., and P. B. Bayley. 2004. A Bayesian Approach to Estimating Presence When a Species is Undetected. in W. L. Thompson, editor. Sampling Rare or Elusive Species: Concepts, Designs and Techniques for Estimating Population Parameters. Island Press, Covelo, CA.	December 2004
Peterson, J. T., and J. W. Evans. 2003. Decision analysis for sport fisheries management. Fisheries. 28(1):10-20.	January 2003
Peterson, J. T., and J. Dunham. 2003. Combining inferences from models of capture efficiency, detectability, and suitable habitat to classify landscapes for conservation of threatened bull trout. Conservation Biology 17:1070-1077.	August 2003
Peterson, J. T., and C. F. Rabeni. 2001. The relation of fish assemblages to channel units in an Ozark stream Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130: 911-926	September 2001
Peterson, J. T., and C. F. Rabeni. 2001. Evaluating the physical characteristics of channel units in an Ozark stream. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130(5):898-910.	September 2001
Peterson, J. T., R. F. Thurow, and J. Guzevich. 2004 An evaluation of multi-pass electrofishing for estimating the abundance of stream-dwelling salmonids. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 133:462-475.	March 2004
Peterson, J. T., N. P. Banish, and R. F. Thurow. 2005. Are blocknets necessary? Movements of stream-dwelling salmonids in response to three common survey methods. North American Journal of Fish Management 25:732?743	April 2005
Peterson, J. T., J. Dunham, P. Howell, S. Bonar, R. Thurow. 2002. Protocol for determining bull trout presence. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland. (This is a peer-refereed special publication of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society).	April 2002
Peterson, J. T., C. R. Jackson, C. P. Shea, and G. Li. The development and evaluation of a stream channel classification for estimating the response of fishes to changing streamflow. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society \| Abstract	September 2009	Current approaches to assessing the potential effects of river regulation and water use on stream fish communities are based on physical habitat simulation and are not feasible for estimating these effects over large spatial scales. We developed a channel classification for streams in the lower Flint River basin, Georgia, based on gross channel morphology and geology and evaluated its usefulness at 23 study sites representing the four channel types in the basin. Our channel classification separated stream channel types based on dominant geology (upland residuum versus Ocala limestone) and channel form (confined versus unconfined). Fish were sampled and habitat measured at the study sites in spring, summer, and winter from 2001 to 2004, a period that included some of the lowest and highest seasonal flows ever recorded. The channel types differed with respect to diurnal variability in temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration as well as habitat characteristics (substrate, large wood). Statistical habitat modeling indicated that channel unit (e.g., pool, riffle) availability could be predicted accurately for each channel type using streamflow, with errors rates that averaged 0.7% across channel unit types. Comparisons between the accuracy of species presence and fish abundance models fit using habitat characteristics to those fit using geomorphic channel characteristics indicated similar model accuracy with slightly less bias (6% on average) for the geomorphic channel characteristics models. Our results indicate that the channel types were useful for predicting changes in habitats and stream fish presence and abundance in response to changing streamflow. Channel classification is potentially a useful and cost-effective approach to quantifying changes in the physical environment in response to varying streamflow. Additionally, channel classification could be combined with dynamic fish population models to evaluate the effects of river regulation and water use across large spatial scales.
Peterson, J. T. and C. Paukert. 2009. Data conversion, Chapter 12 in Standard Sampling Methods for North American Freshwater Fishes. S. Bonar, D. Willis and W. Hubert, editors.	August 2009
Peterson, D. L., P. J. Vecsei, and C. A. Jennings. 2007. Ecology and biology of the lake sturgeon: a synthesis of current knowledge of a threatened North American Acipenseridae. Reviews in Fish biology and Fisheries 17:59-76.	March 2007
Peterson, D. L. J. T. Peterson, and R. F. Carline. 2006. Effects of zooplankton density on survival of stocked walleye fry in five Pennsylvania reservoirs. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 21:121-129.	May 2006
Peterson J. T., and C. F. Rabeni. 2001. Evaluating the efficiency of a one-square-meter quadrat sampler for riffle-dwelling fish. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 21:76-85.	March 2001
Perles, S. J., T. Wagner, B. J. Irwin, D. R. Manning, K. K. Callahan, and M. R. Marshall. 2014. Evaluation of a regional monitoring program's statistical power to detect temporal trends in forest health indicators. Environmental Management 54:641-655. doi:10.1007/s00267-014-0313-z \| Download	July 2014
Paukert, C. P., and 8 coauthors. 2016. Adapting fisheries management to a changing climate. Fisheries 41:374-384.	July 2016
Parr, R.T., C.A. Jennings, N.D. Denslow, K.J. Kroll, and R.B. Bringolf. 2016. Evaluation of reproductive status in Tripletail by traditional and non-lethal approaches. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science:8(1):16-22. \| Abstract \| Download	March 2016	Reproductive biology information is an important tool for fishery management actions such as identification of spawning areas and development of protective size limits, bag limits and seasons. Such information for management of tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) is currently limited, particularly in the western Atlantic Ocean, as information regarding the reproductive biology of this species is sparse in the published literature. To this end, we determined the reproductive status of tripletail and compared results of a non-lethal sampling method, plasma vitellogenin (VTG) analysis, to traditional (lethal) methods: gonadosomatic index (GSI) and gonad histology. A total of 223 (122 males and 101 females) tripletail were sampled over two years near Jekyll Island, Georgia (USA). Gonad histology indicated 107 (94%) of the male tripletail were in the spawning-capable reproductive phase. Female tripletail were found in all reproductive phases, but only 9 (8.9%) were in the spawning-capable phase. Plasma VTG was strongly related to GSI in females (R2 = 0.832, n= 77) and female GSI differed significantly among reproductive phases (p <0.0001). The estimated length at which 50% (L50) of female tripletail reached maturity was 463 mm; however, the L50 for male tripletail could not be determined because of the lack of immature fish within the study sample. Our study provides valuable information for management of tripletail and indicates that a non-lethal approach (plasma VTG) may be useful for differentiating developing and spawning-capable females from males and from females in other reproductive phases.
Parr, R. T., Bringolf, R. B. and Jennings, C. A. 2018. Efficacy of Otoliths and First Dorsal Spines for Preliminary Age and Growth Determination in Atlantic Tripletails. Marine and Coastal Fisheries 10: 71–79. doi:10.1002/mcf2.10008	February 2018
Nagy, A. J., M. C. Freeman, B. J. Irwin, and S. J. Wenger. 2024. Life history connections to long-term fish population trends in a species-rich temperate river. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. http://doi.org/10.1111/eff.12767 \| Abstract	February 2024	Fish exhibit a diverse range of traits encompassing life history strategies, feeding behaviors, and spawning behaviors. These traits mediate fish population responses to changing environmental conditions such as those caused by anthropogenic stressors. The Conasauga River, located in northwestern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee, USA, hosts a diverse assemblage of over 75 species of freshwater fish, some of which are locally or regionally endemic, and many of which are imperiled. Annual monitoring data have shown population declines in multiple fish species of conservation concern in the Conasauga River since at least the 1990s, raising the possibility that other taxa could be declining as well. We quantified temporal change in fish communities at six shoal sites sampled annually in most years from 1996 to 2022, and asked whether species traits hypothesized to underlie population vulnerability to environmental alteration were correlated with species-specific trends for 32 taxa. We estimated that total counts of fish in annual samples declined by ~ 2% per year, although declines were uneven among species and generally greater for less abundant taxa. Tests for species traits corresponding to temporal population trends provided evidence that crevice-spawning minnows and smaller-bodied taxa had steeper declines compared with broadcast spawners and larger, longer-lived, more fecund taxa. Lower abundance, reliance on a particular habitat feature, and life-history traits that may limit population resilience to disturbance may all prove useful for identifying riverine fishes at particular risk of future population decline.
Muir, A.M., J.R. Bernhardt, N.W. Boucher, C. Cvitanovic, J.M. Dettmers, M. Gaden, J.L.M. Hinderer, B. Locke, K.F. Robinson, M.J. Siefkes, N. Young, S.J. Cooke. 2023. Confronting a post-pandemic new-normal— threats and opportunities to trust-based relationships in natural resource science and management. Journal of Environmental Management 330:117140. 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117140	March 2023
Mosley, D. L., and C. A. Jennings. 2007. Flow preferences for juvenile robust redhorse in an experimental mesocosm: implications for developing sampling protocols. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 27:1383-1392.	November 2007
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 2006. Optimal regeneration planning for old-growth forest: addressing scientific uncertainty in endangered species recovery through adaptive management. Forest Science 52:155-172. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	April 2006	Stochastic and structural uncertainties about forest dynamics present challenges in the management of ephemeral habitat conditions for endangered forest species. Maintaining critical foraging and breeding habitat for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) requires an uninterrupted supply of old-growth forest. We constructed and optimized a dynamic forest growth model for the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge (Georgia, USA) with the objective of perpetuating a maximum stream of old-growth forest habitat. Our model accommodates stochastic disturbances and hardwood succession rates, and uncertainty about model structure. We produced a regeneration policy that was indexed by current forest state and by current weight of evidence among alternative model forms. We used adaptive stochastic dynamic programming, which anticipates that model probabilities, as well as forest states, may change through time, with consequent evolution of the optimal decision for any given forest state. In light of considerable uncertainty about forest dynamics, we analyzed a set of competing models incorporating extreme, but plausible, parameter values. Under any of these models, forest silviculture practices currently recommended for the creation of woodpecker habitat are suboptimal. We endorse fully adaptive approaches to the management of endangered species habitats in which predictive modeling, monitoring, and assessment are tightly linked.
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 2006. A decision model for perpetuating maximal old growth forest conditions under stochastic and structural uncertainty. Pages 185-197 in Cieszewski, C. J., and M. Strub, eds. Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Forest Measurements and Quantitative Methods and Management & The 2004 Southern Mensurationists Meeting (15-18 June 2004, Hot Springs, AR, USA). Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens. \| Abstract \| Download	December 2006	Management of ephemeral habitat conditions for endangered forest species is difficult in the face of environmental stochasticity and uncertainty about the fundamental processes of forest dynamics. Managers of southern U.S. forests who are charged with maintaining habitat for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker must plan for an uninterrupted supply of old-growth forest stands that provide the critical breeding and foraging habitat for the bird. We constructed and optimized a dynamic model of forest growth and hardwood succession at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge (Georgia, USA) for the objective of maintaining a maximum stream of old-growth forest habitat over the infinite time frame. Our model accommodates stochastic disturbances and hardwood succession rates, as well as uncertainty about the structure of the model itself. We produced a decision policy that was indexed not only by current state of the forest, but also by current weight of evidence toward or against alternative forms of the model. We employed adaptive stochastic dynamic programming, which anticipates that model probabilities, as well as forest states, may change through time, with the result that the optimal decision for a given forest state can evolve over time. In light of considerable uncertainty about forest dynamics, we analyzed a set of models that spanned extremes in parameter values. Nevertheless, our analyses suggested that, under any of these models, forest silviculture practices currently employed for woodpecker recovery are suboptimal for the creation of woodpecker habitat. We endorse a fully adaptive approach to the management of endangered species habitats, in which predictive modeling, monitoring, and assessment are tightly linked.
Moore, C. T., and J. Hepinstall-Cymerman. 2018. An adaptive landscape planning and decision framework for gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) conservation. Final project memorandum to Southeast Climate and Adaptation Science Center. \| Download	February 2019
Moore, C. T., and J. C. Maerz. 2020. Accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Final project memorandum to Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. \| Download	August 2020
Moore, C. T., and E. A. Hunter. 2021. Gopher tortoise demographic variables estimated from long-term mark-recapture data. Journal of Wildlife Management 85:615-616. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22039 \| Download	May 2021
Moore, C. T., W. T. Plummer, and M. J. Conroy. 2005. Forest management under uncertainty for multiple bird population objectives. Pages 373-380 in Ralph, C. J., and T. D. Rich, eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	February 2006	We advocate adaptive programs of decision making and monitoring for the management of forest birds when responses by populations to management, and particularly management trade-offs among populations, are uncertain. Models are necessary components of adaptive management. Under this approach, uncertainty about the behavior of a managed system is explicitly captured in a set of alternative models. The models generate testable predictions about the response of populations to management, and monitoring data provide the basis for assessing these predictions and informing future management decisions. To illustrate these principles, we examine forest management at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, where management attention is focused on the recovery of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) population. However, managers are also sensitive to the habitat needs of many non-target organisms, including Wood Thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina) and other forest interior Neotropical migratory birds. By simulating several management policies on a set of alternative forest and bird models, we found a decision policy that maximized a composite response by woodpeckers and Wood Thrushes despite our complete uncertainty regarding system behavior. Furthermore, we used monitoring data to update our measure of belief in each alternative model following one cycle of forest management. This reduction of uncertainty translates into a reallocation of model influence on the choice of optimal decision action at the next decision opportunity.
Moore, C. T., T. L. Shaffer, and J. J. Gannon. 2013. Spatial education: improving conservation delivery through space-structured decision making. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 4:199-210. http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/082012-JFWM-069 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	June 2013	Adaptive management is a form of structured decision making designed to guide management of natural resource systems when their behaviors are uncertain. Where decision making can be replicated across units of a landscape, learning can be accelerated, and biological processes can be understood in a larger spatial context. Broad-based partnerships among land management agencies, exemplified by Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (conservation partnerships created through the U.S. Department of the Interior), are potentially ideal environments for implementing spatially-structured adaptive management programs.
Moore, C. T., S. J. Converse, M. J. Folk, M. C. Runge, and S. A. Nesbitt. 2012. Evaluating release alternatives for a long-lived bird species under uncertainty about long-term demographic rates. Journal of Ornithology 152:S339-S353. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	February 2012	The release of animals to reestablish an extirpated population is a decision problem that is often attended by considerable uncertainty about the probability of success. Annual releases of captive-reared juvenile Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) were begun in 1993 in central Florida, USA, to establish a breeding, non-migratory population. Over a 12-year period, 286 birds were released, but by 2004, the introduced flock had produced only four wild-fledged birds. Consequently, releases were halted over managers’ concerns about the performance of the released flock and uncertainty about the efficacy of further releases. We used data on marked, released birds to develop predictive models for addressing whether releases should be resumed, and if so, under what schedule. To examine the outcome of different release scenarios, we simulated the survival and productivity of individual female birds under a baseline model that recognized age and breeding-class structure and which incorporated empirically estimated stochastic elements. As data on wild-fledged birds from captive-reared parents were sparse, a key uncertainty that confronts release decision-making is whether captive-reared birds and their offspring share the same vital rates. Therefore, we used data on the only population of wild Whooping Cranes in existence to construct two alternatives to the baseline model. The probability of population persistence was highly sensitive to the choice of these three models. Under the baseline model, extirpation of the population was nearly certain under any scenario of resumed releases. In contrast, the model based on estimates from wild birds projected a high probability of persistence under any release scenario, including cessation of releases. Therefore, belief in either of these models suggests that further releases are an ineffective use of resources. In the third model, which simulated a population Allee effect, population persistence was sensitive to the release decision: high persistence probability was achieved only through the release of more birds, whereas extirpation was highly probable with cessation of releases. Despite substantial investment of time and effort in the release program, evidence collected to date does not favor one model over another; therefore, any decision about further releases must be made under considerable biological uncertainty. However, given an assignment of credibility weight to each model, a best, informed decision about releases can be made under uncertainty. Furthermore, if managers can periodically revisit the release decision and collect monitoring data to further inform the models, then managers have a basis for confronting uncertainty and adaptively managing releases through time.
Moore, C. T., M. J. Conroy and K. Boston. 2000. Forest management decisions for wildlife objectives: system resolution and optimality. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 27:25-39. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	June 2000	Managers of forest wildlife populations make recurring management decisions based on incomplete knowledge of system states. For example, animal population estimates may ignore spatial structure that may influence population viability. We built a spatially-explicit model for a population of birds in a forested landscape. Rates of bird population growth within forest compartments and rates of bird dispersal among compartments were functions of stand age and basal area, compartment population size, and inter-compartment distance. Stand characteristics were imbedded in a dynamic model and assumed perfectly observable and under the complete control of managers. We constructed a genetic algorithm to search for the schedule and spatial distribution of silviculture to maximize total bird abundance at the end of a fixed planning horizon, under combinations of initial habitat and population distribution. We also found policies for a smaller set of population distributions that a manager may only presume to occur (e.g. birds equally distributed among stands), as when managers are only able to observe abundance and not spatial distribution. We investigated the effect of this loss of system resolution on optimality by examining differences in projected population sizes under the two types of policies. That is, we used the set of ‘presumed-state’ policies to project population size from each true initial system state, then we compared these to projections under the best policy for that state. For the planning horizon that we considered, loss in optimality was highly dependent on initial habitat state and on choice of presumed population distribution. Generally, loss in optimality and species extinction rate were both greater for habitat states that were initially poor than initially favorable. For some initial habitat states, population projections based on policies for presumed states often exceeded objective function values for known-state policies, suggesting that the genetic algorithm frequently fell short of finding bona fide optima.
Moore, C. T., J. J. Gannon, and T. L. Shaffer. 2018. NPAM predictive model improvements and piloting NPAM on partner lands. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-130-2018, Washington, D.C. https://doi.org/10.3996/css74130649	April 2022
Moore, C. T., J. J. Gannon, T. L. Shaffer, and C. S. Dixon. 2020. An adaptive approach to vegetation management in native prairies of the northern Great Plains. Pages 246-257 in M. C. Runge, S. J. Converse, J. E. Lyons, and D. R. Smith, eds., Structured Decision Making: Case Studies in Decision Analysis for Natural Resources Management. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.	May 2020
Midway, S. R., T. Wagner, J. D. Zydlewski, B. J. Irwin, and C. P. Paukert. 2016. Transboundary Fisheries Science: Meeting the Challenges of Inland Fisheries Management in the 21st Century. Fisheries 41:537-546. \| Download	September 2016
McKee, R. K., K. A. Buhlmann, C. T. Moore, M. C. Allender, N. I. Stacy, and T. D. Tuberville. 2022. Island of misfit tortoises: Waif gopher tortoise health assessment following translocation. Conservation Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coac051 \| Download	July 2022
McKee, R. K., K. A. Buhlmann, C. T. Moore, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and T. D. Tuberville. 2021. Waif gopher tortoise survival and site fidelity following translocation. Journal of Wildlife Management 85:640-653. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21998 \| Download	May 2021
McGovern, P. A., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. A. Daly, and T. D. Tuberville. 2020. The effect of size on post-release survival of head-started Mojave desert tortoises. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 11:494-506. https://doi.org/10.3996/JFWM-20-014 \| Download	December 2020
McGovern, P. A., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. A. Daly, and T. D. Tuberville. 2020. Comparing husbandry techniques for optimal head-starting of the Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Herpetological Conservation and Biology 15:626-641. http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_15/Issue_3/McGovern_etal_2020.pdf \| Download	December 2020
McCargo, J. W. and J. T. Peterson. 2010. An evaluation of the influence of seasonal base flow and geomorphic stream characteristics on Coastal Plain stream fish assemblages. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 139: 29-48 \| Abstract	January 2010	Water regulation and use have been identified as important limiting factors influencing stream-dwelling fishes. To develop effective water management strategies, fisheries biologists need tools for assessing the effect of reduced streamflows on fish communities. We studied fish assemblages in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia, during two drought years with very low streamflow (2001-2002) and two years post-drought (2003-2004) with average to above average streamflow. Fishes were sampled and stream discharge measured during the spring, summer, and winter of each year. Analysis of fish assemblage metrics indicated that fish species richness and total fish density were strongly and positively related to seasonal 10-day low discharge. However, the effect of discharge varied with stream size and geomorphic channel characteristics, which suggested that a single low flow standard was unlikely to have the same effect across all streams in the basin. The effect of seasonal base flows also was greater in the spring and summer compared to the winter. Hierarchical occupancy models indicated that the species most sensitive to low base flows were those that were large bodied, those that were intolerant to anthropogenic alterations, and those that occupied deep and fast current velocity habitats. When conducting environmental flow assessments at regional scales, managers should consider the effects of local stream reach characteristics on the response of fishes to streamflow alteration.
Mattsson, B. J., R S. Mordecai, M. J. Conroy, J. T. Peterson, R. J. Cooper, And H. Christensen. 2008. When does N0 matter? A stochastic population viability analysis for imperiled large-bodied woodpeckers, with implications for the recently rediscovered Ivory-billed woodpecker. Avian Conservation and Ecology 3(2): 5. [online] URL: http://www.ace-eco.org/vol3/iss2/art5/ \| Publisher Website	December 2008
Looney, G. L., and C. A. Jennings. 2004. Description of larval and juvenile robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum). Bulletin of the Alabama Museum of Natural History 23:1-8.	December 2004
Lawson, A.J., P.G.R. Jodice, T.R. Rainwater, K.D. Dunham, M. Hart, J.W. Butfiloski, P.M. Wilkinson, K.W. McFadden, C.T. Moore. 2022. Hidden in plain sight: integrated population models to resolve partially observable latent population structure. Ecosphere 13(12):e4321 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	December 2022	State uncertainty of individuals within sampled populations is a ubiquitous problem in applied conservation, particularly for stage- or size-structured species subject to consumptive use. We constructed a Bayesian integrated population model (IPM) for American alligators (<i>Alligator mississippiensis</i>) in Georgetown County, South Carolina, USA using records of mark-recapture-recovery, clutch size, harvest, and nightlight survey counts collected locally, and auxiliary information on fecundity, sex ratio, and growth from other studies. We created a multistate mark-recapture-recovery model with six size classes to estimate survival probability, and we linked it to a state-space count model to derive estimates of size class-specific detection probability and abundance. Because we worked from a count dataset in which 60% of the original observations were of unknown size, we treated size class as a latent property of detections and developed a novel observation model to make use of information where size could be partly observed. Detection probability was positively associated with alligator size and water temperature, and negatively influenced by water level. Survival probability was lowest in the smallest size class (hatchlings) but was relatively similar among the other five size classes (>0.90 for each). While the two nightlight survey count sites exhibited relatively stable population trends, we detected substantially different patterns in size class-specific abundance and trends between each site, including 30–50% declines in the largest size classes at the site with greater hunting activity. Here, we illustrate the use of IPMs to produce high resolution output of latent population structure that is partially observed during the monitoring process.
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
Lang, J. D., L. A. Powell, D. G. Krementz, and M. J. Conroy. 2002. Wood Thrush movements, habitat use, and effects of forest management for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. Auk 119(1): 109-124.	June 2002
Kwak, T. J., and J. T. Peterson. Community Indices, Parameters, and Comparisons. Pages 667-763. In M. Brown and C. Guy, editors. Analysis and interpretation of Freshwater Fisheries Data. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.	November 2007
Kramer, D. W., T. J. Prebyl, J. H. Stickles, D. A. Osborn, B. J. Irwin, N. P. Nibbelink, R. J. Warren, and K. V. Miller. 2016. Assessing deer road crossings using GPS locations. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 3:253-260.	March 2016
Konwick, B. J., G. T. Tomy, N. Ismail, J. T. Peterson, R. J. Fauver, D. Higginbotham, M. Blount\|, A. T. Fisk. 2008. Concentrations and patterns of perfluorinated compounds in Georgia (USA) surface waters near and distant to a major use source. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 27:2011-2018.	September 2008
Kendall, W. L. and C. T. Moore. 2012. Maximizing the utility of monitoring to the adaptive management of natural resources. Pages 74-98 in R. A. Gitzen, J. J. Millspaugh, A. B. Cooper, and D. S. Licht, editors. Design and analysis of long-term ecological monitoring studies. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.	July 2012
Kellock, K., B. E. Trushel, P. C. Ely, C. A. Jennings, and R. B. Bringolf. 2014. Survey of intersex Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides from impoundments in Georgia USA. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 143:565-572. \| Abstract \| Download	April 2014	Intersex fish are increasingly being reported worldwide, primarily in rivers that receive treated wastewater, but few studies have investigated intersex in waters that do not receive wastewater. In a recent reconnaissance survey of intersex fish in North America, a high rate of intersex was reported for Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides in some southeastern US rivers; however, the occurrence of intersex in impoundments has not been well-described, especially on a statewide scale. Therefore, our objective for this project was to survey the occurrence of intersex Largemouth Bass in a variety of impoundment habitats across Georgia. Largemouth Bass were collected from 11 impoundments without direct municipal or agricultural wastewater inputs. Gonads from all male Largemouth Bass were evaluated for the incidence and severity of the intersex condition based on presence and arrangement of testicular oocytes. Overall 48% of male Largemouth Bass collected from impoundments were intersex, which was found in 9 of the 11 impoundments. Among impoundments, incidence of intersex ranged from 0 - 82% of the males sampled and surface area of the impoundment was a strong predictor of intersex incidence (R = 0.88, p = 0.0003, n=11). Intersex fish were smaller than normal males but population-level effects of intersex and causative factors of endocrine disruption in the impoundments remain unknown. The high incidence of intersex males in small impoundments demonstrates that the condition is not confined to rivers and suggests that factors other than those previously associated with intersex (i.e., municipal wastewater) may be involved.
Keiter D.A., Cunningham F.L., Rhodes O.E. Jr, Irwin B.J., Beasley J.C. 2016. Optimization of Scat Detection Methods for a Social Ungulate, the Wild Pig, and Experimental Evaluation of Factors Affecting Detection of Scat. PLOS ONE 11(5): e0155615. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155615 \| Abstract	May 2016	Collection of scat samples is common in wildlife research, particularly for genetic capture-mark-recapture applications. Due to high degradation rates of genetic material in scat, large numbers of samples must be collected to generate robust estimates. Optimization of sampling approaches to account for taxa-specific patterns of scat deposition is, therefore, necessary to ensure sufficient sample collection. While scat collection methods have been widely studied in carnivores, research to maximize scat collection and noninvasive sampling efficiency for social ungulates is lacking. Further, environmental factors or scat morphology may influence detection of scat by observers. We contrasted performance of novel radial search protocols with existing adaptive cluster sampling protocols to quantify differences in observed amounts of wild pig (Sus scrofa) scat. We also evaluated the effects of environmental (percentage of vegetative ground cover and occurrence of rain immediately prior to sampling) and scat characteristics (fecal pellet size and number) on the detectability of scat by observers. We found that 15- and 20-m radial search protocols resulted in greater numbers of scats encountered than the previously used adaptive cluster sampling approach across habitat types, and that fecal pellet size, number of fecal pellets, percent vegetative ground cover, and recent rain events were significant predictors of scat detection. Our results suggest that use of a fixed-width radial search protocol may increase the number of scats detected for wild pigs, or other social ungulates, allowing more robust estimation of population metrics using noninvasive genetic sampling methods. Further, as fecal pellet size affected scat detection, juvenile or smaller-sized animals may be less detectable than adult or large animals, which could introduce bias into abundance estimates. Knowledge of relationships between environmental variables and scat detection may allow researchers to optimize sampling protocols to maximize utility of noninvasive sampling for wild pigs and other social ungulates.
Jones, M. L., T. O. Brenden, and B. J. Irwin. 2015. Re-examination of sea lamprey control policies for the St. Marys River: completion of an adaptive management cycle. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	July 2015	The St. Marys River (SMR) historically has been a major producer of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes. In the early 2000s, a decision analysis (DA) project was conducted to evaluate sea lamprey control policies for the SMR; this project suggested that an integrated policy of trapping, sterile male releases, and Bayluscide treatment was the most cost-effective policy. Further, it concluded that formal assessment of larval sea lamprey abundance and distribution in the SMR would be valuable for future evaluation of control strategies. We updated this earlier analysis, adding information from annual larval assessments conducted since 1999 and evaluating additional control policies. Bayluscide treatments continued to be critical for sea lamprey control, but high recruitment compensation minimized the effectiveness of trapping and sterile male release under current feasible ranges. Because Bayluscide control is costly, development of strategies to enhance trapping success remains a priority. This study illustrates benefits of an adaptive management cycle, wherein models inform decisions, are updated based on learning achieved from those decisions, and ultimately inform future decisions.
Jennings, C.A., B. L. Sloss, B. A. Lasee, G. J. Burtle, and G. R. Moyer. 2013. Care, Handling, and Examination of Sampled Organisms. pp163-221 in A. V. Zale, D. L. Parrish, and T. M. Sutton, editors. Fisheries Techniques 3rd Edition. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.	January 2013
Jennings, C. A., and S. J. Zigler. 2010. Biology and life history of paddlefish in north america: an update. Pages 1- 22 in C. P. Paukert and G. D. Scholten, Editors. Paddlefish Management, Propagation, and Conservation in the 21st Century: Building from 20 years of Research and Management. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 66. Bethesda, MD \| Publisher Website	January 2010
Jennings, C. A., and S. J. Zigler. 2000. Ecology and biology of paddlefish in North America: historical perspectives, management approaches, and research priorities. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 10:167-181.	April 2001
Jennings, C. A., and R. S. Weyers. 2010. Temporal and spatial distribution of marsh-edge and tidal creek fishes in the Savannah River Estuary, USA. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 63:153-160.	June 2010
Jennings, C. A., T. E. Lauer, and B. Vondracek, Editors. 2012. Scientific Communication for Natural Resource Professionals. American Fisheries Society	August 2012
Jennings, C. A., T. A. Will, and T. R. Reinert. 2005. Efficacy of a high- and low-frequency ultrasonic probe for measuring ovary volume and estimating fecundity of large striped bass Morone saxatalis in the Savannah River Estuary. Fisheries Research 76:445-453.	December 2005
Jennings, C. A., M. Allen, C. Belcher, R. Bringolf, D. Dennerline, T. Goar, K. Kuklinski, J. Long, P. Mazik, D. Riecke, and M. Rogers. Congratulations on Your Promotion to Management: Considerations for New Supervisory Biologists. 2020. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 7:103-113. \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	March 2020	During the past decade, many senior leaders in natural resource management organizations retired and new leaders were recruited to replace them. The new supervisory biologists now find themselves tasked with operational responsibilities (e.g., personnel, budgets, procurement, safety) with limited formal training in those areas. This sudden role change can be jolting, but need not be debilitating. Here we present information and guidance on various topics ranging from recruiting new personnel and conducting performance evaluations to maintaining a sound safety program as well as legal considerations regarding personal and institutional liabilities for job-related issues. Often, your first task as the new supervisor is to oversee a recruitment effort to fill your old position. This first task is best accomplished by working closely with the designated human resources staff to meet all administrative requirements and deadlines. After the successful hire, effective team leadership is achieved by learning how each staff member is motivated, what they are best able to contribute to the team, and areas for which they may need support. As a new supervisor, you are now responsible for promoting your agency’s safety program to mitigate potential job-related hazards. Despite institutional safeguards, accidents happen or interpersonal interactions can go poorly, and the aggrieved party may litigate for due compensation or to punish the perceived wrongdoer. As a supervisor, you may be a party to these litigations, and understanding your responsibilities in these situations is important for keeping you, your supervisees, and your institution safe and free of liability and help to hold any responsible party accountable when accidents, harassment, bias, or bullying occur. We hope the information provided here will facilitate a smooth transition from mid-career biologist to a supervisory biologist who can efficiently carryout their agency’s mission in natural resource stewardship.
Jennings, C. A., G. E. Mitchell, C. Nelson. 2018. Seasonal Food Habits of Introduced Blue Catfish in Lake Oconee, Georgia. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 5:39-45. \| Abstract	March 2018	Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are native to the Coosa River drainage in northwest Georgia, but have been widely introduced outside of this range, including Lake Oconee, a 7677-ha impoundment on the Oconee River in central Georgia. Blue catfish abundance and growth rates have increased dramatically since their introduction in Lake Oconee, but their food habits are unknown. Therefore, food habits of blue catfish in this impoundment were determined by examining the stomachs of 808 specimens in the reservoir’s upper and lower regions across all seasons from summer 2012 to summer 2013. Diet was summarized using the Relative Importance of specific prey by weight. In the upper region of the reservoir, Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) were the dominant prey item during the summer (75.7%), fall (66.4%), and winter (37.6%); whereas, crappie (Pomoxis spp.) was the dominant prey item in the spring (38.7%). Asian clams also were the dominant prey items in the lower region during the fall (68.4%) and winter (33.9%), and spring (36.4%). Blue catfish seemed to feed opportunistically on seasonally abundant prey items in both the upper riverine and lower lacustrine portions of the reservoir. Of the many sportfishes in the reservoir, only crappie was an important prey item in the upper region during the spring. Our results do not support concerns that blue catfish are an apex predator that would decimate the sportfish assemblage in the recently colonized reservoir.
Jennings, C. A., E. W. Dilts, J. S. Shelton. and R. C. Peterson. 2010. Fine sediment affects on survival to emergence of robust redhorse. Environmental Biology of Fishes 87:43-53. \| Abstract \| Download	January 2010	Robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) is a rare riverine sucker for which life history information is scarce. Spawning occurs over loose gravel substrate and eggs and larvae may be adversely affected by fine sediments among the gravel. A 2-year study was conducted to determine the threshold at which fine sediments are detrimental to successful egg incubation and larval emergence. Year 1 gravel treatments contained 0, 25, 50, and 75% fine sediments. Mean survival during Year1 ranged from 63.5% in the 0% fine sediment treatment to 0% in the 75% fine sediment treatment. The results also indicated an adverse affect threshold between 0 and 25 % fine sediment. Year 2 gravel treatments contained 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% fine sediments. Mean survival during Year 2 ranged from 69.8% in the 0% treatment to 9.1% in the 25% treatment. Year 2 results also identified the 15% fine sediment treatment as the threshold at which survival begins to decline. Substrates at one known spawning area used by robust redhorse typically contain 25 to 50% fine sediment, but the spawning act is cleans some fines from the egg pocket. Whether the “cleaning” that results from the spawning act reduces the fines sufficiently to avoid adverse effects is unknown. According to our results, survival rates of robust redhorse eggs and larvae are predicted to be about 8.0% when fine sediment is > 25%.
Jennings, C. A. 2020. BOOK REVIEW Paddlefish: Ecology, Aquacultural, and Regulatory Challenges of a Global Resource. DOI:10.1002/fsh.10418. Fisheries 45(6). 334. \| Abstract	June 2020	N/A
Jennings, C. A. 2012. Communicating science: from cuneiform to the contemporary and beyond. pp 1-6. in C. A. Jennings, T. E. Lauer, and B. Vondracek (editors). Scientific Communication for Natural Resource Professionals	August 2012
Jennelle, C. S., E. G. Cooch, M. J. Conroy, and J. C. Senar. State-specific detection probabilities and disease prevalence. Ecological Applications. 17:154-167	January 2007
Jafari, N., B. L. Nuse, C. T. Moore, B. Dilkina, and J. Hepinstall-Cymerman. 2017. Achieving full connectivity of sites in the Multiperiod Reserve Network Design Problem. Computers and Operations Research 81:119-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cor.2016.12.017 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	May 2017	The conservation reserve design problem is a challenge to solve because of the spatial and temporal nature of the problem, uncertainties in the decision process, and the possibility of alternative conservation actions for any given land parcel. Conservation agencies tasked with reserve design may benefit from a dynamic decision system that provides tactical guidance for short-term decision opportunities while maintaining focus on a long-term objective of assembling the best set of protected areas possible. To plan cost-effective conservation over time under time-varying action costs and budget, we propose a multi-period mixed integer programming model for the budget-constrained selection of fully connected sites. The objective is to maximize a summed conservation value over all network parcels at the end of the planning horizon. The originality of this work is in achieving full spatial connectivity of the selected sites during the schedule of conservation actions.
Irwin, B.J., T. Wagner, J.R. Bence, M.V. Kepler, W. Liu, and D.B. Hayes. 2013. Estimating spatial and temporal components of variation for fisheries count data using negative binomial mixed models. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 142:171-183. \| Download	January 2013
Irwin, B., T. Wagner, and J. R. Bence. 2018. Characterization of Spatial and Temporal Variability in Fishes in Response to Climate Change. Project completion report [extended abstract], Northeast Climate Science Center.	January 2018
Irwin, B. J., and M. J. Conroy. 2013. Consideration of reference points for the management of renewable resources under an adaptive management paradigm. Environmental Conservation 40(4):302-309. doi:10.1017/S0376892913000222	November 2013
Irwin, B. J., W. Liu, J. R. Bence, and M. L. Jones. 2012. Defining economic injury levels for sea lamprey control in the Great Lakes basin. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 32:760-771.	July 2012
Irwin, B. J., M. M. Tomamichel, M. E. Frischer, R. J. Hall, A. D. E. Davis, T. H. Bliss, P. Rohani, and J. E. Byers. 2024. Managing the threat of infectious disease for sustainable seafood production. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2695 \| Abstract	December 2023	Fisheries and aquaculture provide food and economic security, especially in the developing world, but both face challenges from infectious disease. We approach disease management through a structured-decision-making perspective. For both wild fisheries and aquaculture, management objectives generally aim to mitigate the severity and economic burden of disease outbreaks. In wild fisheries, options include regulating harvests, reducing system connectivity, and habitat conservation or improvement. In aquaculture, options include using pharmacological treatments, biocontrol strategies, bio-secure facilities and controlling density or increasing disease resistance through selective breeding. Developing and implementing disease-management strategies involve considering uncertainties and balancing competing stakeholder interests and risk tolerances; therefore, management strategies have tended to vary greatly depending on each unique situation. Although a transferable multipurpose solution to managing disease is unlikely for diverse fisheries and aquaculture enterprises, we suggest a path forward that could be broadly relevant to decision makers facing issues related to disease.
Irwin, B. J., L. G. Rudstam, J. R. Jackson, A. J. VanDeValk, and J. L. Forney. 2016. Long-term trends in the fish community of Oneida Lake: analysis of the zebra mussel invasion. Pages 375-396 in L. G. Rudstam, E. L. Mills, J. R. Jackson, and D. J. Stewart, editors. Oneida Lake: Long-term Dynamics of a Managed Ecosystem and its Fisheries. \| Publisher Website	February 2016
Irwin, B. J., B. A. Crawford, T. Gancos Crawford, and C. T. Moore. 2016. Turning Uncertainty into Useful Information for Conservation Decisions. Southeast Climate Science Center Fact Sheet 2016-02. Available online: https://secasc.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/04/SECASC_FactSheet_2016_02_Final.pdf	June 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., 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00267-015-0580-3 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	December 2015	Sea level rise (SLR) may degrade habitat for coastal vertebrates in the Southeastern United States, but it is unclear which groups or species will be most exposed to habitat changes. We assessed 28 coastal Georgia vertebrate species for their exposure to potential habitat changes due to SLR using output from the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model and information on the species’ fundamental niches. We assessed forecasted habitat change up to the year 2100 using three structural habitat metrics: total area, patch size, and habitat permanence. Almost all of the species (n = 24) experienced negative habitat changes due to SLR as measured by at least one of the metrics. Salt marsh and ocean beach habitats experienced the most change (out of 16 categorical land cover types) across the three metrics and species that used salt marsh extensively (rails and marsh sparrows) were ranked highest for exposure to habitat changes. Species that nested on ocean beaches (Diamondback Terrapins, shorebirds, and terns) were also ranked highly, but their use of other foraging habitats reduced their overall exposure. Future studies on potential effects of SLR on vertebrates in southeastern coastal ecosystems should focus on the relative importance of different habitat types to these species’ foraging and nesting requirements. Our straightforward prioritization approach is applicable to other coastal systems and can provide insight to managers on which species to focus resources, what components of their habitats need to be protected, and which locations in the study area will provide habitat refuges in the face of SLR.
Hunt, V. M., S. K. Jacobi, J. J. Gannon, J. Zorn, C. T. Moore, and E. V. Lonsdorf. 2016. A decision support tool for adaptive management of native prairie ecosystems. Interfaces 46:334-344. http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.2015.0822 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	July 2016	The Native Prairie Adaptive Management initiative is a decision support framework that provides cooperators with management-action recommendations to help them conserve native species and suppress invasive species on prairie lands. We developed a Web-based decision support tool (DST) for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey initiative. The DST facilitates cross-organizational data sharing, performs analyses to improve conservation delivery, and requires no technical expertise to operate. Each year since 2012, the DST has used monitoring data to update ecological knowledge that it translates into situation-specific management-action recommendations (e.g., controlled burn or prescribed graze). The DST provides annual recommendations for more than 10,000 acres on 20 refuge complexes in four U.S. states. We describe how the DST promotes the long-term implementation of the program for which it was designed and may facilitate decision support and improve ecological outcomes of other conservation efforts.
Howell, J. E., C. T. Moore, M. J. Conroy, R. G. Hamrick, R. J. Cooper, R. E. Thackston, and J. P. Carroll. 2009. Conservation of northern bobwhite on private lands in Georgia, USA under uncertainty about landscape level habitat effects. Landscape Ecology 24:405-418. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	March 2009	Large-scale habitat enhancement programs for birds are becoming more widespread, however, most lack monitoring to resolve uncertainties and enhance program impact over time. Georgia’s Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI) is a competitive, proposal-based system that provides incentives to landowners to establish habitat for northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). Using data from monitoring conducted in the program’s first years (1999–2001), we developed alternative hierarchical models to predict bobwhite abundance in response to program habitat modifications on local and regional scales. Effects of habitat and habitat management on bobwhite population response varied among geographical scales, but high measurement variability rendered the specific nature of these scaled effects equivocal. Under some models, BQI had positive impact at both local farm scales (1, 9 km2), particularly when practice acres were clustered, whereas other credible models indicated that bird response did not depend on spatial arrangement of practices. Thus, uncertainty about landscape-level effects of management presents a challenge to program managers who must decide which proposals to accept. We demonstrate that optimal selection decisions can be made despite this uncertainty and that uncertainty can be reduced over time, with consequent improvement in management efficacy. However, such an adaptive approach to BQI program implementation would require the reestablishment of monitoring of bobwhite abundance, an effort for which funding was discontinued in 2002. For landscape-level conservation programs generally, our approach demonstrates the value in assessing multiple scales of impact of habitat modification programs, and it reveals the utility of addressing management uncertainty through multiple decision models and system monitoring.
Howell, J. A., J. T. Peterson, and M. J. Conroy. 2008. Building Hierarchical Models of Avian Distributions for the State of Georgia. Journal of Wildlife Management. 72:168?178.	January 2008
Homer, M.D., J. T. Peterson, and C. A. Jennings. 2015. Evaluation of Three Aging Techniques and Back-calculated Growth for Introduced Blue Catfish from Lake Oconee, Georgia. Southeastern Naturalist 14(4):740–756.	December 2015
Homer, M. D. Jr, and C. A. Jennings. 2011. Historical catch, age structure, sizes, and relative growth for an introduced population of blue catfish in Lake Oconee, GA. Pages 383-394 in P. H. Michaletz and V. H. Travnichek, editors. Conservation, ecology, and management of catfish: the second international symposium. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 77. Bethesda, MD	September 2011
Hess, B. J., and C. A. Jennings. 2002. Striped bass in the trout waters of the upper Chattahoochee Rvier: can these two fisheries co-exit? Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 54:107-117.	January 2002
Grossman, G. D., R. E. Ratajczak, J. T. Petty, M. D. Hunter, J. T. Peterson, and G. Grenouillet. in press. Population dynamics of mottled sculpin (Pices:Cottidae) in a variable environment: an information theoretic approach. Ecological Monographs	July 2006
Grabowski, T. J., and C. A. Jennings. 2009. Radio-tagged "guide fish": a novel approach for uncovering information about rare or cryptic fishes. Fisheries Management and Ecology 16:68-71 \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	January 2009	Research and management of rare or cryptic fishes often is hampered by an inability to consistently collect sufficient numbers of individuals. We present data from studies of robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum in the Ocmulgee River, Georgia as a case study illustrating the effectiveness of using radio-tagged, hatchery-reared individuals as “guide fish” to direct sampling efforts and locate spawning aggregations of resident fish. Catch per unit effort of untagged robust redhorse was higher when we focused electrofishing effort on areas occupied by radio-tagged individuals compared to areas not occupied by radio-tagged individuals or past survey efforts. Tracking of two radio-tagged robust redhorse led us to two previously unknown spawning aggregations of resident fish. The use of radio-tagged “guide fish” should be considered if data on rare or cryptic species are difficult to obtain.
Grabowski, T. B., and C. A. Jennings. 2009. Post-release movements and habitat use of stocked robust redhorse in the Ocmulgee River, Georgia. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 19:170-177. \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	January 2009	Robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum is an imperiled, potadromous fish in the southeastern United States. Initial recovery efforts have focused on supplementing existing populations and establishing refugial populations through extensive stocking programs. However, assessment of the success of these programs has not yet been conducted, and there are few reports evaluating the effectiveness of such programs with other potadromous species. 2. Radio telemetry was employed to assess the effectiveness of a stocking program aimed at addressing whether stocked individuals would remain in an area free of introduced predators and ascertaining the ability of stocked fish to integrate into a resident population. 3. Hatchery-reared robust redhorse were captured from refugial populations established in other river systems and were transferred to the Ocmulgee River, Georgia where a population hatchery-reared individuals and an unknown number of wild fish resides. 4. These transferred robust redhorse exhibited an exploratory phase for the first three months before adopting behavior patterns, including spawning migrations that were consistent with those reported for wild fish in other systems. However, some individuals seemed unable to locate suitable spawning habitat. 5. Approximately half of the radio-tagged fish remained within the area free of introduced predators. 6. At least some radio-tagged robust redhorse fully integrated into the resident population as evidenced by their presence in spawning aggregations with resident individuals. 7. The effectiveness of a stocking program is dependent upon the ability of stocked individuals to integrate into an existing population /or replicate the behavior and functionality of a resident population. Evaluations of stocking programs should incorporate assessments of behavior in addition to surveys to estimate abundance and survivorship and genetic assessments of augmentation of effective population sizes.
Grabowski, T. B., T. D. Ferguson, J. T. Peterson, and C. A. Jennings. 2009. Capture probability and behavioral response of robust redhorse, an cryptic riverine fish, to electrofishing. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29:721–729. \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	June 2009	Conservation and management of riverine species, such as robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum, can be hindered by incomplete understanding of their population status. Behavioral responses to sampling methodologies and susceptibility to capture with a particular gear type has implications to the reliability of population assessments, yet are rarely evaluated. Consequently, we used radio-tagged robust redhorse in the Ocmulgee River, Georgia, to estimate capture probability when sampled with standard boat-electrofishing techniques and assess behavioral responses of individuals to single and repeated exposures to electrofishing, which is the recommended sampling method for this species. Transects containing 1-8 radio-tagged individuals were sampled. The positions of radio-tagged individuals were recorded prior to electrofishing and at 1-h, 24-h, and 3-5 d intervals after sampling. We estimated robust redhorse abundance and capture probability by treating each transect as analogous to a repeated sample in time. Only one radio-tagged individual and six untagged individuals were captured after 7.46 h of effort. Radio-tagged robust redhorse did not exhibit an immediate response to boat electrofishing. Some movement away from their original position was observed in radio-tagged robust redhorse within the first hour post-electrofishing (mean ± SE: 0.15 ± 0.05 km; range: 0.0-0.80 km), after 24 h (0.19 ± 0.05 km), and after 3-5 days (0.23 ± 0.14 km). However, this movement was similar from that exhibited by fish located at similar intervals during a related telemetry study without exposure to electrofishing. A mean capture probability of 0.031 with 95% Bayesian credibility intervals of 0.002-0.111 was estimated from the best approximating model. Electrofishing is not a particularly effective method for capturing this species; therefore, inferences about population size and distribution of this or other cryptic species need to account for low detection probabilities associated with electrofishing. Alternative approaches or multiple strategies should be considered when assessing the status of such species.
Gaya, H. E., L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2022. Accounting for spatial heterogeneity in visual obstruction in line-transect distance sampling of gopher tortoises. Journal of Wildlife Management e22338. http://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22338	November 2022
Gannon, J. J., C. T. Moore, T. L. Shaffer, and B. Flanders-Wanner. 2012. An adaptive approach to invasive plant management on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-owned native prairies in the Prairie Pothole Region: decision support under uncertainty. Proceedings of the 22nd North American Prairie Conference, 1-5 August 2010, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	April 2012	Much of the native prairie managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the northern Great Plains is extensively invaded by the introduced cool-season grasses smooth brome (Bromus inermis) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis). Management to suppress these invasive plants has had poor to inconsistent success. The central challenge to managers is selecting appropriate management actions in the face of biological and environmental uncertainties. In partnership with the Service, the U.S. Geological Survey is developing an adaptive decision support framework to assist managers in selecting management actions under uncertainty and maximizing learning from management outcomes. The framework is built around practical constraints faced by refuge managers and includes identification of the management objective and strategies, analysis of uncertainty and construction of competing decision models, monitoring, and mechanisms for model feedback and decision selection. Nineteen Service field stations, spanning four states of the PPR, are participating in the project. They share a common management objective, available management strategies, and biological uncertainties. While the scope is broad, the project interfaces with individual land managers who provide refuge-specific information and receive updated decision guidance that incorporates understanding gained from the collective experience of all cooperators. We describe the technical components of this approach, how the components integrate and inform each other, how data feedback from individual cooperators serves to reduce uncertainty across the whole region, and how a successful adaptive management project is coordinated and maintained on a large scale.
Fouts, K. L., C. T. Moore, K. D. Johnson, and J. C. Maerz. 2017. Lizard activity and abundance greater in burned habitat of a xeric montane forest. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 8:181-192.http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/042016-JFWM-031 \| Download	June 2017
Fonnesbeck, C. J., and M. J. Conroy. 2004. Application of integrated Bayesian modeling and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to the conservation of a harvested species. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation. 27. 1: 267-281.	January 2005
Fitzgerald, D. G., L. G. Rudstam, J. M. Casselman, B. J. Irwin, D. G. Fielder, T. J. Paoli, and C. E. Kraft. 2016. Fish community response to environmental perturbations: comparison of Oneida Lake with three Bays of the Great Lakes. Pages 497-524 in L. G. Rudstam, E. L. Mills, J. R. Jackson, and D. J. Stewart, editors. Oneida Lake: Long-term Dynamics of a Managed Ecosystem and its Fisheries. \| Publisher Website	February 2016
Feeney, R. G., D. V. Boelke, J. J. Deroba, S. Gaichas, B. J. Irwin, and M. Lee. 2019. Integrating Management Strategy Evaluation into fisheries management: advancing best practices for stakeholder inclusion based on an MSE for Northeast U.S. Atlantic herring. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 76:1103-1111. doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2018-0125	June 2019
Dunham, J. B., B. E. Rieman, and J. T. Peterson. 2002. Patch-based models of species occurrence: lessons from salmonid fishes in streams. in J. M. Scott and P. J. Heglund, editors. Predicting Species Occurrences: Issues of Scale and Accuracy.	January 2002
Duncan, W. W., M. C. Freeman, C. A. Jennings, and T. McLean. 2003. Considerations for flow alternatives that sustain Savannah River Fish Populations. Proceedings of the 2003 Georgia Water Resources Conference. 2003:468-471.	April 2003
Dula, B., A. Kaeser, C. A. Jennings, and A. Fox. Effects of Hurricane Michael on Annual Recruitment and Mortality of Gulf Sturgeon in the Apalachicola River, FL. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society (Virtual). September 2020. \| Abstract	September 2020	This is an extended abstract and the file is attached.
Domenech, J., J. C. Senar, and M. J. Conroy. 2001. Birds captured at automatic baited traps are heavier. Buttl. GCA 18: 1-8.	January 2002
Diefenbach, D.R., L.A. Hansen, R.J. Warren, M.J. Conroy, and M.G. Nelms. 2009. Restoration of bobcats to Cumberland Island, Georgia, USA: Lessons learned and evidence for the role of bobcats as keystone predators. Pages 423-435 in A. Vargas, C. Breitenmoser and U. Breitenmoser (editors). Iberian Lynx Ex situ Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Fundación Biodiversidad, Madrid, Spain. \| Abstract \| Download	October 2009	We translocated 32 bobcats (Lynx rufus; 3.1 bobcats/10 km2) to a coastal barrier island, Cumberland Island, Georgia, USA, during 1988-1989 to restore a native predator. In this paper, we summarize our methods of capturing and handling bobcats and results of post-release monitoring of movements, survival, and reproduction. We use this as an opportunity to (1) identify key lessons we learned that could be useful for future felid reintroductions, (2) demonstrate the importance of post-reintroduction monitoring to learn more about the role of predators in ecosystem functioning, and (3) summarize insights we have gained about bobcat prey selection and social organization in a solitary felid. Also, we present previously unpublished data that provide evidence for bobcats initiating a top-down trophic cascade on the Cumberland Island forested ecosystem. We captured bobcats from the coastal plain of Georgia in the hope that these bobcats would have gene complexes adapted to the environment on Cumberland Island. Captured bobcats were temporarily held in a facility on the mainland so that groups of 4-6 individuals could be translocated and released on the island in fall 1988 and 1989. All reintroduced bobcats were vaccinated for three common feline diseases and fitted with radio-collars. Post-release monitoring included radio-telemetry to monitor movements, spatial organization, and survival, re-capture to assess body condition and replace radio-collars, prey surveys to assess food abundance, and scat collection to assess prey use. We analyzed white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvest data from 1980-1997 to assess changes in the deer population (body weights, age-sex structure, and abundance) because deer were a dominant prey species during our post-release monitoring of 1988-1991. Also, because browsing by deer suppressed oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration prior to the bobcat reintroduction, we investigated whether declines in deer abundance resulted in increased numbers and size of seedlings and root sprouts of these tree species. We reintroduced three males and 11 females in fall 1988 and 12 males and six females in fall 1989. One female released in 1988 returned to the mainland, another died from physical injuries, and one male released in 1989 swam into the Atlantic Ocean and presumably drowned. However, annual survival of adults was 93% (SE = 2.6%) for the first three years and recaptured bobcats exhibited an average weight gain of 0.8 kg (12% increase). We documented reproduction of 10 kittens in 1989 (4 litters), one litter of two kittens in 1990, and one litter of two kittens in 1991. Bobcat prey abundance varied spatially and seasonally, but we detected no effect of season or year on diet composition during 1989-90. Marsh rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris), white-tailed deer, and hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) were the only prey species identified in bobcat scats in all seasons and we considered these species principal prey. Only the presence of marsh rabbits and cotton rats in bobcat diets were correlated with abundance, which suggested bobcats exhibited a functional response to these prey species. Diet species diversity and richness were negatively correlated with marsh rabbit abundance, which agrees with predictions of a diet optimization model in which alternate prey species (raccoon [Procyon lotor], feral hogs [Sus scrofa], and cotton deermice [Peromyscus gossypinus]) increased with a decrease in abundance of a preferred prey species. By 1997-1998, prey use changed, in which white-tailed deer and marsh rabbits occurred less frequently in scats and all other species occurred more frequently. Female bobcats reintroduced during the first year of the reintroduction exhibited little change in the location or size of their home range (95% fixed kernel utilization distribution), but failed to exclude newcomers reintroduced in 1989 from either their home range or core areas (50% fixed kernel utilization distribution). No bobcats retained areas of exclusive use from conspecifics of the same sex. We observed increasing intrasexual overlap among females during 1989-91, such that each home range overlap was equivalent to each female sharing her home range with >2 other females. Overlap of core areas was equivalent to each female sharing her core area with nearly one other female. Mean eviscerated body weights of harvested white-tailed deer increased 5.0–7.6 kg for males and 2.0–4.9 kg for females between the pre-reintroduction years (1984-1989) and post-reintroduction years (1990-1997). Eviscerated body weights were 11.0 kg greater in 1997 compared to 1989 (average difference of means by age-sex class). Estimates and indices of deer abundance indicated that following reintroduction of bobcats the population declined and remained low. Population estimates indicated hunter success rates declined following the bobcat reintroduction, even though the number of hunters prior to the reintroduction ( = 270 hunters/year) differed little from after the reintroduction of bobcats ( = 278 hunters/year). On nine plots containing 87 oak trees, where oak regeneration at each tree was measured in 1990, the number of trees with seedlings or root sprouts increased from 52 to 86 and the average number of seedlings per plot increased by 153.5. On plots that contained seedlings and sprouts in both 1990 and 1997, average height increased 4.6 cm (95% CI = 4.0–5.2). We were able to successfully capture and translocate approximately 15 bobcats per year, although we were not able to capture enough bobcats to control the sex ratio of the population of reintroduced bobcats; at the conclusion of the translocations in 1989 the reintroduced population consisted of 14 males and 15 females, although it was female-biased (11females, 3 males) after the translocations in 1988. This introduced potential confounding effects when interpreting results of our post-release monitoring of food habits and spatial organization. We strongly recommend that future reintroduction projects establish a means of conducting ‘soft’ releases of animals whereby animals are held in captivity at the release site and allowed to leave captivity following a waiting period. Even holding bobcats overnight might have prevented the disorientation of the released bobcat that swam into the Atlantic Ocean and presumably drowned. A dramatic population decline in marsh rabbits, caused by above-normal rainfall from a hurricane, allowed us to detect changes in bobcat diets and identify a functional response to prey abundance and evidence for diet optimization. The frequency of occurrence of deer in bobcat diets year-round (23–47%) was greater than reported for other studies in the southeastern United States (0–8%). Although we did not have sufficient data to identify the shape of these functional relationships, bobcat diets in 1997-1998 had lower occurrence of marsh rabbits and deer and a more even distribution of occurrence of all prey species in their diet. Also, there was no evidence the frequent occurrence of deer in the diet was because of a lack of food availability because bobcat survival was high, recaptured bobcats exhibited weight gains, and bobcats maintained normal home range sizes. Results of the analysis of spatial organization of bobcats were consistent with the hypothesis that bobcats maintain home ranges via a system of land tenure established by prior rights. However, we observed significant intrasexual overlap of both home ranges and core areas. Furthermore, we observed declining reproduction with an increase in home range overlap. We believe that successful reproduction in bobcats may be related to access by females to exclusive use areas even under conditions of adequate or good food availability. Under the conditions of this study (moderate bobcat density, adequate food availability, and limited dispersal) bobcats exhibited no evidence of an ability to exclude other adult individuals from their home ranges or core areas. Our observations of bobcat use of deer as a primary prey species following their reintroduction, a decline in deer abundance, and an increase in oak regeneration indicated that bobcats caused a trophic cascade effect on the island. We did not expect to observe such strong trophic level changes on the island ecosystem because deer generally are not considered primary prey for bobcats. However research prior to the restoration of bobcats indicated deer were abundant and deer browsing suppressed tree regeneration, and apparently deer were suitable prey for bobcats because of their abundance and small size. We believe the results of this study provide strong justification for post-release monitoring of a reintroduced species to be able to understand why a reintroduction project succeeds or fails. Moreover, the role of predators in ecosystems in poorly understood, especially vertebrate predators, and restoration projects of predator populations should consider monitoring trophic level characteristics of ecosystems. If such a monitoring program were developed to test theories of community population dynamics, there would be much potential to better understand food webs of terrestrial ecosystems and trophic level inter-relationships.
Diefenbach, D. R., L. A. Hansen, R. J. Warren, and M. J. Conroy. 2006. Spatial organization of a reintroduced population of bobcats. Journal of Mammalogy. 87:394-401.	May 2006
Deroba, J. J., S. K. Gaichas, M. Lee, R. G. Feeney, D. Boelke, and B. J. Irwin. 2019. The dream and the reality: meeting decision-making time frames while incorporating ecosystem and economic models into management strategy evaluation. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 76:1112-1133. doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2018-0128	June 2019
Dennerline, D.E., C.A. Jennings, and D.J. Degan. 2012. Relationships between hydroacoustic derived density and gill net catch: Implications for Fish Assessments. Fisheries Research 123-124: 78-89. \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	July 2012	In this paper, we describe our assessment of whether gill nets and hydroacoustics provided similar inferences on the local abundance of fishes and whether gill net catch could be used to predict acoustic-derived abundances. We collected hydroacoustic and gill netting samples from a restricted area of large hydropower reservoir in the southeastern United States. We used mixed linear models in an information theoretic framework to model acoustic-derived abundances as a function of gill net catch and a variety of biological and environmental covariates. Overall, gill net catch was a poor predictor of acoustic-derived abundance and the best model only accounted for 39.6% of the within year variation. In fact, a gill net catch (e.g., 100 fish/net) was approximately equally likely across several orders of magnitude in fish abundance. This result suggests that gill net catch was unable to reliably discern substantive changes in fish abundance. Consequently, the most appropriate role for gill nets in fisheries research assessments may be to: (1) supplement hydroacoustic data by providing information on species composition and fish sizes and (2) provide information on metrics other than fish abundance, such as fish growth and condition.
Dennard, S., J. T. Peterson, and E. S. Hawthorne. 2009. The Life History and Ecology of Cambarus halli, an Endemic Crayfish of the Tallapoosa River Basin, Georgia. Southeastern Naturalist 8:479-494.	September 2009
DeVries D. R., G. G. Grossman, D. H. Wahl, J. A. Stone, F. M. Utter, C. A. Jennings, and D. M. Kimball. 2007. A perspective on the decision to establish an AFS marine journal. Fisheries 32(1):30.	January 2007
Dawson, H. A., M. L. Jones, B. J. Irwin, N. S. Johnson, C. M. Wagner, and M. Szymanski. 2016. Management strategy evaluation of a new control tactic to manage invasive fish. Natural Resource Modeling 29(3):448-469. https://doi.org/10.1111/nrm.12096	May 2016
Daly, J. A., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, and T. D. Tuberville. 2019. Survival and movements of head-started Mojave desert tortoises. Journal of Wildlife Management 83:1700-1710. DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21758 \| Download	September 2019
Daly, J. A., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, and T. D. Tuberville. 2018. Comparing growth and body condition of indoor-reared, outdoor-reared, and free-ranging juvenile Mojave Desert Tortoises. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 13:622-633. http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_13/Issue_3/Daly_etal_2018.pdf \| Download	December 2018
Cummings JW, SJ Converse, CT Moore, DR Smith, CT Nichols, NL Allan, and CM O'Meilia. 2017. A projection of lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) populations range-wide. USGS Open File Report 2017-1071. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20171071 \| Download	August 2017
Crawford, B. A., M. Olds, J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2020. Estimating population persistence for at-risk species using citizen science data. Biological Conservation 243:108489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108489 \| Download	March 2020
Crawford, B. A., J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2020. Expert-informed habitat suitability analysis for at-risk species assessment and conservation planning. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 11:130-150. https://doi.org/10.3996/092019-JFWM-075 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	June 2020	The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for reviewing the biological status of hundreds of species to determine federal status designations under the Endangered Species Act. The longleaf pine <i>Pinus palustris</i> ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: gopher tortoise <i>Gopherus polyphemus</i>, southern hognose snake <i>Heterodon simus</i>, Florida pine snake <i>Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus</i>, gopher frog <i>Lithobates</i> [<i>Rana</i>] <i>capito</i>, and striped newt <i>Notophthalmus perstriatus</i>. To inform status decisions and conservation planning, we developed habitat suitability models to 1) identify habitat features that best predict species presence and 2) estimate the amount and distribution of suitable habitat across each species' range under current conditions. We incorporated expert judgment from Federal, State, and other partners to capture variation in ecological settings across species' ranges, prioritize predictor variables to test in models, mitigate data limitations by informing the selection of pseudo-absence points, qualitatively evaluate model estimates, and improve the likelihood that experts will trust and use model predictions for conservation. Habitat suitability for all species was strongly influenced by soil characteristics, land cover, and fire interval. Suitable habitat was distributed on known species strongholds, as well as private lands without known species records. Between 4.7% (gopher frog) and 14.6% (gopher tortoise) of the area in a species' range was classified as suitable habitat, and between 28.1% (southern hognose snake) and 47.5% (gopher frog) of suitable habitat was located in patches larger than 1 km2 (100 ha) on publicly-owned lands. By overlaying predictions for each species, we identified areas of suitable habitat for multiple species on protected and unprotected lands. These results have direct applications to management and conservation planning: partners can tailor site-level management based on attributes associated with high habitat suitability for species of concern; allocate survey effort in areas with suitable habitat but no known species records; and identify priority areas for management, land acquisitions, or other strategies based on the distribution of species records, suitable habitat, and land protection status. These results can aid regional partners in implementing effective conservation strategies and inform listing decisions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Crawford, B. A., J. C. Maerz, V. C. K. Terrell, and C. T. Moore. 2022. Population viability analysis for a pond-breeding amphibian under future drought scenarios in the southeastern United States. Global Ecology and Conservation 36:e02119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02119 \| Download	August 2022
Crawford, B. A., C. T. Moore, T. M. Norton, and J. C. Maerz. 2018. Integrated analysis for population estimation, management impact evaluation, and decision-making for a declining species. Biological Conservation 222:33-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.03.023 \| Abstract \| Download	June 2018	A challenge for making conservation decisions is predicting how wildlife populations respond to multiple, concurrent threats and potential management strategies, usually under substantial uncertainty. Integrated modeling approaches can improve estimation of demographic rates necessary for making predictions, even for rare or cryptic species with sparse data, but their use in management applications is limited. We developed integrated models for a population of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) impacted by road-associated threats to (i) jointly estimate demographic rates from two mark-recapture datasets, while directly estimating road mortality and the impact of management actions deployed during the study; and (ii) project the population using population viability analysis under simulated management strategies to inform decision-making. Without management, population extirpation was nearly certain due to demographic impacts of road mortality, predators, and vegetation. Installation of novel flashing signage increased survival of terrapins that crossed roads by 30%. Signage, along with small roadside barriers installed during the study, increased population persistence probability, but the population was still predicted to decline. Management strategies that included actions targeting multiple threats and demographic rates resulted in the highest persistence probability, and roadside barriers, which increased adult survival, were predicted to increase persistence more than other actions. Our results support earlier findings showing mitigation of multiple threats is likely required to increase the viability of declining populations. Our approach illustrates how integrated models may be adapted to use limited data efficiently, represent system complexity, evaluate impacts of threats and management actions, and provide decision-relevant information for conservation of at-risk populations.
Crawford, B. A., C. T. Moore, T. M. Norton, and J. C. Maerz. 2017. Mitigating road mortality of Diamond-backed Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) with hybrid barriers at crossing hot spots. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 12:202-211. http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_12/Issue_1/Crawford_etal_2017.pdf \| Download	April 2017
Crawford, B. A., A. L. Farmer, K. M. Enge, A. H. Greene, L. Diaz, J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2022. Breeding dynamics of gopher frog metapopulations over 10 years. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management XX:XXX-XXX. https://doi.org/10.3996/JFWM-21-076 \| Download	July 2022
Craven, S.W., J.T. Peterson, M.C. Freeman, T.J. Kwak, and E. Irwin. 2010. Modeling the relations between flow regime components, species traits and spawning success of fishes in warmwater streams. Environmental Management. 46(2):181-194	July 2010
Cooper, R. J., M. J. Conroy, and J. P. Carroll. 2001. Wildlife biometrics training at the University of Georgia: adding quantitative emphasis to a wildlife management program. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 29:1049-1054	December 2001
Cook, K., J. Skvarla, S. McDonald, J. Bewsher, and M. J. Conroy. 2005. Central Georgia black bear population: habitat and population modeling and behavioral ecology. International Bear Newsletter 14:29-31.	April 2005
Converse, S. J., S. Servanty, C. T. Moore, and M. C. Runge. 2019. Population dynamics of reintroduced Whooping Cranes. Pages 139-160 in French, Jr, J. B., S. J. Converse, and J. E. Austin, editors. Whooping Cranes: Biology and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803555-9.00007-4	January 2019
Converse, S. J., C. T. Moore, and D. P. Armstrong. 2013. Demographics of reintroduced populations: estimation, modeling, and decision analysis. Journal of Wildlife Management 77:1081-1093. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.590 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	July 2013	Reintroduction can be necessary for recovering populations of threatened species. However, the success of reintroduction efforts has been poorer than many biologists and managers would hope. To increase the benefits gained from reintroduction, management decision making should be couched within formal decision-analytic frameworks. Decision analysis is a structured process for informing decision making that recognizes that all decisions have a set of components—objectives, alternative management actions, predictive models, and optimization methods—that can be decomposed, analyzed, and recomposed to facilitate optimal, transparent decisions. Because the outcome of interest in reintroduction efforts is typically population viability or related metrics, models used in decision analysis efforts for reintroductions will need to include population models. In this special section of the Journal of Wildlife Management, we highlight examples of the construction and use of models for informing management decisions in reintroduced populations. In this introductory contribution, we review concepts in decision analysis, population modeling for analysis of decisions in reintroduction settings, and future directions. Increased use of formal decision analysis, including adaptive management, has great potential to inform reintroduction efforts. Adopting these practices will require close collaboration among managers, decision analysts, population modelers, and field biologists.
Converse, S. J., C. T. Moore, M. J. Folk, and M. C. Runge. 2013. A matter of tradeoffs: reintroduction as a multiple objective decision. Journal of Wildlife Management 77:1145-1156. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.472 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	August 2013	Decision making in guidance of reintroduction efforts is made challenging by the substantial scientific uncertainty typically involved. However, a less recognized challenge is that the management objectives are often numerous and complex. Decision makers managing reintroduction efforts are often concerned with more than just how to maximize the probability of reintroduction success from a population perspective. Decision makers are also weighing other concerns such as budget limitations, public support and/or opposition, impacts on the ecosystem, and the need to consider not just a single reintroduction effort, but conservation of the entire species. Multiple objective decision analysis is a powerful tool for formal analysis of such complex decisions.We demonstrate the use of multiple objective decision analysis in the case of the Florida non-migratory whooping crane reintroduction effort. In this case, the State of Florida was considering whether to resume releases of captive-reared crane chicks into the non-migratory whooping crane population in that state. Management objectives under consideration included maximizing the probability of successful population establishment, minimizing costs, maximizing public relations benefits, maximizing the number of birds available for alternative reintroduction efforts, and maximizing learning about the demographic patterns of reintroduced whooping cranes. The State of Florida engaged in a collaborative process with their management partners, first, to evaluate and characterize important uncertainties about system behavior, and next, to formally evaluate the tradeoffs between objectives using the Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART). The recommendation resulting from this process, to continue releases of cranes at a moderate intensity, was adopted by the State of Florida in late 2008. Although continued releases did not receive support from the International Whooping Crane Recovery Team, this approach does provide a template for the formal, transparent consideration of multiple, potentially competing, objectives in reintroduction decision making.
Conroy. M. J., and D. C. Lee. 2004. Population dynamics and monitoring applied to decision-making. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 27. 1:229-230.	January 2005
Conroy, MJ, JP Runge, RJ Barker,MR Schofield, CJ Fonnsebeck. 2008. Efficient estimation of abundance for patchily distributed populations via 2-phase, adaptive sampling. Ecology 3362-3370.	December 2008
Conroy, M. J., and J. P. Carroll. Quantitative Vertebrate Conservation. Wiley-Blackwell.	January 2009
Conroy, M. J., and J. P. Carroll. 2002. Estimating abundance of Galliformes: tools and application. Proceedings of the 2nd International Galliformes Symposium. Kathmandu and Royal Chitwan Nationa Park, Nepal. 24 September - 1 October 2000. Editors-in-chief: MIA Woodburn and PJG McGowan. Editors: J. P. Carroll, A. Musavi, and Zhang Zheng-wang.	January 2002
Conroy, M. J., and C. T. Moore. 2002. Wildlife habitat modeling in an adaptive framework: the role of alternative models. Pages 205-218 in Scott, J. M., P. J. Heglund, M. L. Morrison, J. B. Haufler, M. G. Raphael, W. A. Wall, and F. B. Samson, eds. Predicting species occurrences: issues of accuracy and scale. Island Press, Washington, DC. \| Download	February 2002
Conroy, M. J., and C. T. Moore. 2001. Simulation models and optimal decision making in natural resource management. Pages 91-104 in Shenk, T. M., and A. B. Franklin, eds. Modeling in natural resource management: development, interpretation, and application. Island Press, Washington, DC. \| Download	May 2001
Conroy, M. J., R. J. Barker, P. J. Dillingham, D. Fletcher, A. M. Gormley, and I. Westbrooke. 2008. APPLICATION OF DECISION THEORY TO CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT: RECOVERY OF HECTOR'S DOLPHIN. Wildlife Research 35: 93-102.	April 2008
Conroy, M. J., P. Beier, H. Quigley, and M. R. Vaughan. 2006. Improving the use of science in conservation: lessons from the Florida Panther. Journal of Wildlife Management: 70: 1-7	April 2006
Conroy, M. J., M. W. Miller, and J. E. Hines. 2002. Identification and synthetic modeling of factors affecting American black duck populations. Wildlife Monographs 150.	October 2002
Conroy, M. J., J. C. Senar, and J. Domenech. 2002. Analysis of individual and time-specific covariate effects on survival of Serinus serinus in north-eastern Spain. J. Applied Stat. 29(1-3):125-142.	May 2002
Conroy, M. J., J. C. Senar, J. E. Hines and J. Domenech. 1999. Development and application of a mark-recapture model incorporating predicted sex and transitory behaviour. Bird Study 46(Suppl): S62-73.	November 1999
Conroy, M. J., C. R. Allen, J. T. Peterson, L. Pritchard, Jr., and C. T. Moore. 2003. Landscape change in the southern Piedmont: challenges, solutions, and uncertainty across scales. Conservation Ecology 8(2): 3. [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol8/iss2/art3. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	December 2003	The southern Piedmont of the southeastern United States epitomizes the complex and seemingly intractable problems and hard decisions that result from uncontrolled urban and suburban sprawl. Here we consider three recurrent themes in complicated problems involving complex systems: (1) scale dependencies and cross-scale, often nonlinear relationships; (2) resilience, in particular the potential for complex systems to move to alternate stable states with decreased ecological and/or economic value; and (3) uncertainty in the ability to understand and predict outcomes, perhaps particularly those that occur as a result of human impacts. We consider these issues in the context of landscape-level decision making, using as an example water resources and lotic systems in the Piedmont region of the southeastern United States.
Conroy, M. J., C. J. Fonnesbeck, and N. L. Zimpfer. 2005. Modeling regional waterfowl harvest rates using Markov chain Monte Carlos. Journal of Wildlife Management 69: 77-90.	March 2005
Conroy, M. J. J. T. Peterson, O. L. Bass, C. J. Fonnesbeck, J. E. Howell, C. T. Moore, and J. P. Runge. 2008. Sources of variation in detection of wading birds from aerial surveys in the Florida Everglades. Auk 125:731-743. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	July 2008	We conducted dual-observer trials to estimate detection probabilities (probability that a group that is present and available is detected) for fixed-wing aerial surveys of wading birds in the Everglades system, Florida. Detection probability ranged from <0.2 to ~0.75 and varied according to species, group size, observer, and the observer's position in the aircraft (front or rear seat). Aerial-survey simulations indicated that incomplete detection can have a substantial effect on assessment of population trends, particularly over relatively short intervals (≤3 years) and small annual changes in population size (≤3%). We conclude that detection bias is an important consideration for interpreting observations from aerial surveys of wading birds, potentially limiting the use of these data for comparative purposes and trend analyses. We recommend that workers conducting aerial surveys for wading birds endeavor to reduce observer and other controllable sources of detection bias and account for uncontrollable sources through incorporation of dual-observer or other calibration methods as part of survey design (e.g., using double sampling).
Conroy, M. J. Application of capture-recapture to addressing questions in evolutionary ecology. in: Modeling Demographic Processes in Marked Populations. Series: Environmental and Ecological Statistics , Vol. 3 Thomson, David L. ; Cooch, Evan G. ; Conroy, Michael J. (Eds. )	January 2009
Conroy, M. J. 2008. Some contributions of capture-recapture to evolutionary ecology and population modeling. Pp. 315-348 in Unity in Diversity. Reflections on Ecology after the Legacy of Ramon Margalef. Fundaci�n BBVA, Bilbao, Spain	February 2008
Conroy, M. J. 2005. Modelling and statistics for conservation: a philosophical, pragmatic viewpoint. Pp. 122-132 in: Fuller, R. A. & Browne, S. J. (eds) 2005. Galliformes 2004. Proceedings of the 3rd International Galliformes Symposium. World Pheasant Association, Fordingbridge, UK.	May 2005
Conroy, M. J. 2002. Real and quasi-experiments in capture-recapture studies: suggestions for advancing the state of the art. J. Applied Statistics 29(1-3):475-477.	May 2002
Conroy, M. J. 2000. Conservation and land use decisions under uncertainty: models, data, and adaptation. Pp. 145-158 in. M. Hill and R. Aspinall (editors). Spatial information for land use management. OPA Overseas Publishing Associates, Ltd.	September 2001
Conroy, M. J. 2000. An adaptive approach to habitat management for migratory birds in the southeastern United States. pp. 63- 69 in: Bonney, R., Pashley, D. N., Cooper, R, J., and Niles, L. (eds). Strategies for bird conservation: The Partners in Flight Planning Process; Proceedings of the 3rd Partners in Flight Workshop; 1995 October 1-5; Cape May, NJ. Proceedings RMRS-P-16. Ogden, UT: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 281 p.	September 2001
Conroy M.J. and J.T. Peterson. 2009. Integrating management, research, and monitoring: balancing the 3-legged stool. Pages 413 - 421 in Cederbaum S.B., Faircloth B.C., Terhune T.M., Thompson J.J., and Carroll J.P., eds. Gamebird 2006: Quail VI and Perdix XII. 31 May - 4 June 2006. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Athens, GA, USA.	July 2009
Cohen, B. S., E. H. Belser, C. H. Killmaster, J. W. Bowers, B. J. Irwin, M. J. Yabsley, and K. V. Miller. 2015. Epizootiology of cranial abscess disease in white-tailed deer of Georgia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 51(3)609-618. \| Abstract	July 2015	Intracranial abscess disease is a reported cause of natural mortality for mature, male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Most cases of abscesses are associated with bacterial infection by Trueperella (Arcanobacterium) pyogenes but little else is known about the disease. We examined 7,545 white-tailed deer from 60 sites throughout Georgia (USA) for signs of cranial abscesses, the predecessor of intracranial abscesses, to model risk factors that may contribute to incidence of the disease. Factors examined included environmental factors (soil and forest type), demographic factors (deer density and male to female ratio), and individual host factors (deer gender and age). We found no cases of cranial abscesses in the 2,562 female deer examined but they were found in 91 of the 4,983 (1.8%) male deer examined. A generalized linear mixed model, treating site as a random effect, indicated the probability of a male having a cranial abscess increased with age. Adult sex ratio (male:female) at the site was also positively associated with this disease. Site-specific variables for land cover and soil types were not strongly associated with risk of the disease and a large amount of among-site variability remained. Our results suggest the high incidence of cranial abscesses in some populations could interfere with deer management strategies attempting to increase demographic representation of older males in the population. Given the relative importance of individual and local demographic factors and the remaining unexplained spatial variability, additional investigation into spatiotemporal variation of the presumed bacterial causative agent of cranial abscesses appears warranted.
Carswell, B. L., J. T. Peterson, and C. A. Jennings. 2015. Tidal Management Affects Sub-adult Fish Assemblages in Impounded South Carolina Marshes. Wetlands Ecology and Management 23(6):1015-1031.	June 2015
Bringolf, R. A., B. J. Irwin, and K. A. Kellock. 2015. Factors associated with intersex Largemouth Bass from impoundments in the southeastern United States. Pages 311-318 in M. D. Tringali, J. M. Long, T. W. Birdsong, and M. S. Allen. Black bass diversity: multidisciplinary science for conservation. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 82, Bethesda, MD.	April 2015
Bopp, J., L. Nathan, J.D. Robinson, K. Scribner, J. Kanefsky, S. Herbst, K.F. Robinson. 2024. Assessing grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) occupancy and detection probability within Lake Erie from environmental DNA. Management of Biological Invasions 15:51-72. doi.org/10.3391/mbi.2024.15.1.04 \| Download	March 2024
Boone, S. S., S. M. Hernandez, A. C. Camus, D. L. Peterson, C. A. Jennings, J. L. Shelton & S. J. Divers. 2013. Evaluation of four suture materials for surgical incision closing in Siberian sturgeon. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 142:649-659. \| Abstract	March 2013	The visual and microscopic tissue reactions to the absorbable monofilament Monocryl, absorbable monofilament triclosancoated Monocryl-Plus, absorbable multifilament Vicryl, and nonabsorbable monofilament Prolene were evaluated for their use of surgical closure in Siberian Sturgeon Acipenser baerii. Postoperative assessments were conducted at 1, 2, 8, 12, and 26 and 55 weeks to visually evaluate the surgical incision for suture retention, incision healing, erythema, and swelling. Incisions were also assessed microscopically at 1, 2, and 8 weeks for necrosis, inflammation, hemorrhage, and fibroplasia. The results indicated that incisions closed with either Vicryl or Prolene suture materials were more likely to exhibit more erythema or incomplete healing compared with those closed with Monocryl or Monocryl-Plus. The surgical implantation of a transmitter in the coelomic cavity did not significantly affect the response variables among the four suture materials. Monocryl or Monocryl-Plus were equally effective and superior to other suture materials used for closing surgical incisions in Siberian Sturgeon or closely related species of sturgeon. Furthermore, Monocryl or Monocryl-Plus may decrease the risk of transmitter expulsion through the incision, as surgical wounds appear to heal faster and exhibit less erythema compared with those closed with Vicryl.
Boone, S. S., S. J. Divers, A. C. Camus, D. L. Peterson, C. A. Jennings, J. L. Shelton, & S. M. Hernandez. 2013. Pathologic and Physiologic Effects Associated with Long-Term Intracoelomic Transmitters in Captive Siberian Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii). North American Journal of Fisheries Management 33:869-877.	October 2013
Bonvehcio, T. F. and C. A. Jennings, and D. R. Harrison. 2011. Diet and population metrics of the introduced blue catfish population in the Altamaha, River, GA. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 65:112-118.	April 2012
Belcher, C.N. and C. A. Jennings. 2011. Identification and evaluation of sub-adult shark bycatch in Georgia’s commercial trawl fisheries. Fisheries Management and Ecology 18:104-112. \| Abstract	April 2011	Overfishing has reduced many shark populations along the east coast of the United States. Many states have recreational and commercial fisheries that occur in nursery areas occupied by sub-adult sharks, which raises concerns about mortality rates for these life stages. Georgia is one of few states without a directed shark fishery; however, the State is home to a large trawl fishery for penaeid shrimp, and small sharks occur as bycatch in shrimp trawls. During fishery-dependent sampling events from 1995-1998, 34% of 127 trawls contained sharks. This bycatch totaled 217 individuals from six species, with Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae (Richardson), the most common, and finetooth, Carcharhinus isodon (Valenciennes), and spinner, Carcharhinus brevipinna (Müller and Henle), sharks the least common. The highest catch rates for sharks occurred during June and July and coincided with the peak months of the pupping season for many species. Fishing characteristics (i.e., tow speed and tow time) did not significantly influence catch rates for shark species. Gear configurations (net type, turtle excluder device, bycatch reduction device) did affect catch rates for shark species. Management strategies that may reduce shark bycatch in this fishery include possible gear restrictions, a delayed season opening or reduced bar spacing on turtle excluder devices.
Belcher, C. N., and C. A. Jennings. 2009. Use of fishery-independent trawl surveys to evaluate distribution patterns of sub-adult sharks in Georgia. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management and Ecosystem Science 1:218-229. \| Abstract	July 2009	We investigated the utility of a fishery–independent trawl survey for assessing a potential multispecies shark nursery in Georgia’s near and inshore waters. A total of 234 sub-adult sharks from six species were captured during 85 of 216 trawls. Catch rates and size distributions for sub-adult sharks, and the ratio of neonates to juveniles were consistent among areas. The highest concentrations of sub-adult sharks occurred in creeks and sounds. Species composition varied among areas. Atlantic sharpnose shark was the most abundant species in the sound and nearshore stations, whereas bonnetheads were the most abundant species in the creeks. The aggregate of other species occurred with higher frequency in the sounds and nearshore. Sampling characteristics of the trawl survey were compared to those from a fishery–independent sub-adult shark longline survey to assess the similarity of the two gears. A total of 193 sub-adult sharks from seven species were captured during 57 of 96 longline sets, whereas 52 sub-adults from four species were captured during 20 of 48 trawls. Selectivity and efficiency differed between the two gears. The trawl had lower catch rates, caught smaller sharks, and encountered a different suite of species than the longline. General seasonal trends in relative abundance also differed between the two gears, with the longline showing an increasing trend in abundance and the trawl showing a stable trend. Although trawls were not found to be efficient for sampling sub-adult sharks from most species, they can be a useful source of supplemental data.
Belcher, C. N., and C. A. Jennings. 2009. Potential gear bias associated with hand-retrieved longline catches of sub-adult sharks in Georgia estuaries. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29:1676-1685. \| Abstract	December 2009	Lunar and tidal phases, along with bait type, were examined as potential sources of bias affecting catch rates of sub-adult sharks on hand-retrieved longlines in Georgia’s estuaries. Sampling occurred during April-September from 2001-2003 in eight of Georgia’s nine estuaries when the presence of sub-adult sharks is high. The effects of lunar and tidal phases on catch rates of sharks were evaluated during 2001 and 2002.The effect of bait type (i.e., squid Loligo spp. or spot Leiostomus xanthurus) on catch rates of sharks was evaluated during 2003. During 2001 and 2002, 420 sub-adult sharks, representing two families (Carcharhinidae and Sphyrnidae) and nine species, were caught during 212 longline sets. Catch rates were evaluated for the four most commonly occurring species, Atlantic sharpnose Rhizoprionodon terranovae, bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo, blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus and sandbar C. plumbeus sharks, as well as the aggregate catch rate of all sub-adult sharks. Neither lunar cycle nor tidal stage affected catch rates of any species other than blacktip sharks. In 2003, longline sets (n=80 sets) resulted in the capture of 177 sub-adult sharks from seven species. Overall catch rates were higher with squid than with spot, and bait type also affected shark species catch composition. Further, mean sizes of Atlantic sharpnose sharks were significantly different between the two bait types, indicating a possible ontogenetic shift in bait preference. For example, catch of neonate Atlantic sharpnose sharks was higher on hooks baited with squid than on hooks baited with spot, whereas catch of juveniles was higher on hooks baited with spot. Although timing of sampling did not influence catch rates of sub-adult sharks, bait choice could bias estimates of abundance for life certain stages and can affect the probability of detecting some species.
Belcher, C. N., and C. A. Jennings. 2004. Evaluation of Stock-Recruitment Curves for White Shrimp in Georgia. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:654-661.	May 2004
Belcher, C. N. and C. A. Jennings. 2010. Utility of Mesohabitat Features for Determining Habitat Associations of Sub-adult Sharks in Georgia’s Estuaries. Environmental Biology of Fishes 88:349-359. \| Abstract	April 2010	We examined the effects of selected water quality variables on the presence of sub-adult sharks in six of nine Georgia estuaries. During 231 longline sets, we captured 415 individuals representing nine species. Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terranovae), bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo), blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) and sandbar shark (C. plumbeus) comprised 96.1% of the catch. Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) was used to assess environmental influences on the assemblage of the four common species, and indicated bonnethead sharks and sandbar sharks were correlated with each other and with a subset of environmental variables. Discriminant Analyses (DA) were used to assess environmental influences on individual species, and also indicated correlations between selected species and a subset of environmental variables. Although significant relationships existed at each level of analysis, dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity, and depth accounted < 16% of the total variation in each. Macrohabitat, prey availability, and susceptibility to predation may have stronger influences on the presence and distribution of sub-adult shark species among sites.
Beier, P., M. R. Vaughan, M. J. Conroy, and H. Quigley. 2006. Evaluating scientific inferences about the Florida Panther. Journal of Wildlife Management: 70: 236-245.	April 2006
Bayley, P. B., and J. T. Peterson. 2001. Species presence for zero observations: an approach and an application to estimate probability of occurrence of fish species and species richness. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 130: 620-633.	July 2001
Banish, N. P., J. T. Peterson, R. F. Thurow. 2007. Physical, Biotic, and Sampling Influences on Diel Habitat Use by Stream-Dwelling Bull Trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 28:176-187.	February 2008
Baker, T. L., and C. A. Jennings. 2005. Striped bass survival in Lake Blackshear, GA during drought conditions: implications for restoration efforts in Gulf of Mexico drainages. Environmental Biology of Fishes 72:73-84.	February 2005
Baker, M. A., E. C. Ingram, D. L. Higginbotham, B. J. Irwin, and A. G. Fox. 2023. Refining capture-recapture recruitment estimation methods for Atlantic Sturgeon. Endangered Species Research 51: 203-214. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01250 \| Abstract	July 2023	<sup>The Atlantic Sturgeon (<i>Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus</i>) was once of great commercial importance in many coastal rivers of the eastern U.S.A. Over the 19<sup>th</sup>–20<sup>th</sup> centuries, most historical stocks of Atlantic Sturgeon were depleted by human activities. Estimating recruitment for the remaining populations is challenging due to sampling constraints, limited age data, and natural variability. However, recruitment estimates could inform recovery efforts. The objectives of this study were to compare two modeling approaches to estimate recruitment of age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon and provide an updated index of abundance across more than a decade of sampling in the Altamaha River, GA. First, we constructed capture histories of river-resident juveniles, using capture-mark-recapture data collected from 2008–2020, and assigned ages based on length-frequency analysis. Second, we compared more traditional Huggins closed population models and a recent nonlinear extension of Huggins models – vector generalized additive models (VGAMs) – to estimate abundance of age-1 fish. Both model types suggested similar yearly age-1 abundance estimates, which varied from 163 in 2017 to 3,839 in 2010, but the VGAMs provided more direct interpretation for factors that might affect capture probability (e.g., sampling effort, temperature, fish length). This study indicates that the Altamaha River Atlantic Sturgeon population has remained relatively stable over the past decade, and provides a long-term baseline which will better allow managers to assess the effects of either future restoration actions or environmental disturbances on the population.</sup>
Baker, L. A., R. J. Warren, D. R. Diefenbach, W. E. James, and M. J. Conroy. 2001. Prey selection by reintroduced bobcats (Lynx rufus) on Cumberland Island, Georgia. American Midland Naturalist 145:80-93.	March 2001
Alvarez, G. A., D. Grundy, B. J. Irwin, C. A. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2020. Using video survey to examine the effect of habitat on gag grouper encounter. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Virtual. August 28 - September 03. \| Abstract \| Download	September 2020	The document is an extended abstract and can be seen in the file below.
Albanese, B., P. L. Angermeier, and J. T. Peterson. Does mobility limit rates of colonization and population recovery among stream fishes? Freshwater Biology 7:1444-1460.	May 2009
Albanese, B. R., J. T. Peterson, B. J. Freeman, and D. Wieler. 2007 Accounting for Incomplete Detection when Estimating Site Occupancy of Pteronotropis welaka (Bluenose Shiner) in Southwest Georgia. Southeastern Naturalist 6(4):669-682.	January 2007

Presentations

Presentations	Presentation Date
Irwin, B. J. 2024. GA DNR Fisheries Biologist Meeting, Athens GA.	June 2024	Presented an invited update on the GA CRU to the GA DNR's Fisheries Section Biologist Meeting.
Zimpfer, N.L. M. J. Conroy, and C. J. Fonnesbeck. 2000. Development of an adaptive harvest management protocol for American black ducks. 2nd North American Duck Symposium,11-15 October, Saskatoon, SK.	October 2000
Zimpfer, N. L., M J. Conroy, and C. J. Fonnesbeck. Modeling specific life history aspects of American black ducks for purposes of adaptive harvest management. 9th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Bismarck, ND. 24-28 September 2002.	September 2002
Ziegeweid, J. R. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Acute toxicities of salinity and temperature for young-og-the-year shortnose sturgeon. Annaul Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jan. 24-26, 2006. Gainesville, GA.	January 2006
Ziegeweid, J. R. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Acute toxicities of salinity and temperature for young-og-the-year shortnose sturgeon. Annaul Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Sept. 10-14, 2006.	September 2006
Yondo, H., B. Boley, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. Importance-performance perceptions of Georgia trout anglers. Southeastern Recreation Research Conference, Asheville, NC.	March 2017	We are surveying up to 4,000 trout anglers in Georgia. Importance-performance analysis can be used to identify discrepancies between what stakeholders deem important and how an agency/firm is performing.
Yondo, H., B. Boley, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. 2018. Negotiation of perceived constraints to trout fishing in Georgia based on angler specialization level. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, San Juan, PR.	March 2018	To better understand constraints and negotiation strategies, we gathered data via a 2017 mail survey administered to Georgia trout license holders. Better understanding the differences in how trout anglers’ participation is constrained and the strategies they use to navigate constraints may contribute to more consistent license sales by allowing managers to offer different opportunities to anglers that experience different constraints.
Yondo, H., B. Boley, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. 2018. Negotiation of perceived constraints to trout fishing in Georgia based on angler specialization level. Southeastern Recreation Research Conference, Athens, GA.	March 2018	To better understand constraints and negotiation strategies, we gathered data via a 2017 mail survey administered to Georgia trout license holders. Better understanding the differences in how trout anglers’ participation is constrained and the strategies they use to navigate constraints may contribute to more consistent license sales by allowing managers to offer different opportunities to anglers that experience different constraints.
Yondo, H., B. Boley, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. 2018. Importance-satisfaction perceptions of Georgia trout anglers. Warnell Graduate Student Symposium, Athens, GA.	January 2018	We gathered data via a 2017 mail survey to Georgia trout license holders. Summarized responses are presented through an importance-satisfaction analysis, which can be used to identify discrepancies between what stakeholders deem important and their satisfaction with the performance of those attributes.
Yondo, H., B. Boley, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. 2018. Importance-satisfaction perceptions of Georgia trout anglers. Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Helen, GA.	January 2018	We gathered data via a 2017 mail survey to Georgia trout license holders. Summarized responses are presented through an importance-satisfaction analysis, which can be used to identify discrepancies between what stakeholders deem important and their satisfaction with the performance of those attributes.
Yondo, H., B. Boley, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. 2017. Importance-satisfaction perceptions of Georgia trout anglers. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Tampa, FL	August 2017	We will report on a stakeholder survey mailed to 4,000 Georgia trout license holders. Importance-satisfaction analysis can help inform managers about stakeholder preferences.
Wright, A.D., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. Smith, and C.T. Moore. 2015. (Poster) Data are scarce but action is necessary: Using agent-based models for conservation. Annual Student Conference on Conservation Science, 7-9 October 2015, New York, NY.	October 2015	We developed an individual-based model of gopher tortoise movement to understand tortoise dispersal and population connectivity as a function of landscape composition and configuration.
Wright, A. D., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2016. Long-term population ecology and large-scale movement patterns of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southwestern Georgia. US-IALE 2016 Annual Meeting, 3-7 April 2016, Asheville, NC.	April 2016	Reporting final results of survival and movement of re-trapping of gopher tortoises following a 1995-1999 capture effort.
Wright, A. D., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2016. (Poster) Long-term population ecology and large-scale movement patterns of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southwestern Georgia. Annual Scientific Advisory Committee Meeting of the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, 4 February 2016, Newton, GA.	February 2016	Reporting final results of survival and movement of re-trapping of gopher tortoises following a 1995-1999 capture effort.
Wright, A. D., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2015. Long-term population ecology and large-scale movement patterns of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southwestern Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 1-4 Nov 2015, Asheville, NC.	November 2015	To aid in conservation planning for the gopher tortoise, it is critical to understand processes of survival and dispersal. This work summarizes initial findings of an effort to recapture tortoises marked 15 years earlier.
Wright, A. D., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2015. Long-term population ecology and large-scale movement patterns of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southwestern Georgia. 37th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 16-18 October 2015, Covington, LA.	October 2015	To aid in conservation planning for the gopher tortoise, it is critical to understand processes of survival and dispersal. This work summarizes initial findings of an effort to recapture tortoises marked 15 years earlier.
Wright, A. D., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2014. (Poster) Long-term population ecology and large-scale movement patterns of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southwest Georgia. 36th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 17-19 October 2014, Albany, GA.	October 2014	Information on long-term population dynamics and on large-scale movement patterns of the gopher tortoise, a species that has an estimated lifespan of greater than 60 years, is lacking. To address the need for additional information, our study is investigating the long-term population ecology and large-scale movement patterns (i.e. dispersal) of gopher tortoises, and how habitat and landscape characteristics affect large-scale movement patterns of gopher tortoises to assess functional connectivi
Wright, A. D., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. L. Smith, C. T. Moore, and R. B. Chandler. 2016. Long-term population ecology and large-scale movement patterns of gopher tortoises in southwestern Georgia: A spatial capture-recapture approach. The Wildlife Society 23rd Annual Conference, 15-19 October 2016, Raleigh, NC.	October 2016	A long-term mark-recapture study of gopher tortoises has provided novel information about survival and movement over long temporal and broad spatial scales, and it has discovered landscape-context patterns in movement. These results will help in evaluating connectivity and viability of tortoise populations to inform reserve design and decision analysis for the species' conservation.
Wright, A. D., C. T. Moore, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and L. Smith. 2015. [Poster] Estimating dispersal rates and landscape resistance to understand functional connectivity for a long-lived endangered species. International Association of Landscape Ecology World Congress, 5-10 July 2015, Portland, OR.	July 2015	To aid in conservation planning for the gopher tortoise, it is critical to understand processes of survival and dispersal. This work summarizes initial findings of an effort to recapture tortoises marked 15 years earlier.
Wisniewski, J.M., J.T. Peterson, S. Abbott, C. Shea, and C. Stringfellow 2011. Lessons learned from a long-term mussel tagging study. Annual meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, January 13-16, Tampa, FL (INVITED)	January 2011
Wilson, A. W., M. Dodd, C. T. Moore. 2017. The impacts of extreme high tide events on sea turtle nesting along the Georgia barrier islands. Graduate Climate Conference, 10-12 November 2017, Woods Hole, MA. NOT ACCEPTED	November 2017	The objectives of this study were to quantify the changes in frequency of high tide events and assess effects of tide dynamics on nest success of sea turtles using five of Georgia’s barrier islands.
Wilson, A. M., M. Dodd, and C. T. Moore. 2018. Sea turtle nest elevation and hatch success in response to extreme high tide events. Presentation at 2018 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 22-25 February 2018, Helen, GA.	February 2018	The objectives of this study were to quantify the changes in frequency of high tide events and assess effects of tide dynamics on nest success of sea turtles using five of Georgia’s islands. We used a hierarchical model within a Bayesian framework to estimate the relationship between nest success and physical attributes including daily high tide events, inundation events, and nest elevation.
Wilson, A. M., M. Dodd, and C. T. Moore. 2017. [Poster] The impacts of extreme high tide events on sea turtle nesting along the Georgia barrier islands. Georgia Environmental Conference, 23-25 August 2017, Jekyll Island, GA.	August 2017	A study to quantify the changes in frequency of high tide events and assess the biological impact and subsequent nest success on loggerhead sea turtles was initiated during the 2016 nesting season on four of Georgia's barrier islands. Preliminary analyses reveal a positive relationship between nest success and elevation, and a positive trend in the frequency of high tide events on the Georgia coast. Predicting tidal trends will enable us to better understand how sea turtles will adapt their n
Wilson, A. M., M. Dodd, and C. T. Moore. 2018. Sea turtle nest elevation and hatch success in response to extreme high tide events. Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting, 12-16 February 2018, Myrtle Beach, SC.	February 2018	The objectives of this study were to quantify the changes in frequency of high tide events and assess effects of tide dynamics on nest success of sea turtles using five of Georgia’s islands. We used a hierarchical model within a Bayesian framework to estimate the relationship between nest success and physical attributes including daily high tide events, inundation events, and nest elevation.
Wilson, A. M., M. Dodd, and C. T. Moore. 2017. The impacts of extreme high tide events on sea turtle nesting along the Georgia barrier islands. Poster; 37th International Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, 15-20 April 2017, Las Vegas, NV.	April 2017	A study to quantify the changes in frequency of high tide events and assess the biological impact and subsequent nest success on loggerhead sea turtles was initiated during the 2016 nesting season on four of Georgia's barrier islands. Preliminary analyses reveal a positive relationship between nest success and elevation, and a positive trend in the frequency of high tide events on the Georgia coast. Predicting tidal trends will enable us to better understand how sea turtles will adapt their n
Wilson, A. M., M. Dodd, and C. Moore. 2017. [Poster] The impacts of extreme high tide events on sea turtle nesting along the Georgia barrier islands. 2017 Wildlife Research Meeting, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, 8 August 2017, Mansfield, GA.	August 2017	A study to quantify the changes in frequency of high tide events and assess the biological impact and subsequent nest success on loggerhead sea turtles was initiated during the 2016 nesting season on four of Georgia's barrier islands. Preliminary analyses reveal a positive relationship between nest success and elevation, and a positive trend in the frequency of high tide events on the Georgia coast. Predicting tidal trends will enable us to better understand how sea turtles will adapt their n
Wilson, A. M., M. Dodd, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2017. A Bayesian hierarchical model of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nest success response to extreme high tide events. The Wildlife Society 24th Annual Conference, 23-27 September 2017, Albuquerque, NM.	September 2017	The objectives of this study were to quantify the changes in frequency of high tide events and assess effects of tide dynamics on nest success of sea turtles using four of Georgia’s islands. We used a hierarchical model within a Bayesian framework to estimate the relationship between nest success and physical attributes including daily high tide events, inundation events, and nest elevation.
Will, T.A., T.R. Reinert, and C.A. Jennings. May 2000. Use of ultrasonic imaging to assess the reproductive status of endemic striped bass in the Savannah River estuary. International Conference on the Ethology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Ecology of Fishes. Athens, GA	May 2000
Will, T.A., T.R. Reinert, and C.A. Jennings. May 2000. Use of striped bass egg surrogates to assess gear detection thresholds and sampling efficiency in the Savannah River estuary. International Conference on the Ethology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Ecology of Fishes. Athens, GA	May 2000
Will, T.A., T.R. Reinert, and C.A. Jennings. February 2000. Use of ultrasonic imaging to assess the reproductive status of striped bass in the Savannah River estuary. Midyear Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Savannah, GA	February 2000
Will, T.A., T.R. Reinert, and C.A. Jennings. February 2000. Use of striped bass egg surrogates to assess gear detection thresholds and sampling efficiencies in the Savannah River Estuary. Midyear Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Savannah, GA	February 2000
Weyers, R.S., C.A. Jennings, and M.C. Freeman. May 2000. The effects of pulsed,high-water velocity on the length and survival of Moxostoma robustum (robust redhorse). International Conference on the Ethology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Ecology of Fishes. Athens, Ga	May 2000
Weyers, R. S., C. A. Jennings, and R. Cull. 2003. Temporal and spatial distribution of estuarine-dependant species in the Savannah River Estuary. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. August 10-14, 2003. Quebec City, Montreal, Canada.	August 2003
Weyers, R. S. and C. A. Jennings. 2003. Temporal and spatial distribution of estuarine-dependant species in the Savannah River Estuary. Spring Meeting - Southern Division of theAmerican Fisheries Society. February 13-16, 2003. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
Weyers, R. S. and C. A. Jennings. 2003. Temporal and spatial distribution of estuarine-dependant species in the Savannah River Estuary. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. January 21-23, 2003. Rome, Georgia.	January 2003
Weigel,D.E.,J.T. Peterson and P. Spurell.2000.The distribution of introgressive hybridization in westslope cutthroat trout populations in the Clearwater basin, Idaho and considerations for Dworshack resident fish mitigation.Detection, Status, and Management of Introgressed Populations of Cutthroat Trout Symposium.Boise, Idaho.	April 2000
Walther, E., B. Irwin, and B. Albanese. 2023. Demographic variability in spawning migration of Sicklefin redhorse (Moxostoma sp.). Graduate Student Symposium, Odum School of Ecology, Athens, GA.	February 2023	Sickelfin Redhorse (<i>Moxostoma</i> sp.) is a rare, undescribed sucker species (family Catostomidae), which is endemic to the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee River. We are working with GA DNR and the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee to better understand phenology of sex-specific spawning migration.
Walther, E., B. Irwin, and B. Albanese. 2023. Demographic variability in spawning migration of Sicklefin redhorse (Moxostoma sp.). Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, St. Simons, GA. 2nd place for student oral presentation.	February 2023	Sickelfin Redhorse (<i>Moxostoma</i> sp.) is a rare, undescribed sucker species (family Catostomidae), which is endemic to the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee River. We are working with GA DNR and the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee to better understand phenology of sex-specific spawning migration.
Walther, E. J., B. J. Irwin, and B. Albanese. (to be submitted). 2024. Forecasting Sicklefin Redhorse population trends in response to potential translocation recovery actions. 50^th annual meeting of the Southeastern Fishes Council, Little Rock, AR.	November 2024	Sicklefin Redhorse (Moxostoma sp.) is a rare sucker species (family Catostomidae) endemic to the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee River systems in North Carolina and Georgia. We fit a Jolly-Seber capture-recapture model to estimate sex-specific population parameters and then forecasted potential translocation scenarios.
Walther, E. J., B. J. Irwin, B. Albanese. 2024. Sex-specific variability in population demographics of Sicklefin Redhorse in Brasstown Creek. Annual Meeting of the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee, Asheville, NC.	February 2024	In this talk, I will present preliminary results from a Jolly-Seber capture-recapture model that estimated Sicklefin Redhorse sex-specific population parameters from 2016 –2022 using data from a combination of fyke netting for mark and recapture and a PIT antenna array to detect tagged individuals. Overall, our model indicates that the tributary spawning population is small (approximately 200 individuals), potentially declining, and biased towards adult males.
Walther, E. J., B. J. Irwin, B. Albanese. 2023. Sex-specific variability in population demographics of Sicklefin Redhorse (Moxostoma sp.). 153rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	In this talk, I will present preliminary results from a Jolly-Seber capture-recapture model that estimated Sicklefin Redhorse sex-specific population parameters from 2016 –2022 using data from a combination of fyke netting for mark and recapture and a PIT antenna array to detect tagged individuals. Overall, our model indicates that the tributary spawning population is small (approximately 200 individuals), potentially declining, and biased towards adult males.
Walsh,M.G., and J.T. Peterson. 2004. Adaptive Flow Management of Hydropower Operations in the Southeastern U.S. Invited Presentation in the interdiciplinary symposium, 'Science-based Management', at Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Hilton Head, South Carolina.	January 2004
Walsh, M. and J.T. Peterson 2004.The development of decision support tools for dam operation in the southeastern United States. 134th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Madison ,WI. August 2004.	August 2004
Walsh, M. G., and J. T. Peterson. April 2004. Adaptive Flow Management of Hydropower Operations in the Southeastern U.S. Adaptive Management Conference Series, Gainesville, FL.	April 2004
Walsh, M. G., J. T. Peterson, and T. J. Kwak. January 2004. Influence of Long-term Streamflow Variation on Recruitment of Riverine Fish Populations. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Athens, GA.	January 2004
Walsh, M. G., J. T. Peterson, and T. J. Kwak. February 2004. Influence of Long-term Streamflow Variation on Recruitment of Riverine Fish Populations. Warmwater Streams Fisheries Management Symposium, Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Oklahoma City, OK.	February 2004
Wagner, T., B.J. Irwin, J.R. Bence, W. Lui, D.B. Hayes. 2012. Developing Expectations for Detecting Temporal Change in Freshwater Fisheries Surveys. 68th Annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference. April 15 - 17, 2012, Charleston, West Virginia.	April 2012
Vidal, T., C. Jansch, B. J. Irwin, T. Wagner, J. R. Bence, J. R. Jackson, L. G. Rudstam, and W. W. Fetzer. 2014. Using variance structure as statistical indicators of large scale ecological change. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Québec City, Québec, Canada.	August 2014	Variability, which is sometimes viewed as an impediment to understanding population response, may reveal important signals regarding critical thresholds, beyond which a system could transition into an alternate, perhaps less desirable, state.
Vidal, T., B. J. Irwin, T. Wagner, L. G. Rudstam, J. R. Bence, and J. R. Jackson. Using variance structure to quantify perturbation induced ecological reorganization. Warnell Graduate Student Symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.	February 2015	We analyzed long term fishery-independent survey data, from Oneida Lake, NY, using a mixed modeling approach to partition total variability into spatial and temporal components. We show that the variance structure associated with the time series of count data produced by the survey was responsive to these perturbations, and suggest that these shifts could provide fine-scale information about how the fish community is reorganizing in adaptation to the altered ecosystem.
Vidal, T. E., B. J. Irwin, and C. P. Madenjian. 2017. Demographic structure influences how environmental forcing affects Alewife recruitment in Lake Michigan. Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Oklahoma City, OK.	February 2017	Population declines can have broad reaching effects in terms of ecosystem dynamics, conservation efforts, and stakeholder interests. We hypothesized that age-truncation, resulting from strong predation pressure, has reduced an Alewife population's buffering capacity against changing environmental conditions.
Vidal, T. E., B. J. Irwin, and C. P. Madenjian. 2016. Disentangling exogenous drivers of Alewife population dynamics in Lake Michigan. Georgia Chapter Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Columbus, GA.	February 2016	We are working with the Great Lakes Science Center to evaluate long-term monitoring data for an important forage base that supports fisheries in the Great Lakes.
Van Buskirk, A. N., C. T. Moore, B. B. Boley, C. H. Killmaster, K. L. Johannsen, and G. J. D'Angelo. 2021. [Poster] Incorporating structured decision making and alternative sources of data into management of white-tailed deer in Georgia. The Wildlife Society 28th Annual Conference, 1-5 November 2021. (Virtual)	November 2021	This study describes our approach toward a framework for deer harvest management in Georgia using elements of structured decision making.
Urich, M.L, R. B. Bringolf, P. Lasier, C. A. Jennings. 2016. Investigation of Environmental and Biochemical Factors Associated with Intersex in Freshwater Fish. Joint Annual Meeting of the GA-AL chapters of the American Fisheries Society. Columbus, GA. Feb. 9-11.	February 2016	This work seeks to uncover the relationship(s) between environmentally available estrogenic compounds and the incident of intersex in males fishes along a concentration gradient. The work will help managers determine which areas have the highest incidence of intersex and which species is most vulnerable so as to better devise management strategies to alleviate the prevalence and effects of this condition in wild fish populations.
Tucker, T. R., S. Tank, P. Canniff, C. Dumoulin, C. T. Bargeron, E. Jensen, C. T. Moore, and K. P. Kowalski. 2021. The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework: Programmatic quality control of participatory data. Presentation at the 64th annual Conference on Great Lakes Research (International Association for Great Lakes Research), 17-21 May 2021 [virtual].	May 2021	The <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is a collective learning program that utilizes adaptive management to reduce uncertainty in the management of non-native <i>Phragmites australis </i>throughout the Great Lakes basin. Data collected by participants drive the framework, and we highlight the PAMF approach to ensuring data quality on the front-end through the program's design, including the development of standardized data collection protocols and an online data entry porta
Tucker, T. R., S. Tank, E. Jensen, C. Dumoulin, P. Canniff, C. T. Moore, and K. P. Kowalski. 2021. The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework: Invasive species management through collective learning. Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference, 1-4 February 2021 (Virtual).	February 2021	In its fourth decision cycle and with over 650 acres enrolled, the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) engages Phragmites managers throughout the Great Lakes Basin in a systematic and informed effort to confront invasions of non-native Phragmites australis. We highlight the benefits of a collective learning approach, the lessons learned in implementing and running the program, and summarize the program’s accomplishments and findings thus far.
Tucker, T. R., S. N. Tank, P. M. Caniff, T. M. Gruninger, C. E. Dumoulin, C. T. Bargeron, E. S. Jensen, C. T. Moore, and K. P. Kowalski. 2022. The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative: Supporting science and management of an invasive grass in the SCDRS. State of Lake Erie Conference, 16-18 March 2022, Cleveland, OH.	March 2022	In 2017, the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative (GLPC) initiated the <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF), a participatory science program and decision support tool designed to find the best strategies for managing invasive <i>Phragmites</i> in the Great Lakes region. We provide an update on the GLPC’s program status and the PAMF model learning process relevant to researchers and managers in the St. Clair-Detroit River System and across Lake Erie.
Tucker, T. R., S. N. Tank, P. M. Caniff, T. M. Gruninger, C. E. Dumoulin, C. T. Bargeron, E. S. Jensen, C. T. Moore, and K. P. Kowalski. 2022. Collaborative-driven development of a successful Phragmites adaptive management program. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, 14-20 May 2022, Grand Rapids, MI.	May 2022	In response to high uncertainty and disagreement among experts about which management techniques are most effective against invasions of <i>Phragmites</i>, we developed the <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework, a collective learning and participatory science program designed to find best management practices for <i>Phragmites</i>. We describe the development, desired outcomes, and progress of this collaborative-led program.
Trushel, B.E., J.T. Peterson, and C.A. Jennings. 2012. Influence of multi-scale factors on fish structural indices in freshwater impoundments: Implications for successful fisheries management. American Fisheries Society Southern Division Annual Meeting, Biloxi, Mississippi, 26-29 January 2012. (Oral Presentation)	January 2012
Trushel, B.E., J.T. Peterson, and C.A. Jennings. 2012. Influence of multi-scale factors on fish structural indices in freshwater impoundments: Implications for successful fisheries management. World Fisheries Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. May 7-11. (Poster Presentation)	May 2012
Trushel, B., J.T. Peterson, and C.A. Jennings. 2012. Influence of Multi-Scale Factors on Fish Structural Indices in Freshwater Impoundments: Implications for Successful Fisheries Management. 142nd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, August 19-23, St Paul MN.	August 2012
Trushel, B., C.A. Jennings, and J.T. Peterson. 2012. Influence of Multi-Scale Factors on Fish Structural Indices in Freshwater Impoundments: Implications for Successful Fisheries Management. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, January 28-29, Biloxi, MS.	January 2012
Trushel, B., C.A. Jennings, and J.T. Peterson. 2012. Influence of Multi-Scale Factors on Fish Structural Indices in Freshwater Impoundments: Implications for Successful Fisheries Management. 20th Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, February 7-9, Perry, GA.	February 2012
Trushel, B. E., J. T. Peterson, and C. A. Jennings. 2010. Influence of landscape- and lake-level characteristics on sportfish production in southeastern U.S. impoundments. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, GA.	January 2010
Trushel, B. E., J. T. Peterson, and C. A. Jennings. 2010. Influence of landscape- and lake-level characteristics on sportfish production in southeastern U.S. impoundments. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Feb. 25-28. Asheville, NC.	February 2010
Tomy, N. Ismail, D. Higginbotham, M. Blount, and A. Fisk. 2007. Perfluorinated Compounds in Georgia Waters: a Preliminary Analysis. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis TN.	February 2007
Tomamichel, M.M., K.I. Lowe, K.M.H. Arnold, M.E. Frischer, B.J. Irwin, C.W. Osenberg, R.J. Hall and J.E. Byers. 2023. The Effect of Temperature, Host, and Parasite Traits on Parasite-Induced Mortality in Fisheries: A Meta-Analysis. Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Portland, OR.	September 2023	We conducted a meta-analysis of 60 empirical studies that manipulated temperature and quantified mortality of both infected and uninfected hosts from harvested aquatic species. The goals for our study were to 1) establish if the odds of infected host mortality were likely to increase with temperature, and 2) detect if there are any host, parasite, or study characteristics that influence the relationship between temperature and infected host mortality.
Thurow,R.F.,J.T. Peterson, and J. Guzevich.2001.Evaluation of multi-pass electrofishing and day and night snorkeling for estimating bull trout abundance. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bull Trout Technical Workshop. Welches, Oregon	March 2006
Thurow, R.F., J.T. Peterson, and J. W. Guzevich 2005. Was Edgar Winter correct? Utility of snorkeling for censusing salmonids. Annual Meeting of the Idaho Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Boise, ID.	February 2005
Thurow, R.F., J. T. Peterson, and J.W. Guzevich. 2003. Is there an elephant in your living room? Ignoring detectability biases results and may lead to poor decisions. Annual Meeting of the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Eugene.	February 2003
Thurow, R., J. Peterson, and J. Guzevich. August 2001. The bias in removal electrofishing estimates of stream dwelling salmonid abundance. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Phoenix, AZ.	August 2001
TenHarmsel, H., B. Boley, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. (NOT SUBMITTED due to COVID-19 pandemic) 2020. Harnessing all your data to better understand anglers: importance-satisfaction analysis and qualitative responses of Georgia trout anglers. American Fisheries Society Meeting, Columbus, OH. [IP-117693]	August 2020	Invited to submit to the following symposium: A Fisheries Biologist’s Guide to Using Human Dimensions Data (Including Data You Didn’t Know You Had). Presentation will cover GA trout project.
Tank, S., T. R. Tucker, C. Dumoulin, P. Canniff, N. Willig, E. Jensen, C. T. Moore, C. Bargeron, and K. P. Kowalski. 2021. The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework: Utilizing communication and strategic design to promote high quality data collection in a participatory science program. Presentation at the Annual Conference of the North American Invasive Species Management Association, 27-30 September 2021, Missoula, MT.	September 2021	The <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is a collective learning program that utilizes adaptive management to reduce uncertainty in the management of non-native <i>Phragmites australis </i>throughout the Great Lakes basin. We highlight the features, protocols, and checks designed into PAMF to achieve high data quality collected by the diverse users of the system.
Tank, S., P. Canniff, C. Dumoulin, C. Moore, E. Jensen, and K. P. Kowalski. 2021. Implementing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework during a global pandemic. The Stewardship Network Conference, 27-29 January 2021, East Lansing, MI. (Virtual)	January 2021	Through a systematic approach, the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) engages Phragmites managers throughout the Great Lakes Basin to develop best management practices and provide site-specific management guidance that is based on the results of past management efforts. The program, in its fourth decision cycle, relies heavily on in-person engagement, and we reflect on pandemic-forced transition to online and remote engagement.
Tank, S., E. Jensen, P. Canniff, C. Dumoulin, C. T. Moore, and K. P. Kowalski. 2020. The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework: Managing Phragmites with science on your side. Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference, 2-6 November 2020 (Virtual).	November 2020	To help improve <i>Phragmites</i> management across the Basin, the Great Lakes <i>Phragmites</i> Collaborative established the <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). Now in its fourth iterative decision cycle, we focus on reflections and findings from implementing an adaptive management approach to invasive <i>Phragmites</i> management and provide interested managers an opportunity to get involved.
Tank, S., D. D. Engel, E. Jensen, C. Dumoulin, C. T. Moore, E. Ferrier, and K. P. Kowalski. 2019. Utilizing an adaptive management approach for invasive species management: Implementing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework. Innovations in Invasive Species Management Conference, 10-12 December 2019, Coeur d'Alene, ID.	December 2019	The <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) was designed to provide management guidance to counter the spread of invasive non-native <i>Phragmites</i> in the Great Lakes basin, while returning information useful for reducing uncertainties in its management. We share progress we have made after three decision cycles and our reflections on implementing an adaptive management approach to invasive <i>Phragmites</i> management.
Tank, S., C. T. Moore, C. Dumoulin, D. D. Engel, E. Ferrier, E. Jensen, and K. P. Kowalski. 2020. Incorporating participatory science into an adaptive management approach to invasive species management. The Stewardship Network Conference, 17-18 January 2020, East Lansing, MI.	January 2020	Through a systematic approach that involves participation of managers across the Great Lakes basin, the <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) seeks to develop best management practices and provide site-specific management guidance that is based on formalized learning from past management efforts. We discuss the benefits of an adaptive management approach that incorporates participatory learning, and we share lessons learned throughout PAMF's development and implementation.
Sykes,S. Holzman, C.Perry, J.Sykes, J.Peterson, and P.Howard.2005. A preliminary report on the use of large woodpecker foraging sign as a possible method to suggest presence of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers (Campephilus principalis): a forensic approach. The Ecology of Large Woodpeckers History, Status, and Conservation, Brinkley, Arkansas.	April 2005
Staudinger, M. D., E. Grant, B. Irwin, R. Kraus, D. Krueger, and J. Stewart. 2014. Climate impacts on fish and fish habitats: Case studies from the Northeast Climate Science Center. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society,	August 2014	The Department of Interior Northeast Climate Science Center (NE CSC) conducts research that responds to the regional natural resource management community’s needs to anticipate, monitor, and adapt to climate change. We will highlight ongoing work at the NE CSC that seeks to better understand climate impacts on freshwater and coastal fish and fish habitats
Skvarla JL, Conroy MJ Density estimation: model for combining DNA sampling, camera traps, and telemetry data with the Middle Georgia black bear population 16th International Conference on Bear Research and ManagementSeptember 27 - October 1, 2005, Riva del Garda, Italy	September 2005
Simon, T.N., K.F. Robinson, and B.J. Irwin. 2024. GADNR SARS Power Analysis: Project Final Results. Annual Biologist Team Meeting, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Section, Athens, Georgia, 12-13 June 2024.	June 2024	Presented final results of power analysis results from GA DNR Standardized Annual Reservoir monitoring data to DNR fisheries biologists across the state. This presentation was critical not only present findings to, but also to get feedback from and answer questions for our state Cooperators who funded the project.
Simon, T.N., K.F. Robinson, and B.J. Irwin. 2024. GA DNR Standardized Annual Reservoir Sampling Review. Annual Biologist Team Meeting, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Section, Athens, Georgia, 12-13 June 2024.	June 2024	Presented results from our review of GA DNR Standardized Annual Reservoir Sampling (SARS) program SOP to DNR fisheries biologists across the state. This presentation was critical not only present findngs from our review, but also enguage DNR biologists in a discussion on how best to align goals and methods for SARS to guide a future revision of the SOP.
Simon, T., B. Irwin, and K. Robinson. 2024 (to be submitted). Estimating the power of standardized reservoir monitoring for sportfish in Georgia, USA. 154^th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Honolulu, HI.	September 2024	Fisheries-independent surveys (hereafter “monitoring”) are a major component of management decisions and operating budgets of many fisheries agencies. In cooperation with GADNR, we estimated the power to detect simulated long-term changes in catches for two key sportfish, Largemouth Bass (LMB) and Black Crappie (BCR), sampled with electrofishing or gill nets, respectively, across multiple reservoirs.
Shepard, D. C., C. A. Jennings., and R. Cull. 2003. Habitat use and movement patterns of hatchery-reared juvenile robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. August 10-14. Quebec City, Montreal. Canada.	August 2003
Shepard, D. C. and C. A. Jennings. 2003. Habitat use and movement patterns of hatchery-reared juvenile robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Spring Meeting - South Division of the American Fisheries Society. February 13-16. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
Shepard, D. C. and C. A. Jennings. 2003. Habitat use and movement patterns of hatchery-reared juvenile robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. January 21-23. Rome, Georgia.	January 2003
Shea,C.P. and J.T. Peterson. 2006. The efficacy of quadrant sampling for estimating fish community parameters of a large river. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Gainesville, Georgia.	February 2006
Shea, C.P., J.T. Peterson, and J.M. Wisniewski. 2011. Estimation of mussel population response to hydrologic alteration in the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint River Basin. Annual meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, January 13-16, Tampa, FL (INVITED)	January 2011
Shea, C.P. and J.T. Peterson. 2008. Influence of Physiography, Landscape, and Drought on Metapopulation Dynamics of Freshwater Mussels in the Lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Southeastern Environmental Flows Conference, Athens, GA.	October 2008
Shea, C.P. and J.T. Peterson 2010. Misidentification of Freshwater Mussels: Contributing Factors, Management Implications, and Potential Solutions. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Feb. 25-28. Asheville, NC.	February 2010
Shea, C.P. and J.T. Peterson 2010. Misidentification of Freshwater Mussels: Contributing Factors, Management Implications, and Potential Solutions. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, GA.	January 2010
Shea, C.P. and J.T. Peterson 2008. Development and Evaluation of Tools for Assessing the Flow Requirements of Fishes in Streams throughout the Lower Flint Basin, GA. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Wheeling WV.	March 2008
Shea, C.P. and J.T. Peterson 2008. Development and Evaluation of Tools for Assessing the Flow Requirements of Fishes in Streams throughout the Lower Flint Basin, GA. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Shea, C. and J. Peterson. 2005. Fish habitat use and community structure in regulated and unregulated reaches of a large, southeastern warmwater stream. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Virginia Beach, VA.	February 2005
Shea, C. and J. Peterson. 2005. Fish habitat use and community structure in regulated and unregulated reaches of a large, southeastern warmwater stream. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Bainbridge, GA.	January 2005
Senar, J.C., M.J. Conroy and A. Borras. 2000. Microgeographical adaptation in a highly dispersing species: a metapopulation analysis of the Citril Finch.. EURING 2000. 2-7 October, Pt. Reyes, CA.	October 2000
Schumber, Z., M. Baker, B. Irwin, M. Hamel, and P. Hazelton. 2024. Habitat and landscape characteristics affecting Corbicula presence in the upper Savannah River drainage. Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. LaGrange, GA.	February 2024	<i>Corbicula</i> is a freshwater bivalve native to Southeast Asia that has successfully invaded many continents worldwide. We evaluated the effect of landscape and habitat characteristics on <i>Corbicula </i>presence from 50 randomly selected sites in wadable streams, across 5 watersheds (HUC 10) in the upper Savannah River Drainage.
Sanderlin, JS. and MJ Conroy. Optimal allocation of resources in a hierarchical sampling design for estimating black bear density : a case study in Middle Georgia, USA. International Assoc for Bear Research and Management, Monterrey, Mexico	November 2007
Sanderlin, JS, and MJ Conroy. Model for combining genetic sampling, camera traps, and telemtry data: estimating black bear density in Middle Georgia. International statistical ecology conference, St. Andrews, Scotland	July 2008
Sanderlin, JS and MJ Conroy. 2007. Optimal genetic misidentification error estimation for mark-recapture abundance models. TWS Tucson 22-27 Sept 2007	January 2007
Sanderlin, J. S., M. J. Conroy, et al. (N. Lazar, J. Carroll, J. Nairn, and L. Seymour). Sept. 2009. State-space model incorporating multiple data structures for estimating black bear abundance in central Georgia, USA. EURING conference, Pescara, Italy.	September 2009
SITOMPUL, ARNOLD F; Hedges, Simon; Tyson, Martin J; Carroll, John P; Peterson, James T. Modeling the impact of poaching to Sumatran elephant (Scientific name) population in Way Kambas National Park, Sumatra.Society for Conservation Biology annual meeting in Brazil on 15-19 of July 2005.	July 2005
Ruiz, J.C. and J.T. Peterson. 2005. An evaluation of the relative influence of spatial, statistical, and biological factors on the accuracy of stream fish species presence models. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Virginia Beach, VA.	February 2005
Ruiz, J.C. and J.T. Peterson. 2005. An evaluation of the relative influence of spatial, statistical, and biological factors on the accuracy of stream fish species presence models. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Bainbridge, GA.	January 2005
Ruiz, J.C. and C.A. Jennings. 2009. Multi-pass electrofishing as an alternative to cove rotenone. Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting. Perry. Jan 27-29.	January 2009
Ruiz, J. and J. Peterson. 2004. The Influence of Local and Landscape Features on Fish Distribution in the Flint River Basin Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter American Fisheries Society, Athens.	January 2004
Ruiz, J. and J. Peterson. 2002. Accounting for the effects of preservation on fish lengths and weights. The Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA.	January 2002
Ruiz, J. and C. A. Jennings. 2010. Is Multi-pass Electrofishing as an Alternative to Cove Rotenone? Spring Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Feb. 25-27. Asheville, NC.	February 2010
Ruiz, J, D. Dennerline, D. Degan, W. Jabour, C. A. Jennings. 2008. Are blueback herring distributed within desired habitat during summer stratification? Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter - American Fisheries Society. Jan. 29-31. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Roop, HJ, NC Poudyal, and CA Jennings. 2015. Assessing fishing pressure and angler harvest from Marben Public Fishing Area in middle Georgia. Southern Division, American Fisheries Society. Savannah, GA Jan 28-Feb. 1, 2015.	January 2015	The work provides data on the fishing effort and harvest for a popular fishing destination in middle GA. GA DNR will use this new information to manage the fishery at the location.
Roop, HJ, NC Poudyal, and CA Jennings. 2014. Assessing fishing pressure and angler harvest from Marben Public Fishing Area in middle Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Destin, FL. Oct. 19-22.	October 2014	The work provides data on the fishing effort and harvest for a popular fishing destination in middle GA. GA DNR will use this new information to manage the fishery at the location.
Roop, HJ, CA Jennings, and NC Poudyal. 2014. Angler Attitudes and Preferences towards Fishery Management at Marben Public Fishing Area, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Destin, FL. Oct. 19-21.	October 2014	This work indicated that anglers rated the quality of fishing at Maben PFA significantly above the expected average and significantly higher than other comparable fishing sites. These results suggest that anglers were generally satisfied with the current management of the fishery; and on average, had a positive opinion regarding the quality of fishing at Marben PFA.
Roop, H.J., C.A. Jennings, and N.C. Poudyal. 2015. Identifying Factors that Influence Anglers' Perceptions of Fishery Quality on State-Owned Fishing Impoundments. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Portland, OR. Aug. 16-20.	August 2015	This work indicated that anglers rated the quality of fishing at Maben PFA significantly above the expected average and significantly higher than other comparable fishing sites. These results suggest that anglers were generally satisfied with the current management of the fishery; and on average, had a positive opinion regarding the quality of fishing at Marben PFA.
Roop, H.J., C. A. Jennings, and N.C. Poudyal. 2014. Anglers’ Evaluations of Fishery Quality and Management in a Georgia Public Fishing Area. Southeast Recreation Research Conference. Ashville, NC. March 30 - April 1.	March 2014	This work will document angler's perception of angling quality and management strategies as well as the determination of effort and harvest data. This information will be used by the managers at the Marben Farms Public Fishing Area to determine if current management strategies as sufficient for promoting a sustainable local fishery, if changes are required, and what those changes might be.
Roop, H. J., N. C. Poudyal, and C. A. Jennings. 2018. Catch and Harvest of Targeted Sportfishes in Marben Public Fishing Area in Middle Georgia. 2018. Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Oct. 21-24. Mobile, AL	October 2018	This work demonstrates the utility of locally sourced data on angler catch and harvest of targeted sportfishes. In this instance, the results were different from statewide averages, which usually is used as the basis for managing all public fishing areas. In this instance, locally sourced data indicates that the use of statewide species targeted, catch and harvest data would result in angler dissatisfaction with angling opportunities at Marben Public Fishing area. The results of this work i
Romanach, S., M. Eaton, F. Johnson, J. Lyons, C. Moore, M. Runge, A. Hijuelos, M. Meyers, and G. Steyer. 2017. Applying adaptive management at a programmatic scale. Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference, 6-9 Feb 2017, New Orleans, LA.	February 2017	Implementing adaptive management (AM) on a programmatic scale has the potential to provide a strong path toward meeting Gulf-wide restoration objectives, enhance shared learning, and promote wise use of restoration funding. We explored the idea of implementing AM at a programmatic scale across a suite of Gulf restoration projects.
Robinson, K.F., M.L. Jones. 2024. Decision Analysis to Bridge the Knowledge-Action Gap in Fisheries Management. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Honolulu, HI.	September 2024	There is a need to enhance the transfer of knowledge from producers to those who us it for decision making and fisheries management. In this presentation, we describe the ways in which decision analysis can be used to close this knowledge-action gap.
Robinson, K.F., M.L. Jones, B. Brenton, R. Clark, J. Jonas, M. Kornis, D. O'Keefe, B. Roth, I. Tsehaye, B. Turschak. 2023. Updated decision analysis for salmonine stocking in Lake Michigan. International Association of Great Lakes Research, Toronto, Canada.	May 2023	We used decision analysis to work collaboratively with fishery stakeholders and managers around Lake Michigan to evaluate stocking strategies for the five salmonine species in the lake. We found that most simulated outcomes led to a collapse in the main prey source, alewife, but that there is a great deal of uncertainty around the estimates of current alewife abundance.
Robinson, K.F., E. Baker, V. Hemming, M.A. Kenney, M.C. Runge. 2024. Decision Analysis for Conservation and Management: Future Challenges and Areas for Research. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Honolulu, HI.	September 2024	We use examples of decision analysis in aquatic systems to describe the opportunities and challenges that exist for implementing decision analysis in a changing ecosystem.
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2011. Productivity of functional guilds of fishes in managed wetlands in coastal South Carolina. Semiannual Meeting of the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society, Athens, GA, March 16-18.	March 2011
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2011. Productivity of functional guilds of fishes in managed wetlands in coastal South Carolina. Joint Meeting of Society of Wetland Scientists, WETPOL, and Wetland Biogeochemistry Symposium, Prague, Czech Republic, July 3-8.	July 2011
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2011. Productivity of functional guilds of fishes in managed wetlands in coastal South Carolina. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Seattle, WA, September 4-8.	September 2011
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2011. Maximizing recruitment of YOY spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) from a South Carolina estuary: an evaluation of coastal impoundment management alternatives via structured decision-making. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Tampa, FL, January 13-16.	January 2011
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2011. A comparison of resident fish communities in managed and unmanaged wetlands in North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Seattle, WA, September 4-8.	September 2011
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Production of estuarine-use functional guilds of fishes in managed impoundments in coastal South Carolina. South Carolina Fishery Workers Association and South Carolina Division of American Fisheries Society joint meeting, Charleston, SC, February 9-10.	February 2010
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Production of estuarine-use functional guilds of fishes in managed impoundments in coastal South Carolina. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Asheville, NC, February 25-28.	February 2010
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Production of estuarine-use functional guilds of fishes in managed impoundments in coastal South Carolina. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, GA, January 26-27.	January 2010
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Maximizing recruitment of YOY spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) from a South Carolina estuary: an evaluation of coastal impoundment management alternatives via structured decision-making. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Pittsburgh, PA, September 12-16 (poster).	September 2010
Robinson, K.F. 2023. Making smart decisions: a framework for life decisions and fisheries management. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	Decision making is an important life skill that is continuously employed for personal and professional decisions. I describe the benefits of using a values focused method of decision making that is useful for both personal and fisheries decisions.
Robinson, K. F. and C. A. Jennings. 2012. Maximizing YOY spot Leiostomus xanthurus export from a South Carolina estuary: an evaluation of coastal impoundment management alternatives via structured decision-making. Adaptive Management Conference Series. June 12-14, 2012, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.	June 2012
Riecke, D. and C. A. Jennings. 2019. Dealing with the Press – Being Reactive and Proactive Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. October 27-30. Hilton Head Island, SC.	October 2019	This work provided guidance for new supervisory biologist about how to be proactive or reactive with various media outlets depending on the situation. The work also addresses how supervisors can use the media to advance the mission of the agencies.
Reinert, T.R., T.A. Will, and C.A. Jennings. May 2000. Recovery of an endemic, riverine, striped bass population. International Conference on the Ethology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Ecology of Fishes. Athens, GA	May 2000
Reinert, T.R., T.A. Will, and C.A. Jennings. February 2000. Savannah River striped bass and 10 years of recovery effort: Where are we now? Midyear Meeting of the Southern Division of American Fisheries Society. Savannah, Ga.	February 2000
Reinert, T.R., T.A. Will, C.A. Jennings, M.J. Van Den Avyle, and T. Meronek. Savannah River Striped Bass: Reflections on 10 years of Recovery Efforts. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. St. Louis, MO	November 2000
Reinert, T.R., C.A. Jennings, W. Kitchens, and M. Dusek. 2002. Responses of the freshwater marsh and striped bass population to modifications of the Savannah River Estuary, Georgia, USA. Biennial Meeting of the Estuarine Research Foundation. November 2001. St. Petersburg, FL	November 2001
Reinert, T.R., C.A. Jennings, W. Kitchens, and M. Dusek. 2002. Responses of the freshwater marsh and striped bass population to modifications of the Savannah River Estuary, Georgia, USA. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. August 18-22, 2002, Baltimore MD.	August 2002
Reinert, T. and J. Peterson. 2004. Potential Impacts of Harbor Deepening on Striped Bass Recovery in the Savannah River Estuary. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Athens, GA.	January 2004
Qureshi, A.L., B. Irwin, and M.L. Gore. 2014. Challenges and opportunities for communicating climate change information across a “consensus gap”. 30th Conference on Environmental Information Processing Technologies, American Meteorological Society, Atlanta, GA	February 2014	We highlight challenges and opportunities for using and communicating uncertain climate change information.
Quigley, H., P. Beier, M. Conroy, and M. Vaughan. An Analysis of theLiterature Related to Florida Panther: the Role of Flawed Science.Annual meeting of the American Society ofMammalogists, Arcata, CA. 11-17 June 2004.	June 2004
Pruitt, W.A., J.T. Peterson, C.A. Jennings. Use of Hierarchical Models to Estimate Seasonal Habitat Use of Stocked Robust Redhorse in the Upper Reaches of the Ocmulgee River, GA. Georgia Chapter, American Fisheries Society annual meeting. Macon, Georgia. February 7-9, 2012.	February 2012
Pruitt, W.A., C.A. Jennings, J.T. Peterson. 2011. Use of hierarchical occupancy models to estimate seasonal distribution and abundance of stocked robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum in the upper reaches of the Ocmulgee River, GA. Georgia Chapter of American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, February 2-3, 2011. Perry, GA.	February 2011
Pruitt, W.A., J.T. Peterson, and C.A. Jennings. 2013. Use of occupancy models to determine seasonal distribution and habitat use of stocked robust redhorse in the Ocmulgee River, Georgia. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division - American Fisheries Society. February 7-10, 2013. Nashville, TN	February 2013	The research established the occupancy of reintroduced robust redhorse stocked as part of a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances aimed at establishing a refugial population of this imperiled species. Occupancy rates in the study reach was low. The sites most likely to be occupied by the species also were sites that could not be sampled adequately with conventional gear.
Price, A.L., and J.T. Peterson. 2009. Crouching sampler, hidden fish: the evaluation of fish movement during sampling in wadeable warmwater streams. Annual Meeting of the Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Moline, IL	February 2009
Price, A.L. and J.T. Peterson. 2008. Evaluation of Quadrant Sampling as an Alternative Method for Estimating the Biotic Integrity of Fishes in Wadeable, Warmwater Streams. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Wheeling WV.	March 2008
Price, A.L. and J.T. Peterson. 2008. Evaluation of Quadrant Sampling as an Alternative Method for Estimating the Biotic Integrity of Fishes in Wadeable, Warmwater Streams. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Price, A.L. and J.T. Peterson. 2007. An evaluation of the influence of trapping methods for detecting stream-dwelling fishes. Joint Meeting of the South Carolina and Georgia Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Tybee Island, GA.	January 2007
Price, A.L. and J.T. Peterson. 2007. An evaluation of the influence of trapping methods for detecting stream-dwelling fishes. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis TN.	February 2007
Prebyl, T.J., L. Smith, J. Martin, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and C. Moore. 2017. Working gophers: Evaluating conservation efforts for gopher tortoise on private lands. 39th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 13-15 October 2017, Edgefield, SC.	October 2017	Federal programs have been initiated to incentivize private landowners to conduct management practices believed to improve habitat for gopher tortoises. This talk summarizes the first field season of work to assess habitat characteristics and tortoise population density on a sample of sites enrolled in an NRCS landowner incentive program.
Prebyl, T. J., L. Smith, J. Martin, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and C. T. Moore. 2018. Identifying site characteristics that influence conservation efforts for gopher tortoise on private lands. 40th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 12-14 October 2018, Lake Placid, FL.	October 2018	To better understand the interactions between forest site characteristics, management practices, and gopher tortoise habitat, we are conducting an evaluation of the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Working Lands for Wildlife partnership which has incentivized conservation practices on private lands throughout the coastal plain. We expect this study will contribute to the design and targeting of conservation efforts on private lands which are an essential part of the larger conservation
Prebyl, T. J., L. Smith, J. Martin, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and C. T. Moore. 2019. Variations among working landscapes affect conservation outcomes for gopher tortoise in the southeastern U.S. Oral presentation at Joint Annual Conference of American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, 29 September - 3 October 2019, Reno, NV.	September 2019	We are conducting an evaluation of the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Working Lands for Wildlife partnership which has incentivized conservation practices on private lands throughout the southeastern coastal plain. In this study of 290 privately-owned forest stands in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, we model the relationship between site characteristics, conservation practices, vegetation response, and gopher tortoise populations.
Prebyl, T. J., L. Smith, J. Martin, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and C. Moore. 2017. Evaluating private lands conservation practices for gopher tortoise and savanna-like ecosystems in the southeastern coastal plain. Poster; The Wildlife Society 24th Annual Conference, 23-27 September 2017, Albuquerque, NM.	September 2017	This study will assess effects of the NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife gopher tortoise partnership on habitat response and gopher tortoise response to implemented practices.
Prebyl, T. J., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. Martin, L. Smith, and C. Moore. 2017. [Poster] Assessing outcomes of conservation practices for gopher tortoise on private lands. 2017 Wildlife Research Meeting, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, 8 August 2017, Mansfield, GA.	August 2017	This study will assess effects of the NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife gopher tortoise partnership on habitat response and gopher tortoise response to implemented practices.
Prebyl, T. J., B. L. Nuse, and C. T. Moore. 2019. A method for estimating gopher tortoise densities at spatial scales relevant for habitat studies. Oral presentation at 41st Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 15-17 November 2019, Gulf Shores, AL.	November 2019	We developed a survey and modeling methodology to estimate gopher tortoise densities at fine spatial scales. This approach accounts for differing rates of detectability among habitat types and facilitates unbiased estimates of habitat associations.
Prebyl, T. J. and C. T. Moore. 2020. Working Lands for Wildlife outcomes: Longleaf pine forests / gopher tortoise. Presentation within NRCS webinar "Conservation outcomes of NRCS's Working Lands for Wildlife in eastern forests", NRCS Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series, 27 August 2020. Archived: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/technical/nra/ceap/?cid=nrcseprd1576043	August 2020	We are conducting an evaluation of the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Working Lands for Wildlife partnership which has incentivized conservation practices on private lands throughout the southeastern coastal plain. In this study of 290 privately-owned forest stands in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, we model the relationship between site characteristics, conservation practices, vegetation response, and gopher tortoise populations.
Powell, L.A., M.J. Conroy, G.D. Balkcom, J.N. Caudell and N. Canier. August 2000. One, two, three, fore! Using a survey of golf courses to monitor Canada Geese in Georgia. Joint Millennial Meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, British Ornithologists' Union, and Society of Canadian Ornthologists. St. John's, Newfoundland.	August 2000
Plummer, W.T. , and M. J. Conroy. 2001. Habitat-Association Models of Three Neotropical Migrants in a Fire-Managed Southern Piedmont Landscape. 119th Annual Meeting, American Ornithologist?s Union, Seattle, WA , 15-18 Aug. 2001.	August 2001
Phillips, M., S. Perry, B. Irwin, and M. Hamel. 2024. Abundance and evidence of natural recruitment of reintroduced Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Coosa River, Georgia – Alabama. 78th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Augusta, GA.	October 2024	We used a combination of mark-recapture datasets and models to estimate abundance of juvenile and adult Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa Basin.
Phillips, M., B. Irwin, and M. Hamel. 2023. Growth and Longevity of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River system in Georgia. Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, St. Simons, GA.	February 2023	Reintroduction programs are attempting to rebuild populations of Lake Sturgeon following a period of extirpation. To better inform these efforts, we estimated growth and longevity for Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River system in Georgia.
Phillips, M., B. Irwin, and M. Hamel. 2023. Growth and Longevity of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River in Georgia. 153rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	We used a combination of mark-recapture data, age estimation from fin spines, and field observations to characterize dynamic rate functions and life history attributes. Several year classes of stocked Lake Sturgeon successfully grew and recruited to the population.
Phillips, M. B. Irwin, and M. Hamel. 2024. Growth, longevity, and abundance of reintroduced Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River, Georgia. Southern Division Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Chattanooga, TN.	February 2024	We used a combination of historical and present mark-recapture data to assess annual growth rates and to estimate abundance of Lake Sturgeon. Furthermore, age estimates from fin spines and field observations allowed us to characterize dynamic rate functions and life history attributes.
Peterson,J.T.2004.Adaptive Management of aquatic resources in the Southeastern United States.Adaptive Management Conference Series, Gainesville, Florida.	March 2004
Peterson,J.T.,R.F. Thurow, and J.B. Dunham.2001.Development of a common framework for assessing the distribution and potential threats to bull trout.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bull Trout Technical Workshop. Welches, Oregon.	March 2001
Peterson,J.T. and S. Hawthorne.2006.Endemic crayfishes of the Tallapoosa River Basin. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Crayfish and Mussel Workshop, Columbus, Georgia.	February 2006
Peterson, R. C., C.A. Jennings, and J. T. Peterson. 2009. River discharge affects on abundance of larval and age-0 redhorses in the Oconee River, Georgia, USA. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society in New Orleans, LA. Jan. 15-19.	January 2009
Peterson, R. C., C.A. Jennings, and J. T. Peterson. 2009. River discharge affects on abundance of larval and age-0 redhorses in the Oconee River, Georgia, USA. Oral presentation. 139th Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Nashville, TN. August 30 - Sept 3.	August 2009
Peterson, R. C., C.A. Jennings, and J. T. Peterson. 2009. River discharge affects on abundance of larval and age-0 redhorses in the Oconee River, Georgia, USA. Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society in Perry, GA. Jan. 27 - 29.	January 2009
Peterson, J.T.2006.The effect of water use on fishes in the Lower Flint River Basin. Joint meeting of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle, Georgia.	March 2006
Peterson, J.T.2005.The influence of incomplete detectability on stream biotic indices:problems and solutions.Coosa River Basin Summit, Athens, Georgia.	February 2005
Peterson, J.T., W.B. Hughes, M.C. Freeman, G.R. Buell, L.E. Hay, K. R. Odom, J.W. Jones, R.B. Jacobson, J.S. Schindler, and S.A. Jones. 2009. Using Predictions from Landscape-Scale Models to Evaluate Fish Responses to Changing Flow Regimes 57th Annual Meeting of the North American Benthological Society, Grand Rapids Michigan.	May 2009
Peterson, J.T., R. Thurow, and J. Guzevich. 2002. An evaluation of removal methods for estimating the abundance of stream-dwelling salmonids. The Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA.	January 2002
Peterson, J.T., M.J. Conroy, and R.F. Thurow. 2004. The elephant in the living room: an evaluation of multi-pass electrofishing for estimating stream-dwelling fish abundance. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Oklahoma City, OK.	February 2004
Peterson, J.T., M.C. Freeman, and W.B. Hughes. 2007 The Influence of Ecological Uncertainty on Evaluations of the Effect of Water Use on Stream Fishes. USGS National Surface Water Conference and Hydroacoustics Workshop, St. Louis MO.	April 2007
Peterson, J.T., M.C. Freeman, and B. Freeman. 2008. Science support for Upper Coosa Basin. The Conasuaga Summit, March 19-20, Rome ,GA.	March 2008
Peterson, J.T., M.C. Freeman, W.B. Hughes, G.R. Buell, L.E. Hay, K. R. Odom, J.W. Jones, R.B. Jacobson, J.S. Schindler, and S.A. Jones. 2010. The Southeast Resource Assessment Project. Meeting of the Southeastern Natural Resource Management Agencies. August 3 - 4, Mansfield, GA.	August 2010
Peterson, J.T., M.C. Freeman, W.B. Hughes, G.R. Buell, L.E. Hay, K. R. Odom, J.W. Jones, R.B. Jacobson, J.S. Schindler, and S.A. Jones. 2010. An integrated, multiscale approach to predicting the response of lotic biota to climate change in the Southeast Resource Assessment Project. The third USGS modeling Conference. June 8 - 10, Denver CO.	June 2010
Peterson, J.T., M.C. Freeman, W.B. Hughes, G.R. Buell, L.E. Hay, K. R. Odom, J.W. Jones, R.B. Jacobson, J.S. Schindler, and S.A. Jones. 2009. Predicting the response of Flint River biota to water use, land cover, and climate change with spatially explicit metapopulation models. Annual Meeting of the International Association of Landscape Ecology, Athens, GA.	April 2010
Peterson, J.T., M.C. Freeman, W.B. Hughes, G.R. Buell, L.E. Hay, K. R. Odom, J.W. Jones, R.B. Jacobson, J.S. Schindler, and S.A. Jones. 2009. An integrated landscape-scale approach for predicting the response of fishes to changing flow regimes in the upper Flint River Basin, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, GA.	January 2009
Peterson, J.T., M.C. Freeman, W.B. Hughes, G.R. Buell, L.E. Hay, K. R. Odom, J.W. Jones, R.B. Jacobson, J.S. Schindler, and S.A. Jones. 2009. An integrated landscape-scale approach for predicting the response of fishes to changing flow regimes in the upper Flint River Basin, Georgia. 139th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Nashville, TN.	September 2009
Peterson, J.T., J.P. Runge, and C.R. Martin. 2008. Survival and Dispersal of Hatchery-Raised Rainbow Trout in a River Basin Undergoing Urbanization. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Peterson, J.T., E.R. Irwin, B.J. Freeman, M.C. Freeman, L. Kramer. 2003. Aquatic GAP and decision-making in the Tallapoosa River Basin, Alabama and Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
Peterson, J.T., E. Irwin, B. Freeman, M. Freeman, and L. Kramer 2002. Accounting for incomplete detectability in models of species presence. National GAP annual meeting. Leetown, WV.	August 2002
Peterson, J.T., D.E. Weigel, and P. Spruell. May 2000. A probabilistic model to detect introgression between westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Invited presentation at the Detection, Status, and Management of Introgressed Populations of Cutthroat Trout Symposium. Boise, ID	May 2000
Peterson, J.T., B.E. Rieman, and J. Dunham. February 2001. Hierarchical models for ecological inference at multiple spatial scales. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the Anerican Fisheries Society. Jacksonville, FL.	February 2001
Peterson, J.T. and P.B. Bayley. August 2000. When a species is not caught, what is the probability of it being present? 130th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheris Society. St. Louis, MO	August 2000
Peterson, J.T. and J. Evans. January 2001. Decision analysis for fisheries managers. The Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Athens, GA.	January 2001
Peterson, J.T. and J. Dunham. 2002. Combining inferences from models of capture efficiency, detectability, and suitable habitat to classify landscapes for conservation of threatened bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the Anerican Fisheries Society. Little Rock, AR.	February 2002
Peterson, J.T. and C.P. Shea. 2008. An evaluation of the influence of streamflows and species traits on meta-demographic parameters of stream-dwelling fishes. 138th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Ottawa, ON.	August 2008
Peterson, J.T. and C.P. Paukert. 2009. Converting non-standard fish sampling data to standardized data. 139th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Nashville, TN.	August 2009
Peterson, J.T. and C.P. Paukert. 2008. Converting non-standard fish sampling data to standardized data. Poster. 138th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Ottawa, ON.	August 2008
Peterson, J.T. The Elephant in the Living Room: the effect of detectability of the IBI. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Athens, GA.	January 2004
Peterson, J.T. May 2001. Sampling problems and solutions for stream-dwelling bull trout. Meeting of the Bull Trout Scientific Advisory Committee of the Cooperative Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Committee. Seattle, WA.	May 2001
Peterson, J.T. April 2000. Salmonids of the Pacific Northwest-the dam truth. Presented to the UGA student sub-unit of the American Fisheries Society. Athens, GA.	April 2000
Peterson, J.T. 2010. The effects of dams and impoundments on stream fish communities. The ACF Water Conference. June 2-3, Bainbridge GA.	June 2010
Peterson, J.T. 2010. Occupancy estimation for monitoring stream fishes. APO Fish Passage Workshop. March 16-18, Portland OR.	March 2010
Peterson, J.T. 2009. Structured decision-making and adaptive management in fisheries. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, New Orleans, LA.	January 2009
Peterson, J.T. 2008.Development of an adaptive decision support model for evaluating the effects of water use in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Regional-Scale Streamflow-Ecology Relationships: A River Science Workshop, Seattle, WA.	April 2008
Peterson, J.T. 2008 The Influence of Ecological Uncertainty on Evaluations of Environmental Flows. Southeastern Environmental Flows Conference, Athens, GA.	October 2008
Peterson, J.T. 2007. The Influence of Ecological Uncertainty on Evaluations of the Effect of Water Use on Stream Fishes. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis TN.	February 2007
Peterson, J.T. 2007. Adaptive Management of Fish Populations in the Lower Flint River. Georgia Water Resources Conference, Athens GA.	March 2007
Peterson, J.T. 2006. An evaluation of streamflow requirements in the Lower Flint Basin.Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Gainesville, Georgia.	February 2006
Peterson, J.T. 2005. Decision modeling for ecosystem management in the Georgia Coastal Plain affected by irrigation pumping. Invited presentation, USGS Workshop Linking hydrological change and ecological response in streams and rivers of the eastern United States, Herndon, Virginia.	February 2005
Peterson, J.T. 2005. Aquatic GAP in the ACF/ACT Basins, Alabama and Georgia. Invited presentation Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Bainbridge, GA.	January 2005
Peterson, J.T. 2005. Adaptive management of Bull Trout Populations in the Lemhi Basin. Adaptive Management Conference Series, Shepherdstown, WV.	January 2005
Peterson, J.T. 2004.The influence of incomplete detectability on stream fish biotic indices: problems and solutions. Invited presentation, Coosa River Basin Summit, Athens GA.	December 2004
Peterson, J.T. 2004. Ecological Impacts of diminished flows in The Lower Flint River Basin. Lower ACF Conference...Streams, Springs, and Wetlands. Albany, Georgia.	May 2004
Peterson, J.T. 2004. Assessing the risks and likelihood of success a priori. Native Fish Species Reintroductions: Risks and Rewards. Annual meeting of Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Section. Cordele, Georgia.	September 2004
Peterson, J.T. 2002. Estimating the probability of species occurence with zero counts in at least some sampling units. 9th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Bismarck, ND. 24-28 September 2002.	September 2002
Peterson, J. T. Development of quantitative basin planning tools for the Flint River. Flint River Researchers Workshop. Newton, Georgia. 10-11 September 2003	September 2003
Peterson, J. T. Conservation Decision Making: Objectives, Models, Monitoring (II) . State Wildlife Grant Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan Workshop for the Southeast Region. Atlanta, Georgia. 22-23 April 2003	April 2003
Peterson, J. T. Adaptive management and FERC relicensing. Adaptive management below dams: development of a decision support model. Auburn, AL. 29 April - 1 May 2003.	April 2003
Perry, S., B. Irwin, and M. Hamel. 2024. Movement and habitat use of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River System in Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, LaGrange, GA.	February 2024	We are tracking movement of reintroduced Lake Sturgeon implanted with radio-telemetry tags. These data indicate that at least some Lake Sturgeon are moving large distances and connectivity among multiple systems is important.
Perry, S., B. Irwin, and M. Hamel. 2023. Movement and habitat use of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River System. 153rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	We are tracking movement of reintroduced Lake Sturgeon implanted with radio-telemetry tags. These data indicate that at least some Lake Sturgeon are moving large distances and connectivity among multiple systems is important.
Perry, S., B. Irwin, and M. Hamel. 2023. Movement and Habitat Use of Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River system in Georgia. Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, St. Simons, GA.	February 2023	Information of movement of Lake Sturgeon will help inform reintroduction programs that are attempting to repopulate native rivers. We tagged juvenile and adult Lake Sturgeon and are tracking these individuals using radio telemetry in the Coosa River system of Georgia.
Perry, S., B. Irwin, M. Hamel. 2022. Lake Sturgeon Movement and Habitat Use in the Coosa River System. Annual meeting of the Lake Sturgeon Working Group. [Virtual].	March 2022	We are using radio telemetry to track tagged Lake Sturgeon in the Coosa River. Resulting data are expected to improve knowledge of movement patterns and inform conservation efforts in Georgia.
Perry, J. T., B. J. Irwin, T. F. Bonvechio, and P. M. O'Rouke. 2016. Growth and mortality of Largemouth and Spotted Bass in three Georgia reservoirs. Georgia Chapter Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Columbus, GA.	February 2016	We evaluate demographic rates and population structure of bass for three Georgia reservoirs.
Perry, J. T., B. J. Irwin, T. F. Bonvechio, and P. M. O'Rouke. 2016. Age, growth, and mortality of black bass in three north Georgia reservoirs. 70th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Baton Rouge, LA.	October 2016	we evaluated the relative abundance, age and size structures, length-weight relationships, length-at-age, and annual mortality for angler targeted bass populations in 3 north Georgia reservoirs: Lakes Lanier, Chatuge, and Nottely. We also compare parameter estimates with those from other managed black bass fisheries.
Paukert, C. P., and 8 coauthors. Adapting fisheries management to a changing climate: lessons from North America. 7th World Fisheries Congress, Busan, South Korea.	May 2016	This presentation will provide an overview with examples of how management agencies are adapting to climate change to better manage fishery resources.
Parr, R., S. Woodward, C.Jennings, and R. Bringolf. 2011. Reproductivestatus and population demographics of the tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis,aggregation near Jekyll Island, Georgia. Conference of the SoutheasternEstuarine Research Society. March 17, 2011. Athens, GA	March 2011
Parr, R., S. Woodward, C.Jennings, and R. Bringolf. 2011. Reproductivestatus and population demographics of the tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis,aggregation near Jekyll Island, Georgia. Conference of the GeorgiaChapter of the American Fisheries Society. February 2, 2011. Perry, GA.	February 2011
Parr, R., S. Woodward, C. Jennings, and R. Bringolf. 2011. Evaluation of non-lethal sampling methods for age and reproductive status determination of tripletail Lobotes surinamensis. American Fisheries Society. September 5, 2011. Seattle, WA.	September 2011
Parr, R. T., R. Bringolf, C. A. Jennings, and A. Woodward. 2010. Reproductive status and population demographics of the tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis, aggregation near Jekyll Island, Georgia. GA American Fisheries Society Meeting, Perry, GA. January 26-27.	January 2010
Pacifici, K, MJ Conroy, RJ Cooper. Occupancy estimation within an adaptive sampling design: evaluation of an integrated estimator for rare or elusive species. International statistical ecology conference, St. Andrews, Scotland	July 2008
Pacifici, K, MJ Conroy, R.J. Cooper, and J.T. Peterson. 2009. Occupancy Estimation within an Adaptive Sampling Design: A Calibrated Bayesian Approach to Evaluating an Integrated Estimator for Rare or Elusive Species. Euring Analytical Conference. Pescara, Italy. September 14-20.	September 2009	na
Pacifici, K*, M.J. Conroy, R.J. Cooper, and J.T. Peterson. 2008. Occupancy estimation within an adaptive sampling design: Evaluation of an integrated estimator for rare or elusive species. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference. Miami, Florida. November 8-12.	November 2008	NA
Nuse, B. L., and C. T. Moore. 2014. (Poster) A Bayesian population model to inform gopher tortoise conservation planning in Georgia. 36th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 17-19 October 2014, Albany, GA.	October 2014	Gopher tortoises are long-lived and reach sexual maturity rather late; thus, general understanding of gopher tortoise demography under various habitat conditions has proven elusive because estimating population vital rates requires long observation periods (decades). We are using a Bayesian framework to develop a population model to make use of size class information collected from burrow surveys, while also incorporating findings from published demographic studies and ancillary field data (su
Nuse, B. L., N. Jafari, R. L. Bormann, A. D. Wright, C. T. Moore, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and M. Elliott. 2016. Accommodating space and demographic uncertainty, in pursuit of gopher tortoise conservation in Georgia. Invited seminar. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia. 27 October 2016	October 2016	Making sense of demographic structure and population vital rates from incomplete counts obtained from surveys of burrows.
Nuse, B. L., N. Jafari, C. T. Moore, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and M. Elliott. 2017. Informing reserve design with demography, for gopher tortoise conservation planning in Georgia. 2017 Wildlife Research Meeting, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, 8 August 2017, Mansfield, GA.	August 2017	We built a model to predict functional demographic connectivity of landscape parcels for populations of gopher tortoises. This information is then fed into a parcel selection algorithm to find cost-effective sets of connected parcels for conservation reserve design for the species.
Nuse, B. L., M. Elliott, and C. T. Moore. 2017. Estimating bird species' responses to sandhill habitat restoration in the southeastern US: single-visit survey, an unbalanced design, and varying methodologies. The Wildlife Society 24th Annual Conference, 23-27 September 2017, Albuquerque, NM.	September 2017	Data in large, collaborate efforts are often collected under inconsistent means and methodological approaches. We used a Bayesian modeling framework to estimate effects of sandhill restoration projects over a multi-collaborative, large-scale effort.
Nuse, B. L., L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2018. An introduction to the Gopher Tortoise Demography Working Group. 40th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 12-14 October 2018, Lake Placid, FL.	October 2018	We propose the creation of a working group to focus on filling information gaps in gopher tortoise demography. Working group goals include 1) centralizing existing data, 2) conducting population viability modeling, and 3) coordinating new research.
Nuse, B. L., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, C. T. Moore, and M. Elliott. 2015. Linking gopher tortoise processes and landscape resistance to assess functional connectivity of gopher tortoise populations in Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 1-4 Nov 2015, Asheville, NC.	November 2015	Functional connectivity between animal populations can be difficult to assess, especially for long-lived species. A Bayesian population model that we developed allows incorporation of various hypotheses along with available monitoring data to make inference about gopher tortoise population dynamics.
Nuse, B. L., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, C. T. Moore, and M. Elliott. 2015. Assessing functional connectivity in the face of uncertainty about population processes: a Bayesian modeling approach applied to conservation of the gopher tortoise in Georgia, USA. International Association of Landscape Ecology World Congress, 5-10 July 2015, Portland, OR.	July 2015	Functional connectivity between animal populations can be difficult to assess, especially for long-lived species. A Bayesian population model that we developed allows incorporation of various hypotheses along with available monitoring data to make inference about gopher tortoise population dynamics.
Nuse, B. L., C. T. Moore, and J. Hepinstall-Cymerman. 2016. Predicting spatial structure in gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations in Georgia, USA. US-IALE 2016 Annual Meeting, 3-7 April 2016, Asheville, NC.	April 2016	A focus on areas used frequently for population dispersal may be important for developing statewide conservation strategies for gopher tortoises.
Nuse, B. L., C. T. Moore, N. Jafari, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and M. Elliott. 2016. Informing reserve design with demography for gopher tortoise conservation planning in Georgia, USA. The Wildlife Society 23rd Annual Conference, 15-19 October 2016, Raleigh, NC.	October 2016	We built a model to predict functional demographic connectivity of landscape parcels for populations of gopher tortoises. This information is then fed into a parcel selection algorithm to find cost-effective sets of connected parcels for conservation reserve design for the species.
Nuse, B. L., C. T. Moore, N. Jafari, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and M. Elliott. 2017. Optimal reserves for spatially structured gopher tortoise populations, under forecast landscape conditions in Georgia, USA. US-IALE 2017 Annual Meeting, 9-13 April 2017, Baltimore, MD.	April 2017	To support parcel acquisition decisions by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of creating conservation reserves for gopher tortoises, we integrated a Bayesian demographic model with a model of landscape resistance as input to a novel optimization algorithm to identify sets of parcels that would maximize total habitat and functional connectivity at least cost. We demonstrate our approach in several regions of the state, under a number of scenarios of urbanization, and a
Nuse, B. L., C. T. Moore, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and M. Elliott. 2015. (Poster) Comparing hypotheses about missed burrows in gopher tortoise line transect surveys: Bayesian distance analysis with data augmentation. 2015 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, 9-14 August 2015, Baltimore, MD.	August 2015	A Bayesian version of a distance model is implemented to account for known assumption violations in conducting line transect sampling for gopher tortoise burrows. The model demonstrates the sensitivity of population size estimates to different assumptions about size distribution of undetected burrows.
Nagy, A., S. Wenger, M. Freeman, and B. Irwin. 2022. Life History and Fish Conservation: Using traits to investigate differential declines in fishes in the Conasauga River. 48th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Fishes Council, Athens, GA	November 2022	The Conasauga River, a tributary located in the upper Coosa River system in northwest Georgia and southeast Tennessee, is home to over 75 fish species including several listed as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act. We used multiple time-series of abundances to evaluate the relationship between species traits and variable temporal trends.
Mosley, D. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Habitat selection of juvenile robust redhorse in an experimental mesocosm: implications for developing sampling protocols. Spring Meeting - Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Feb. 9-12, 2006. San Antonio, TX.	February 2006
Mosley, D. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Habitat selection of juvenile robust redhorse in an experimental mesocosm: implications for developing sampling protocols. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Sept 10-14. Lake Placid, NY	September 2006
Mosley, D. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Habitat selection of juvenile robust redhorse in an experimental mesocosm. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jan 24-26, 2006. Gainesville, GA	January 2006
Mosley, D. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2004. Habitat selection of juvenile robust redhorse housed in an experimental mesocosm. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. January 27-29. Athens, GA	January 2004
Moore, C.T., and M. J. Conroy. 2004. A decision model for perpetuating maximal old-growth forest conditions under stochastic and structural uncertainty. Second International Conference on Forest Measurements and Quantitative Methods and Management and the 2004 Southern Mensurationists Meeting. 16-17 June 2004, Hot Springs, AR.	June 2004
Moore, C.T., and M. J. Conroy. 2004. A decision model for perpetuating maximal old-growth forest conditions under stochastic and structural uncertainty. Eighteenth North American Forest Biology Workshop. 12-15 July 2004, Houghton, MI.	July 2004
Moore, C., and J. Hepinstall-Cymerman. 2013. (Poster) A landscape planning and decision framework for gopher tortoise conservation in Georgia. 35th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 11-13 October 2013, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.	October 2013	Conservation planning for the gopher tortoise is difficult because of uncertainties about tortoise population ecology and future patterns of land use. The goal of this research is to provide tools to arrive at the most efficient means toward building a more sustainable landscape under these uncertainties.
Moore, C., B. Nuse, and B. Crawford. 2018. Conservation research on southeastern at-risk herpetofauna. Southeast Climate Science Center Advisory Committee Meeting, 12-15 March 2018, Raleigh, NC.	March 2018	Overview of work on at-risk herpetological species sponsored by SECSC and conducted by GA CRU.
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 2009. 2008 The Wildlife Society Workshop "The play's the thing: An adaptive management re-enactment." Adaptive Management Conference Series, 11-13 March 2009, Athens, GA.	March 2009
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 2004. Forest decision making under uncertainty: adaptive management for the conservation of bird populations on a national wildlife refuge. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Scientists’ Meeting, 10-12 February 2004, Laurel, MD.	February 2004
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 2002. Adaptive management and conservation decision making under uncertainty for forest bird populations. The Wildlife Society 9th Annual Conference, 24-28 September 2002, Bismarck, ND.	September 2002
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 2000. Making resource management decisions under uncertainty: an adaptive approach to forest management for multiple wildlife objectives. Fifth Annual EPA STAR Graduate Fellows Conference, 9-12 July 2000, Washington, DC.	July 2000
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 1998. Decision making under uncertainty: adaptive forest management for wildlife objectives at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge. Graduate Student Symposium, University of Georgia Warnell School of Forest Resources, 2 & 9 April 1998, Athens, GA.	April 1998
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 1998. Decision making under uncertainty: a wildlife refuge management example. National Conference on Environmental Decision-Making, 3-6 May 1998, Knoxville, TN.	May 1998
Moore, C. T., and M. J. Conroy. 1998. Adaptive forest management at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: implications for the study and management of avian communities. Georgia Partners In Flight Annual Meeting, 31 March-1 April 1998, Athens, GA.	April 1998
Moore, C. T., W. T. Plummer, and M. J. Conroy. 2002. Forest management under uncertainty for multiple bird population objectives. Third International Partners in Flight Conference, 20-24 March 2002, Asilomar State Park, CA.	March 2002
Moore, C. T., S. J. Converse, and M. J. Folk. 2013. Survival and recruitment in a released population of whooping cranes in Florida. The Wildlife Society 20th Annual Conference. 5-10 October 2013, Milwaukee, WI. (not presented due to government shutdown)	October 2013	Information on demographics and how released whooping cranes respond in a new environment will be useful to future whooping crane reintroduction efforts.
Moore, C. T., M. J. Conroy, and K. Boston. 2000. Optimal silvicultural scheduling for wildlife objectives: incorporating spatial population dynamics in a genetic algorithm. Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Annual Conference, 7-10 May 2000, Salt Lake City, UT.	May 2000
Moore, C. T., M. J. Conroy, and K. Boston. 1999. Making optimal forest management decisions for wildlife objectives: does loss of system resolution lead to loss of optimality? USFS/IUFRO sponsored conference "The Application of Scientific Knowledge to Decisionmaking in Managing Forest Ecosystems," 3-7 May 1999, Asheville, NC.	May 1999
Moore, C. T., M. J. Conroy, K. Boston, and W. D. Potter. 1999. Estimating optimal waterfowl harvest decisions using the genetic algorithm. Adaptive Harvest Management Working Group Meeting, 13-16 April 1999, Easton, MD.	April 1999
Moore, C. T., M. J. Conroy, K. Boston, and W. D. Potter. 1999. A genetic algorithm for seeking optimal waterfowl harvest policies under system uncertainty. The Wildlife Society Sixth Annual Conference, 7-11 September 1999, Austin, TX.	September 1999
Moore, C. T., J. J. Gannon, and T. L. Shaffer. 2012. Native Prairie Adaptive Management: Innovations, challenges, and process ownership. Adaptive Management Conference Series, 12-14 June 2012, Ithaca, NY.	June 2012
Moore, C. T., J. J. Gannon, T. L. Shaffer, and C. S. Dixon. 2016. Learning-focused decision support for countering introduced grasses in native prairies. The Wildlife Society 23rd Annual Conference, 15-19 October 2016, Raleigh, NC.	October 2016	We present an introduction to the Native Prairie Adaptive Management initiative and describe how learning is produced as management to reduce invasive species are made. We also reveal a positive trend in average composition by native grasses and forbs since implementation of NPAM, suggesting that NPAM is achieving its goals of improving conditions of native grasslands through learning-focused decision support.
Moore, C. T., J. J. Gannon, T. L. Shaffer, and C. S. Dixon. 2015. Site-specific abiotic factors in the response of native prairies to habitat restoration actions. 2015 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, 9-14 August 2015, Baltimore, MD.	August 2015	We provide results that suggest ways in which the predictive models that drive the Native Prairie Adaptive Management initiative can be enhanced to deliver decision guidance at greater resolution of site condition. We also reveal a positive trend in average composition by native grasses and forbs since implementation of NPAM, suggesting that NPAM is achieving its goals of improving conditions of native grasslands through learning-focused decision support.
Moore, C. T., J. J. Gannon, C. S. Dixon, and T. L. Shaffer. 2022. Do, or do not – there is no try: How a plan for learning paid off in the uncertain initial response to an aggressive invasion. Oral presentation at The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, 6-10 November 2022, Spokane, WA.	November 2022	In 2009, a team from USGS and USFWS started the Native Prairie Adaptive Management program to address the loss of native prairie grasslands to introduced invasive species. With no data at hand to develop management models, we nevertheless moved ahead with management decision making on the basis of expert-elicited information. Simultaneously, we committed to a program of regular monitoring, which, over time, led to a stockpile of data that we ultimately used to develop refined empirical models
Moore, C. T., J. Carroll, M. Conroy, R. Cooper, R. Hamrick, J. Howell, R. Thackston. 2005. The Georgia BQI adaptive management project. Research meeting on adaptive management of habitats in Georgia and Florida for northern bobwhite (participants from USGS, UGA, UF, Georgia DNR, Florida FWCC, Tall Timbers Research Station), 14 March 2005, Tallahassee, FL.	March 2005
Moore, C. T., D. Demarest, R. S. Mordecai, and B. Peterjohn. 2018. Estimated density and abundance from a stratified rangewide survey of the eastern breeding population of Painted Bunting. The Wildlife Society 25th Annual Conference, 7-11 October 2018, Cleveland, OH.	October 2018	We provide statistically reliable estimates of density and abundance from data collected through a rangewide survey of the eastern breeding population of the Painted Bunting, a population of broad conservation interest. The estimates are derived under a model that makes use of bird counts taken by observers, and the model accounts for birds present but not detected and birds that are detected but possess activity centers beyond the detection radius of the observer.
Moore, C. T., C. S. Dixon, J. J. Gannon, and T. L. Shaffer. 2019. Adaptive management of prairies increases cover by native grasses and forbs. Poster presentation at Joint Annual Conference of American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, 29 September - 3 October 2019, Reno, NV.	September 2019	Retrospective analysis of data collected under 9 cycles of monitoring, management, and learning reveals that cover amount by desired native grasses and forbs has increased under the Native Prairie Adaptive Management program.
Moore, C. T. 2020. Journal of Wildlife Management special section: Demographic results from long-term mark-recapture studies. Meeting of the Gopher Tortoise Candidate Conservation Agreement Team, 16 December 2020 (Virtual).	December 2020	Introduction to and summary of progress relating to a forthcoming special section in the Journal of Wildlife Management focusing on the estimation of demographic quantities from long term mark-recapture data on gopher tortoises.
Moore, C. T. 2019. Comments on conservation science (Invited). Panel on Land Conservation and Species Rehabilitation, Annual Red Clay Conference, University of Georgia School of Law, 1 March 2019, Athens, GA.	March 2019	I was invited to participate in a series of panel presentations on the topic "Land Conservation and Species Rehabilitation: Coordinating Efforts Across the Southeast". I provided comments on my research and the role of decision analysis in the conservation of rare and imperiled species.
Moore, C. T. 2015. ‘Sustainability’ in the eyes of a decision analyst: three case studies in conservation. 2015 Sustainability Science Symposium at UGA, 23 January 2015, Athens, GA	January 2015	This brief talk introduces the idea of dynamic programming in the conversation about sustainability science. Three case studies for the application of dynamic programming are presented.
Moore, C. T. 2015. (Webinar) Learning-focused decision support for management of Phragmites in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System. Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative, 28 Apr 2015.	April 2015	Webinar present an overview of the components of a decision support framework for the management of Phragmites and how those pieces integrate.
Moore, C. 2015. Adaptive landscape planning and decision framework for gopher tortoise conservation: Project update. Meeting of the Gopher Tortoise Candidate Conservation Agreement Team, 10 June 2015, Spanish Fort, AL.	June 2015	Update of progress on the gopher tortoise reserve design project to the Gopher Tortoise CCA Team.
Moore, C. 2014. An adaptive landscape planning and decision framework for gopher tortoise conservation: Overview, progress, and reserve design needs. Meeting to consider research needs in dynamic reserve design, 24 April 2014, Gainesville, FL.	April 2014	Introduction of gopher tortoise project to scientists working on related projects in dynamic reserve design.
Moore, C. 2014. Adaptive landscape planning and decision framework for gopher tortoise conservation. Meeting of the Gopher Tortoise Candidate Conservation Agreement Team, 9 July 2014, Savannah, GA.	July 2014	Overview of the gopher tortoise modeling and decision making project to the Gopher Tortoise CCA Team.
Mitchell, G. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2017. Seasonal Food Habits and the Trophic Role of Introduced Blue Catfish in Lake Oconee, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Louisville, KY. Oct 29-Nov 1.	October 2017	This work documents the seasonal food habits on the introduced blue catfish in a newly colonized lake. The results identify the degree to which this predator preys on native fishes (especially sport fishes) and bivales and helps fishery managers devise management strategies for this invasive species in newly colonized waters.
Mitchell, G. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2014. Food habits of Blue Catfish in Lake Oconee, Georgia. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. January 22-26. Charleston, SC.	January 2014	This works provides insight into how the diet of an invasive species may be affecting the population status and trophic dynamics of native species, esp. channel catfish and white catfish.
Miller, JM, H. Yu, J. Ross, H. Pendergraff, K.F. Robinson, K.M. Gregory, D.M. Infante. (2024). Conserving rivers under changing climate: Balancing stakeholder interests with ecological potential in the Au Sable River, Michigan, USA. 37th Congress of the International Society of Limnology, Brazil.	May 2024	This presentation describes the collection and analysis of temperature data to project future temperature in the Au Sable River, MI. The results will inform management actions for climate resilience.
Miller, JM, H. Yu, J. Ross, H. Pendergraff, K.F. Robinson, K.M. Gregory, D.M. Infante. (2024). Adaptive management of the Au Sable River: Integrating stakeholder priorities and ecological potential for resiliency in changing climate. Annual Conference of the Michigan Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.	March 2024	This presentation describes the collection and analysis of temperature data to project future temperature in the Au Sable River, MI. The results will inform management actions for climate resilience.
Miller, J.M., H. Yu, J.A. Ross, H. Pendergraff, K.F. Robinson, K.M. Gregory, D.M. Infante. 2024. Managing rivers as social-ecological systems: Balancing stakeholder interests with ecological potential in changing climate. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Honolulu, HI	September 2024	We describe the decision analytic framework being applied to the coupled-human natural system of the Au Sable River, MI. In particular, we focus on the predictive modeling being conducted for temperature throughout the watershed under a changing climate.
Michael J. Conroy, Robert J. Cooper, and Kirk W. Stodola. EFFECTIVE USE OF DATA FROM MONITORING PROGRAMS AND FIELD STUDIES FOR CONSERVATION DECISION-MAKING: PREDICTIONS, DESIGNS AND MODELS WORKING TOGETHER . EURING 2009. Pescara Italy, 14-20 sept 2009	September 2009
Michael J. Conroy, Christopher J. Fonnesbeck, James T. Peterson, Integrated modeling, estimation, and prediction using hierarchical modeling and MCMC.TWS 12th annual conf 25-29 sept 2005 madison wi	September 2005
Meador,J. and J. Peterson, and J. Wisniewski.2006.The development of mussel sampling protocols for the Altamaha River: a preliminary analysis.Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Crayfish and Mussel Workshop, Columbus, Georgia.	February 2006
Meador, J.R. and J.T.Peterson 2007.An Evaluation of Estimators of Mussel Abundance in a Large Lowland River in the Southeastern United States. Annual Meeting of the North American Benthological Society, Columbia SC.	June 2007
Meador, J.R. and J.T. Peterson. 2008. An Evaluation of Habitats as Sampling Strata for Freshwater Mussels in a Large Lowland River in the Southeastern USA. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Wheeling WV.	March 2008
Meador, J.R. and J.T. Peterson. 2008. An Evaluation of Habitats as Sampling Strata for Freshwater Mussels in a Large Lowland River in the Southeastern USA. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Meador, J. and J.T. Peterson. 2007.An evaluation of estimators of mussel abundance in a large lowland river in the southeastern US. Joint Meeting of the South Carolina and Georgia Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Tybee Island, GA.	January 2007
Meador, J. and J.T. Peterson. 2007. An evaluation of estimators of mussel abundance in a large lowland river in the southeastern US. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis TN.	February 2007
Meador, J. and J. Peterson. 2006. The development of mussel sampling protocols for the Altamaha River: a preliminary analysis. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Gainesville, GA.	February 2006
McPherson, R.D. and J.T. Peterson 2005. An assessment of fish community structure and seasonal habitat use of headwater wetlands in southwest Georgia. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Virginia Beach, VA.	February 2005
McPherson, R.D. and J.T. Peterson 2005. An assessment of fish community structure and seasonal habitat use of headwater wetlands in southwest Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Bainbridge, GA.	January 2005
McPherson, R. and J. Peterson. 2004. The Development of Sampling Protocols for Measuring Habitat Characteristics and Fish Community Attributes of Headwater Wetlands in Southwest Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter American Fisheries Society, Athens.	January 2004
McKee, R., K. Buhlmann, W. Dillman, B. Kesler, N. Stacy, M. Allender, C. Moore, and T. Tuberville. 2019. An island of misfit tortoises: Assessing the survival and health of translocated waif gopher tortoises. Oral presentation at Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, 4-8 August 2019, Tucson, AZ.	August 2019	We present results from a recapture effort of free-ranging waif tortoises (animals displaced from the wild having unknown origin or questionable captivity conditions) conducted more than a decade after initial release in a newly established tortoise preserve. We found that apparent survival and health profiles of tortoises were not uncharacteristic of those attributes seen in wild populations. Our results have important implications for using waifs in gopher tortoise population recovery effor
McKee, R., K. Buhlmann, W. Dillman, B. Kesler, C. T. Moore, and T. Tuberville. 2018. An island of misfit tortoises: Estimating the survival of translocated waif tortoises. 40th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 12-14 October 2018, Lake Placid, FL.	October 2018	We present results from a recapture effort of free-ranging waifs conducted more than a decade after initial release. Here we report estimates of post-release survivorship and site fidelity of waifs. Our results have important implications for using waifs in gopher tortoise population recovery efforts.
McKee, R., K. Buhlmann, W. Dillman, B. Kesler, C. T. Moore, and T. D. Tuberville. 2018. Waif tortoise health following translocation. Presentation at 2018 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 22-25 February 2018, Helen, GA.	February 2018	The use of waif (unknown origin) animals to augment gopher tortoise populations for conservation purposes is not without risk, principally risk related to unintended introduction of disease. This study evaluates the disease profile of an experimental population largely composed of translocated waif tortoises.
McKee, R., K. Buhlmann, W. Dillman, B. Kesler, C. T. Moore, N. Stacy, and T. Tuberville. 2018. An island of misfit tortoises: health and survival of waif gopher tortoises following translocation. Poster; The Wildlife Society 25th Annual Conference, 7-11 October 2018, Cleveland, OH.	October 2018	We present results from a recapture effort of free-ranging waifs conducted more than a decade after initial release. We assessed post-release survivorship and site fidelity of waifs, documented evidence of reproductive success by surveying for nests and successfully recruited juveniles, and evaluated health through physical examination and testing for common pathogens. Our results have important implications for using waifs in gopher tortoise population recovery efforts.
McKee, R., K. Buhlmann, W. Dillman, B. Kesler, C. Moore, and T. Tuberville. 2017. An island of misfit tortoises: Using waif animals to recover populations on the brink. 39th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 13-15 October 2017, Edgefield, SC.	October 2017	For many reasons (loss of habitat, legal confiscation, physical rehabilitation), tortoises are often displaced from their natal sites, and conservation agencies face decisions about the fate of these "waif" tortoises. This study investigates whether restoration populations may be successfully established seeded almost entirely by tortoises displaced from sites across the species' range.
McKee, R., K. Buhlmann, J. Dillman, J. Kesler, C. Moore, N. Stacy, and T. Tuberville. 2018. An island of misfit tortoises: health and survival of waif gopher tortoises following translocation. Integrative Conservation Conference, 20-22 September 2018, Athens, GA.	September 2018	We present results from a recapture effort of free-ranging waifs conducted more than a decade after initial release. We assessed post-release survivorship and site fidelity of waifs, documented evidence of reproductive success by surveying for nests and successfully recruited juveniles, and evaluated health through physical examination and testing for common pathogens. Our results have important implications for using waifs in gopher tortoise population recovery efforts.
McKee, R. K., K. Buhlmann, T. Tuberville, W. Dillman, B. Kessler, and C. T. Moore. 2019. Staying alive: Waif tortoise survival and population dynamics following translocation. 2019 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Meeting, 14-17 February 2019, Black Mountain, NC.	February 2019	We present initial survivorship estimates from a recapture effort of free-ranging waifs conducted more than a decade after initial release. We used Bayesian multistate capture-recapture models to estimate survival by age class and to associate survival probability with individual and release cohort characteristics.
McGovern, P., K. Buhlmann, B. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and T. Tuberville. 2019. Post-release movement and survival until dormancy of hybrid head-started Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). Annual Desert Tortoise Council Symposium, 21-23 February 2019, Tucson, AZ.	February 2019	In a study to evaluate head-starting techniques for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise, we explore captive rearing of neonate tortoises using a combination of indoor and outdoor rearing to maximize post-release success. Compared to tortoises reared exclusively in outdoor pens, hybrid-reared tortoises experienced similar survival from release to winter dormancy, but exhibited less movement over the period.
McGovern, P., K. Buhlmann, B. Todd, C. Moore, J. M. Peaden, and T. Tuberville. 2019. Post-release movement and survival of differentially head-started Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii): Preliminary results. Oral presentation at Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, 4-8 August 2019, Tucson, AZ.	August 2019	In a study to evaluate head-starting techniques for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise, we explore captive rearing of neonate tortoises using a combination of indoor and outdoor rearing to maximize post-release success. Compared to tortoises reared exclusively in outdoor pens, hybrid-reared tortoises experienced similar survival from release (September) through their first active season (April) and exhibited less movement over the period.
McGovern, P., K. Buhlmann, B. Todd, C. Moore, J. M. Peaden, and T. Tuberville. 2019. Post-release movement and survival of differentially head-started Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii): Preliminary results. Oral presentation at Annual Meeting of the Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 27-29 July 2019, Rodeo, NM.	July 2019	In a study to evaluate head-starting techniques for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise, we explore captive rearing of neonate tortoises using a combination of indoor and outdoor rearing to maximize post-release success. Compared to tortoises reared exclusively in outdoor pens, hybrid-reared tortoises experienced similar survival from release (September) through their first active season (April) and exhibited less movement over the period.
McGovern, P., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, C. Moore, B. Todd, T. Tuberville, and K. Buhlmann. 2018. [Poster] Changing the survival formula through head-starting the Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Presentation at 2018 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 22-25 February 2018, Helen, GA.	February 2018	Head-starting, the rearing of hatchling tortoises in captivity to a less vulnerable size, is one management tool being investigated to enhance hatchling success of the Mojave Desert Tortoise. We will compare body condition, shell hardness, and post-release survival of tortoises reared under a combination of indoor and outdoor head-starting with tortoises raised solely outdoors.
McCargo,J. and J. Peterson. 2004. The influence of drought fishes in the lower Flint River Basin. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter American Fisheries Society, Athens.	April 2004
McCargo, J.W. and J.T. Peterson. 2003. Seasonal trends of fish assemblages in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
McCargo, J.W. and J.T. Peterson. 2003. Seasonal trends of fish assemblages in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Rome.	January 2003
McCargo, J. and J. Peterson. 2004. Seasonal trends of fish assemblages in the lower Flint River Basin. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter American Fisheries Society, Athens.	January 2004
McCargo, J. and J. Peterson. 2002. Sample size requirements for measuring stream habitats in the Flint River. The Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA.	January 2002
Mason, J., W. Battista, A. Bennett, I. Issifu, K. Kelso, K. Kleisner, K. Robinson, R. Simaila, J. Virdin. 2022. Policy options to strengthen nutrition provisioning from small-scale fisheries. The Small-Scale Fisheries Latin America and the Caribbean Congress, Mérida, Mexico. October 24–27.	October 2022	This project aims to understand how different fishery management policies in Latin American countries, aimed at small-scale fisheries, could influence the nutrients available to human populations in these countries. Different approaches to allocation of harvest to industrial versus small-scale fishers, and considerations for the effects of climate change, can have marked effects on the provisioning of nutrients.
Martin, M., K.F. Robinson, B. Irwin, R. Bringolf, P. Hazelton. 2023. Evaluation of Sediment and Water Quality to Support Freshwater Mussels in the Conasauga River, Georgia. Confluence: UGA Water Science and Policy Poster Symposium, Athens, GA. 2^nd Prize.	October 2023	In this study, we will evaluate the effects of contaminants present in locations in the Conasauga River on freshwater mussel growth and survival. We will conduct studies in the laboratory with sediments collected from the river, as well as in situ.
Martin, M., B. Irwin, R. Bringolf, and P. Hazelton. 2023. Evaluation of sediment and water quality to support freshwater mussels in the Conasauga River, GA. Cleantech Symposium, Athens, GA.	April 2023	The Southeastern United States is a hotspot for freshwater biota diversity but some freshwater organisms are imperiled. We plan to implement a combination of <i>in situ</i> and laboratory exposures to assess specific causes of declines in the Conasauga.
Martin, M., B. Irwin, R. Bringolf, and P. Hazelton. 2023. Evaluation of sediment and water quality to support freshwater mussels in the Conasauga River, GA. Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, St. Simons, GA.	February 2023	The Southeastern United States is a hotspot for freshwater biota diversity but some freshwater organisms are imperiled. We plan to implement a combination of <i>in situ</i> and laboratory exposures to assess specific causes of declines in the Conasauga.
Martin, M., B. Irwin, K. F. Robinson, R. Bringolf, A. Escobar, J. Kirsch, S. Glassmeyer, M. Zapata, M. Henderson, and P. Hazelton. 2024. Assessment of sediment toxicity to juvenile freshwater mussels in the Conasauga River, GA. Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. LaGrange, GA.	February 2024	In this study, we will evaluate the effects of contaminants present in locations in the Conasauga River on freshwater mussel growth and survival. We will conduct studies in the laboratory with sediments collected from the river, as well as in situ.
Martin, M., B. Irwin, K. F. Robinson, R. Bringolf, A. Escobar, J. Kirsch, S. Glassmeyer, M. Zapata, M. Henderson, and P. Hazelton. 2024. Assessment of sediment toxicity to juvenile freshwater mussels in the Conasauga River, GA. 78th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Augusta, GA.	October 2024	We are using a combination of field and laboratory exposure trials to assess the effects of multiple contaminant stressors on freshwater mussel survival and growth in the Conasauga River, located in northwest Georgia and southern Tennessee. We conducted substrate-exposure studies in the laboratory using sediment collected throughout the watershed following established sediment toxicity test conditions.
Martin, M., A. Escobar, J. Kirsch, S. Glassmeyer, M. Zapata, M. Henderson, K. Robinson, B. Irwin, R. Bringolf, and P. Hazelton. 2023. Evaluation of Sediment and Water Quality to Support Freshwater Mussels in the Conasauga River, Georgia. Annual meeting for SETAC North America, Louisville, KY.	November 2023	In this study, we will evaluate the effects of contaminants present in locations in the Conasauga River on freshwater mussel growth and survival. We will conduct studies in the laboratory with sediments collected from the river, as well as in situ.
Maguffee, A., K. Robinson, D. Fielder, T. Brenden. 2023. A modeling framework for establishing allocation guidance for fishery management needs. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society. Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	Managers have struggled with how best to allocate fisheries resources in freshwater systems to both maintain an appropriate abundance of double-crested cormorants and maintain angler satisfaction. We used structured decision making and predictive modeling to create a decision support tool for estimating fish production under a range of cormorant abundances for a given waterbody.
Liberati, M., B. Avers, E. Pomeranz, K. Barnes, K.F. Robinson. 2024. A hierarchical structured decision making process for integrating multiple values into managing wetlands and waterfowl hunting in Michigan. Annual Conference of the Wildlife Society. Baltimore, MD.	October 2024	We present the results of our ongoing structured decision making process to aid Michigan DNR in developing a 10-year strategic plan and area-specific management plans for managed waterfowl hunt areas across the state. This framework incorporates objectives of ecological, social, and economic importance.
Lee, M., J. Deroba, S. Gaichas, R. Feeney, D. Boelke, and B. Irwin. 2018. ...and forage in the ecosystem. International Institute of Fisheries Economics & Trade. Seattle, WA.	July 2018	Atlantic Herring are an important forage species. Fishery managers are attempting to sustain both directed fisheries and ecosystems services that rely on Atlantic Herring.
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	Alligator demographic parameter estimates are difficult to obtain due to their large body size, long lifespan (80+ years), and highly wary behavior towards common monitoring methodology. We synthesized mark-recapture, harvest, nesting, and replicated count data from South Carolina to develop the first-known integrated population model (IPM) for alligators.
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	American alligators are an important ecological and economic resource in the southeastern United states. This work is the most comprehensive alligator population model created to date which will help inform harvest and conservation decision making in South Carolina.
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	American alligators are an important ecological and economic resource in the southeastern United States. This work is the first to differentiate between age- and size-related bioaccumulation patterns of mercury, a potent neurotoxin, in alligators, within multiple populations throughout their range.
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	We estimated seasonal abundance of adult American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in rivers within South Carolina. We examine whether the existing monitoring design is appropriate given the assumptions needed for population estimation (e.g., N-mixture models).
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	American alligators are an important ecological and economic resource in the southeastern United States. This work discusses how adaptive harvest management used for the management of waterfowl harvest could potentially be applied to alligators to reduce structural uncertainty and partial observability.
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	We conducted simulation to investigate trade-offs in survey design when alligators are imperfectly detected and imperfectly assigned to size classes.
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	American alligators are an important ecological and economic resource in the southeastern United states. This work is the most comprehensive alligator population model created to date which will help inform harvest and conservation decision making in South Carolina.
Kwak,T.J. and J.T. Peterson.2000.Modeling the effects of watershed land use and climate change on a large-river smallmouth bass population.Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.New Hill, North Carolina.	March 2000
Kramer, D. W., T. Prebyl, J. Stickles, B. J. Irwin, N. P. Nibbelink, R. J. Warren, and K. V. Miller. 2015. Using GPS telemetry data to determine the roadways most susceptible to deer-vehicle collisions. Warnell Graduate Student Symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.	February 2015	Road crossing locations were estimated from the data of 25 white-tailed deer that were outfitted with GPS telemetry collars, which provided 154,131 hourly locations. Using AIC model selection, we determined whether 10 local and landscape variables were successful at identifying areas and times where deer crossings were likely to occur.
Kramer, D. W., T. Prebyl, J. H. Stickles, B. J. Irwin, N. P. Nibbelink, R. J. Warren, and K. V. Miller. 2015. Using GPS telemetry data to determine roadways most susceptible to deer-vehicle collisions. Annual conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Asheville, NC.	November 2015	We identified road crossing locations by creating deer movement paths between subsequent GPS points and then intersecting the paths with road locations. Our analysis allowed assessment of risk to motorists independent of traffic volume and suggests that motorists on roadways with low traffic volumes in predominately forested areas experience the greatest risk for deer-vehicle collisions.
Kleinhans, M., N. Nibbelink, B. Irwin, S. Wenger, and A. Fox. 2023. Climate Change and Water Quality Influence on Atlantic Sturgeon Aggregation in the Altamaha River, Georgia. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Norfolk, VA.	February 2023	University of Georgia researchers have collected data on juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon catch and water quality in the Altamaha River estuary according to a consistent sampling protocol for 20 years. Using these data, we fit negative binomial mixed-effects models describing water quality conditions related to catch per net-hour of juvenile and age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon.
Kleinhans, M., N. Nibbelink, B. Irwin, S. Wenger, and A. Fox. 2023. Climate Change and Water Quality Influence on Atlantic Sturgeon Aggregation in the Altamaha River, Georgia. Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, St. Simons, GA. 3rd Place for student oral presentation.	February 2023	University of Georgia researchers have collected data on juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon catch and water quality in the Altamaha River estuary according to a consistent sampling protocol for 20 years. Using these data, we fit negative binomial mixed-effects models describing water quality conditions related to catch per net-hour of juvenile and age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon.
Kleinhans, M., N. Nibbelink, B. Irwin, S. Wenger, and A. Fox. 2022. Water Quality Influence on Atlantic Sturgeon Aggregation in the Altamaha River, Georgia. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Spokane, WA.	August 2022	Juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon congregate in the estuaries of their natal rivers in the summer, where water quality conditions (i.e., temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity) can be highly variable. We fit a negative binomial mixed-effects model describing water quality conditions associated with observed catch per effort of sturgeon.
Kleinhans, M., N. Nibbelink, B. Irwin, S. Wenger, and A. Fox. 2022. Modeling water quality influence on juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon aggregation in the Altamaha River Estuary, Georgia. Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Jekyll Island, GA.	February 2022	Juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon congregate in the estuaries of their natal rivers in the summer, where water quality conditions (i.e., temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity) can be highly variable. We fit a negative binomial mixed-effects model describing water quality conditions associated with observed catch per effort of sturgeon.
Kirsch, J.E. and J.T. Peterson. 2011. An assessment of the effects of scale on the perceived importance of environmental influences on fish distribution in southern Appalachian streams. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. February 2-3, Perry GA.	February 2011
Kirsch, J.E. and J. T. Peterson. 2010. A multi-scaled approach to evaluating the fish community structure in southern Appalachian stream fishes. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Feb. 25-28. Asheville, NC.	February 2010
Kirsch, J.E. and J. T. Peterson. 2010. A multi-scaled approach to evaluating the fish community structure in southern Appalachian stream fishes. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, GA.	January 2010
King, E. G., C. T. Moore, D. L. Dunn, N. P. Nibbelink, and H. R. Morris. 2019. Positioning scientists as relevant and respectful partners in forest restoration. Oral presentation at World Congress on Ecological Restoration, 24-28 September 2019, Cape Town, South Africa.	September 2019	We describe an ongoing collaboration between an interdisciplinary team of scientists and a group of stakeholders who are all stewards of globally rare Maritime Live Oak forests in the southeastern United States. We are invoking principles of structured decision-making and participatory action research to orient our scientific contributions within the framing of preferences and values expressed by land management partners.
Kellock, K.A., C.A. Jennings, P. Ely, B. Trushel, and R.B. Bringolf. 2012. Intersex fish influenced by factors other than municipal wastewater effluent. Presented annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Macon, GA. Feb. 7-9.	February 2012
Keiter, D. A., F. L. Cunningham, O. E. Rhodes, Jr., B. J. Irwin, and J. C. Beasley. Evaluating scat detection rates and methods of detection for quantifying wild pig (Sus scrofa) abundance. 95th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammologists, Jacksonville, FL.	June 2015	We estimated density of pig scat in two common habitat types at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, USA. Radial search protocols were compared to a previously used adaptive cluster sampling (ACS) method, and we evaluated effects of environmental and scat characteristics on scat detection rates
K. Kellock, C. Jennings, P. Ely, B. Trushel, and R.B. Bringolf. 2012.Intersex fish: Not just in wastewater anymore. Presented at the Southeast Regional Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Pensacoala, FL. Mar. 16-17.	March 2012
Juan Carlos Senar, Michael J. Conroy. Multi-state analysis of the impacts of avian pox on a population of Serins (Serinus serinus): the importance of estimating recapture rates. EURING2003 Radolfzell, Germany	October 2003
Jones, M., K.F. Robinson, B. Brenton, B. Turschak, R. Clark, J. Jonas, D. O'Keefe, B. Roth, I. Tsehaye. Modeling the consequences of alternative salmonine stocking strategies in Lake Michigan. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	We assessed the stocks of salmonine species and their prey, and projected the probably changes in abundance of all species under alternative regimes of salmonine stocking in Lake Michigan. The results indicate that alewife abundance will likely decline under all stocking strategies, which will influence the recreational and commercial salmonine fisheries in the lake.
Jennings, C.A. and R. S. Weyers. 2006. Spatial and temporal distribution of tidal creek and marsh-edge fishes in the Savannah River Estuary.International Symposium on Coastal Zone Management and Fisheries. Campeche, Mexico. June 25-30.	June 2006
Jennings, C. A., G. E. Mitchell, and C. Nelson. 2018. Seasonal Food Habits of Introduced Blue Catfish in Lake Oconee, Georgia. Spring Meeting, Southern Division - American Fisheries Society. San Juan Puerto Rico. March 7-11, 2018.	March 2018	This work documents the seasonal food habits on the introduced blue catfish in a newly colonized lake. The results identify the degree to which this predator preys on native fishes (especially sport fishes) and bivales and helps fishery managers devise management strategies for this invasive species in newly colonized waters.
Jennings, C. A., G. E. Mitchell, and C. Nelson. 2018. Seasonal Food Habits of Introduced Blue Catfish in Lake Oconee, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.	January 2018	This work documents the seasonal food habits on the introduced blue catfish in a newly colonized lake. The results identify the degree to which this predator preys on native fishes and bivales and helps fishery managers devise management strategies for this invasive species in newly colonized waters.
Jennings, C. A., B. Hess, and J. Hilterman. 2001. Movement Patterns of Juvenile Robust Redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jan 30 - Feb. 1. Athens, GA.	February 2001
Jennings, C. A., B. Hess, J. Hilterman, and G. Looney. 2001. Population dynamics of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jan 30 - Feb. 1. Athens, GA.	February 2001
Jennings, C. A. and J. C. Ruiz. 2010. Is depletion multi-pass electrofishing an effective alternative to rotenone forsampling reservoir fish population? International Conference on Fish Sampling with Active Methods. Sept. 8 - 12. Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.	September 2010
Jennings, C. A. 2019. Help wanted: HR Guidance for Replacing Yourself and Others. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division, American Fisheries Society, Galveston, Texas, 24-27 January 2019.	January 2019	New supervisory biologist are responsible for a host of personnel management responsibilities in their agency, but few have received formal training in this area. This work familiarizes new supervisory biologists with the hiring process and helps them to understand their role in a process that involve them, their human resources department, and the applicants and applicants' references. The information presented in this talk with help new supervisory biologist complete what is often their first
Jennings, C. A. 2005. Fished to the brink! Shifts in life history traits in response to fishing pressure and marine protected areas. Oral Presentation at the annual meeting of the GA chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Fort Gaines, GA. Jan. 25-27, 2005	January 2005
Jennings, C. A. 2005. Ecologically Significant Units: is the term still relavant? Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Fort Gaines, GA. Jan. 25-27, 2005.	January 2005
Jennings, C. A. 2004. Role of multi-agency, multi-stakeholder partenerships in recovering imperiled species. Upper Klamath Basin Science Workshop. February 3-6. Klamath Falls, OR	February 2004
Jennings, C. A. 2004. Ecological & evolutionary considerations for species reintroduction:who, where, when, and how many? Presented at Workshop on Native Species Reintroductions: Risks and Rewards. Conducted for GA Department of Natural Resources (Fisheries Management Section). Presented at the Resort at Lake Blackshear (near Cordele) GA. September 27, 2004.	September 2004
Jennings, C. A. 2002. Evolutionary Significant Units - Is the designation still relevant? Special Symposium entiled Robust Redhorse: Status and Issues after 10 years of recovery efforts held in conjunction with the 58th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Ocotober 30- Nov. 2, 2004. Hilton Head Island, SC.	November 2004
Jennings, C. A. 2007. Restoration status of robust redhorse and the role of multi-stakeholder partnerships for recovering imperlied species. Annual Meeting of the Southern Fishes Council. Chattanooga, TN. Nov. 8-9.	November 2007
Jarvis MG, Jennings CA, Bickel TO, Closs GP 2015. Size-determined, pool-based dominance hierarchies limit the effective population size of a stream-dwelling fish, banded kokopu (Galaxias fasciatus). Paper presented at the joint conference of the New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society and Australian Society for Limnology, November 23-26 2015, Wellington, New Zealand	November 2015	This work demonstrated that dominance hierarchies in stream dwelling Banded Kokopu (a stream dwelling New Zealand fish) affects the sex ratio in the pools and that skewed sex ratios can affect reproductive output and effective population size.
Jansch, C., and B. Irwin. 2014. Time series analysis for indicator species in the Cumberland river system. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Charleston, SC.	January 2014	We are assisting the USFWS by evaluating monitoring data for rate species.
Jansch, C., B. Irwin, M. Conroy, and M. Segura. 2015. Informing herpetological monitoring design in southern Louisiana. Warnell Graduate Student Symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.	February 2015	Pilot monitoring of reptiles and amphibians in the forested area of the Barataria Preserve of the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve (JELA) was conducted from 2011-2014 by the National Park Service. We used nonlinear mixed models to describe the relationship between counts of individual animals and time while accounting for trap type and spatial variation (i.e., sites were treated as a random effect) to help JELA managers further consider spatiotemporal variability in monitoring d
Jansch, C. R., and B. J. Irwin. 2014. Identifying streams to focus threatened species management efforts: a negative binomial mixed modeling approach. Warnell Graduate Student Symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA	February 2014	We use a mixed-model approach to quantify relationship between observations of blackside dace and conductivity will accounting for spatial and temporal variation.
Jansch, C. R., and B. J. Irwin. 2014. Aiding rare species management efforts through the use of mixed models. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Québec City, Québec, Canada.	August 2014	Quantifying the population dynamics of rare and elusive species (e.g., threatened or endangered species), however, is a challenging process for both methodological and statistical reasons. We used mixed models to evaluate a hypothesized negative relationship between dace abundance and water conductivity, while quantifying spatiotemporal variability associated with surveys from the Cumberland River system in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Jansch, C. R., and B. J. Irwin. 2014. A mixed modeling approach to quantify blackside dace abundance in the Cumberland River system. Georgia Chapter Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Athens, GA.	February 2014	We apply a negative binomial mixed model to quantify the spatio-temporal variability of a federally threatened freshwater cyprinid, blackside dace (Chrosomus cumberlandensis), and to relate abundance observations to measures of water conductivity.
Jamie L. Skvarla, Michael J. Conroy, Model for combining genetic sampling, camera traps, and telemetry data: Demographic assessment of the central Georgia black bear population. TWS 12th annual conf 25-29 sept 2005 madison wi	September 2005
Jameson, E., S. Tank, C. Dumoulin, D. D. Engel, E. Ferrier, E. Jensen, C. T. Moore, and K. P. Kowalski. 2019. Implementing an adaptive management strategy for Phragmites management in the Great Lakes basin. North American Invasive Species Management Association Conference, 30 September-3 October 2019, Saratoga Springs, NY.	October 2019	The <i>Phragmites</i> Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) was designed to provide management guidance to counter the spread of invasive non-native <i>Phragmites</i> in the Great Lakes basin, while returning information useful for reducing uncertainties in its management. We share progress we have made after two decision cycles and lessons we have learned in standing up an adaptive management effort in an invasive species context.
Jafari, N., and C. T. Moore. 2015. Achieving the spatial connectivity of parcels in the dynamic reserve network design problem. International Symposium on Mathematical Programming, 12-17 July 2015, Pittsburgh, PA.	July 2015	We outline an approach through mixed integer programming that guarantees a fully-connected and budget-constrained selection of sites in a reserve that maximizes a conservation metric under stochastic costs and uncertain land use change.
Jafari, N., and C. T. Moore. 2014. Designing a dynamic reserve problem under stochastic uncertainties. INFORMS Annual Meeting, 9-12 November 2014, San Francisco, CA.	November 2014	Conservation agencies tasked with reserve design need a dynamic decision system that provides guidance for short-term decision opportunities while focusing on a long-term objective of assembling the best set of protected areas possible. We outline an approach that provides optimal actions that account for stochastic behaviors in future funding levels, land prices, and lands lost to conservation use, given land protection status, constraints, and objectives related to ecological value and cost.
Jafari, N., and C. Moore. 2015. Land development uncertainties in the dynamic reserve network design problem. INFORMS Annual Meeting, 1-4 Nov 2015, Philadelphia, PA.	November 2015	We outline an approach through mixed integer programming that guarantees a fully-connected and budget-constrained selection of sites in a reserve that maximizes a conservation metric under stochastic costs and uncertain land use change.
Jafari, N., C. T. Moore, and J. Hepinstall-Cymerman. 2015. Solution alternatives to achieve parcel connectivity in the dynamic reserve design problem. Twenty-Ninth Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-15), Workshop on Computational Sustainability. 25 January 2015, Austin TX.	January 2015	This talk outlines alternative computational approaches for a version of the dynamic reserve selection problem that yields a network of fully connected reserves.
Jacobi, S. K., C. R. Adams, K. Carlyle, S. Galatowitsch, P. Heglund, V. Hunt, M. Knutson, E. Lonsdorf, S. Lor, and C. Moore. 2016. The importance of communication in decision support tool development: methodological lessons learned from Reed Canary Grass Adaptive Management. North American Congress for Conservation Biology, 17-20 July 2016, Madison, WI.	July 2016	We diagnosed causes of failure to adopt a decision support tool developed for an adaptive management application, and we identified several deficiencies in the communication between the developers and user community during the development and implementation phases.
JP Runge, MJ Conroy, CJ Fonnesbeck. State-space population viability modeling for Alabama beach mice. International statistical ecology conference, St. Andrews, Scotland	July 2008
Irwin. B., 2016. Management Strategy Evaluation. New England Fishery Management Council workshop on Atlantic Herring acceptable biological catch control rule management strategy evaluation, Portland, ME.	May 2016	I presented an overview of management strategy evaluation to a diverse stakeholder group.
Irwin. B., 2016. MSE Introduction. New England Fishery Management Council's 2nd workshop on Atlantic Herring acceptable biological catch control rule management strategy evaluation, Portsmouth, NH.	December 2016	I presented an introduction to fisheries management strategy evaluation.
Irwin. B., 2016. Introduction to Control Rule Objectives. New England Fishery Management Council workshop on Atlantic Herring acceptable biological catch control rule management strategy evaluation, Portland, ME.	May 2016	I presented an introduction to specifying objectives in the context of fisheries management strategy evaluation.
Irwin. B., 2016. Analyzing data from gillnet monitoring programs: the Oneida Lake example. Cornell University Biological Field Station, Bridgeport, NY. [Invited poster (no abstract)]	June 2016	I summarize importance of long-term monitoring programs and provide examples of informative analyses for data from gillnets.
Irwin,E.R.,M.C. Freeman, and J. Peterson.2002.Using adaptive management to quantify biological, environmental and social uncertainty affecting the management of tailwater ecosystems. Sport Fisheries in Tailwaters Symposium.132nd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society.Baltimore, Maryland.	June 2002
Irwin,E.R.,J.Peterson,M.C. Freeman,B.J. Freeman and L. Kramer.2002. Aquatic GAP in the Tallapoosa River Basin, Alabama and Georgia.National GAP Annual Meeting;U.S. Geological Survey.Shepardstown, West Virginia.	April 2002
Irwin, B., T. Vidal, B. Crawford, T. Gancos Crawford, and C. Moore. 2016. Quantitative Consideration of Uncertainty and Variability in Decision Analysis for Conservation and Management of Ecological Systems. Annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, 7-12 August, 2016, Fort Lauderdale, FL.	August 2016	We discuss approaches for quantitative consideration of uncertainty and variability within a decision analysis, ways in which uncertainty translates to risk for decision makers, and the potential importance of viewing variability as informative to risk assessment, rather than treating it as “noise”. We present examples to demonstrate how viewing uncertainty and variability through probabilistic measures can add value to information presented to decision makers.
Irwin, B. J., and T. Wagner. 2013. Using mixed models to quantify variability in fish populations. GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Jekyll Island, GA	January 2013	Mixed models can provide useful information about the spatio-temporal-dynamics of wild populations.
Irwin, B. J., and T. Wagner. 2013. Shifting variance structure as a potential indicator of fish-population responses to large-scale perturbation. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting.	February 2013	We expect that the structure of variation (i.e., variance components themselves), not just the total variance, will be responsive to severe large-scale perturbation, and that this change in variance structure will have implications for how we conduct population monitoring.
Irwin, B. J., T. Vidal, T. Wagner, J. R. Bence, J. R. Jackson, L. G. Rudstam, and W. W. Fetzer. 2014. Shifting variance structure as an indicator of large-scale ecological change. Annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Sacramento, CA.	August 2014	The variance structure of monitored indicators, which has traditional been viewed as "noise", may serve as a signal.
Irwin, B. J., M. M. Tomamichel, M. E. Frischer, R. J. Hall, A. D. E. Davis, T. H. Bliss, P. Rohani, and J. E. Byers. 2024. Structured decision making for managing the threat of infectious disease in fisheries. 154^th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Honolulu, HI.	September 2024	We present a recently published review paper, in which we consider managing the threat of infectious disease in fisheries and aquaculture using structured decision making. We summarize several steps for decision structuring and scenario forecasting: 1) specify objectives, 2) identify options, 3) make predictions, 4) assess trade-offs, 5) evaluate uncertainties, 6) identify and fill data gaps, and 7) update information.
Irwin, B. J. 2022. Science to support decision making – quantitative models and some uncertainties. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Spokane, WA.	August 2022	As decision makers, fishery managers make choices about exploiting, restoring, and protecting fish populations. In this presentation, I will consider how encountering uncertainty is to be expected within a decision-support process and how, in some cases, it can be quantified or otherwise confronted to improve information for future decisions.
Irwin, B. J. 2020. Overview of partnerships & projects. Meeting between the Southeast Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Units, Atlanta, GA.	February 2020	Present overview to US FWS and other CRUs in southeast region at meeting about Species Status Assessments.
Irwin, B. J. 2017. Viewing fisheries from a decision-analytic perspective. Northeast Climate Science Center Regional Science Meeting, Amherst, MA. [Invited (no abstract)]	May 2017	Invited presentation given at the Northeast Climate Science Center's Regional Science Meeting.
Irwin, B. J. 2017. Spatial and temporal variability in fish populations. Northeast Climate Science Center Regional Science Meeting, Amherst, MA. [Invited (no abstract)]	May 2017	Invited presentation given at the Northeast Climate Science Center's Regional Science Meeting.
Irwin, B. J. 2016. Management Strategy Evaluation. GA AFS student sub-unit meeting, Athens, GA.	November 2016	Invited presentation to GA student sub-unit.
Irwin, B. J. 2015. SER shared statistical support. National Park Service, Southeast Region, Inventory & Monitoring "All-Hands" Training Workshop. Asheville, NC.	September 2015	Invited presenter at NPS SER I&M training workshop.
Irwin, B. J. 2013. Structured decision making as a framework to support fisheries co-management. Western Divsion Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Boise, ID. - not allowed to attend due to 2013 US Government sequestration.	April 2013	I was invited by a symposium organizer to talk about structured decision making. In this presentation, I will highlight how structured decision making can be a collaborative process, using illustrative examples primarily from the Laurentian Great Lakes.
Irwin, B. J. (invited, CANCELED). 2020. Quantitative models to support fish management. Virginia Tech Chapter American Fisheries Society Meeting [April 2020; unable to deliver due to 2020 Coronavirus pandemic]	April 2020	Invited seminar to Virginia Tech Chapter of AFS. Unable to deliver due to Coronavirus pandemic.
Irwin, B. J. (NOT SUBMITTED due to COVID-19 pandemic) 2020. Science to support decision making – a few thoughts on some uncertainties encountered along the way. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Columbus, OH. [IP-117697]	August 2020	As decision makers, fishery managers make choices about exploiting, restoring, and protecting fish populations. In this presentation, I will consider how encountering uncertainty is to be expected within a decision-support process and how, in some cases, it can be quantified or otherwise confronted to improve information for future decisions.
Irwin, B. 2021. Structured Decision Making: a Fishery Example. GA AFS student sub-unit meeting (Virtual), Athens, GA.	March 2021	Invited presentation to GA student sub-unit.
Irwin, B. , C. Moore, M. Gore., and A. Qureshi. 2014. Communicating and using uncertain scientific information in the production of 'actionable science'. Grand Opening of the Southeast Climate Science Center, 22 January 2014, Raleigh, NC [poster].	January 2014	Poster provided to the SE CSC for their Grand Opening Event.
Hunter, E. A., N. Nibbelink, R. J. Cooper, and C. T. Moore. 2014. Using current salt marsh bird distributions to project vulnerability to sea level rise. 2014 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, 10-15 August 2014, Sacramento, CA.	August 2014	Sea level rise will affect salt marsh bird species through changes to landcover distribution and structure. Using estimated relationships between landscape gradients and species occurrence, we used sea level rise models to predict future species distributions.
Hunt, V., E. Lonsdorf, S. Jacobi, and C. Moore. 2013. (Poster) Development of a web-based decision support tool for adaptive management of natural resources. 2013 INFORMS Annual Meeting, 6-9 October 2013, Minneapolis, MN.	October 2013	Adaptive management efforts that involve networks of actors require automated decision support tools to centralize data and accumulate knowledge. This poster describes a web-based decision tool that supports the cyclic steps of adaptive management for a grassland management initiative.
Hsiung, A., and B. Irwin. 2021. Evaluating management strategies for an imperiled fish species in the Southeast. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore, MD. [Virtual]	November 2021	SDM is especially helpful in making decisions concerning threatened and endangered species, as there is often limited empirical data and thus much uncertainty about the status of a species and how it would respond to management actions. We used a stage-based population viability analysis (PVA) to simulate population trajectories and evaluate whether the outcome from various management scenarios will meet management objectives.
Hsiung, A., and B. Irwin. 2018. Developing an adaptive management framework for the robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the southeastern U.S. Warnell Graduate Student Symposium, Athens, GA.	January 2018	The robust redhorse is a large, long-lived, and rare fish species in the southeastern U.S. The objective of this study is to help the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee evaluate potential management options using a structured decision-making and adaptive management framework.
Hsiung, A., and B. Irwin. 2018. Developing an adaptive management framework for Robust Redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the southeastern U.S. 148th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Atlantic City, NJ.	August 2018	Robust Redhorse is a species of conservation concern in the southeastern U.S. We describe a collaborative effort to develop an adaptive management framework for the conservation of Robust Redhorse.
Hsiung, A., and B. Irwin. 2017. Robust redhorse adaptive management. Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee Meeting, McCormick, SC.	September 2017	We are presenting on a project to develop an adaptive management framework for robust redhorse. This presentation will include a brief review of the importance of specifying quantifiable objectives in structured decision making as well as description of preliminary structure for an associated operating model.
Hsiung, A., B. Albanese, R. Chandler, C. Moore, and B. Irwin. 2019. Estimating parameters of the Sicklefin Redhorse (Moxostoma sp.) population in Georgia. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Reno, NV.	October 2019	We are working with the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee to evaluate mark-recapture data from Brasstown Creek, GA. Our approach is attempting to use multiple sources for recapture information.
Hsiung, A., B. Albanese, R. Chandler, C. Moore, and B. Irwin. 2019. Estimation of population parameters of Sicklefin Redhorse (Moxostoma sp.) in Brasstown Creek, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Cordele, GA.	February 2019	We are working with the Sicklefin Redhorse Conservation Committee to evaluate mark-recapture data from Brasstown Creek, GA. Our approach is attempting to use multiple sources for recapture information.
Howell, J., M. Conroy and J. Peterson. Hierarchical Models of Statewide Avian Distributions for the State of Georgia. Cooper Ornithological Society's 74th Annual Meeting. Lacrosse, WI 2004. 5 - 9 May, 2004 .	May 2004
Howell, J. E., M. J. Conroy, and J. T. Peterson. Modeling Statewide Distributions of Birds, A Hierarchical Approach. 10th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Burlington, Vermont 6-10 September 2003	September 2003
Howell, J. E., C. T. Moore, R. Hamrick, M. J. Conroy, J. P. Carroll, and R. Cooper. 2004. Adaptive landscape management of wintering birds in early successional habitats: Hierarchical models for predicting occurrence of northern bobwhite. 58th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 31 Oct-3 Nov 2004, Hilton Head Island, SC.	October 2004
Howell, J. E., C. T. Moore, R. Hamrick, M. J. Conroy, J. P. Carroll, R. J. Cooper. 2005. Hierarchical models for adaptive landscape management of wintering birds in early successional habitats in the upper coastal plain of Georgia. 12th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, 25-29 September 2005, Madison, WI.	September 2005
Howell, J. E. , M. J. Conroy, and J. T. Peterson. Modeling statewide distributions of birds, a hierarchical approach. 9th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Bismarck, ND. 24-28 September 2002.	September 2002
Homer, M.D., C.A. Jennings, and J.T. Peterson. 2013. Comparison of the precision of ages from three techniques and back-calculated lengths for introduced blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus). Texas Chapter - American Fisheries Society, Jan. 17-19, 2013. Montgomery, Texas.	January 2013	Lethal and non-lethal methods for age determination were compared for precision of ages of blue catfish. The lethal method (otolith-based) produced the most precise estimates whereas the non-lethal methods (spine-based) produced the less precise estimates.
Homer, M. D. and C. A. Jennings. 2010. Population demographics for an introduced population of blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in Lake Oconee, GA. Catfish 2010. Conservation, Ecology, and Management of Catfish: The second International Symposium. June 19-22. St. Louis, MO.	June 2010
Homer Jr, M.D., C.A. Jennings, and J.T. Peterson. 2013. Comparison of the precision of ages from three techniques and back-calculated lengths for introduced blue catfish. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division - American Fisheries Society. Feb.7-10, 2013. Nashville, TN.	February 2013	Lethal and non-lethal methods for age determination were compared for precision of ages of blue catfish. The lethal method (otolith-based) produced the most precise estimates whereas the non-lethal methods (spine-based) produced the less precise estimates.
Hoekwater, J., K.F. Robinson, K. Keeler, S. Ang, R. Tingley, D. Hondorp, D. Bunnell, J. Janssen, M. Kornis, B. Weidel. 2024. Competition between round goby and slimy sculpin in a laboratory setting. Annual Conference of the Michigan Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, East Lansing, MI.	March 2024	We conducted a series of experiments to better understand the effects of invasive round goby on slimy sculpin reproductive activity and physiology. Preliminary results indicate that although round goby may not always interfere with sculpin nesting, larger round goby may have a more negative effect on slimy sculpin than those of similar size.
Hoekwater, J., K.F. Robinson, K. Keeler, S. Ang, R. Tingley, D. Hondorp, D. Bunnell, J. Janssen, M. Kornis, B. Weidel. 2023. Competition between round goby and slimy sculpin in a laboratory setting. International Association of Great Lakes Research, Toronto, Canada.	May 2023	We conducted a series of experiments to better understand the effects of invasive round goby on slimy sculpin reproductive activity and physiology. Preliminary results indicate that although round goby may not always interfere with sculpin nesting, larger round goby may have a more negative effect on slimy sculpin than those of similar size.
Hoekwater, J., K.F. Robinson, K. Keeler, S. Ang, R. Tingley, D. Hondorp, D. Bunnell, J. Janssen, M. Kornis, B. Weidel. 2023. Competition between round goby and slimy sculpin in a laboratory setting. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	We conducted a series of experiments to better understand the effects of invasive round goby on slimy sculpin reproductive activity and physiology. Preliminary results indicate that although round goby may not always interfere with sculpin nesting, larger round goby may have a more negative effect on slimy sculpin than those of similar size.
Hess, B.J. and C.A. Jennings. June 2000. Striped bass in trout waters of the upper Chattahoochee River, Georgia: Can these two fisheries coexist? East Coast Trout Management and Culture Workshop III. Frostburg, MD	June 2000
Hepinstall-Cymerman, J., T. Prebyl, B. Nuse, and C. Moore. 2018. Predicting changes in gopher tortoise habitat connectivity in Georgia, USA. Presentation at US-IALE 2018 Annual Meeting, 8-12 April 2018, Chicago, IL.	April 2018	From a model of habitat suitability, we estimated landscape connectivity for gopher tortoises in Georgia. Some regions of Georgia will likely experience demographic isolation as urbanization creates barriers to dispersal and movement.
Hepinstall-Cymerman, J., T. Prebyl, B. Nuse, and C. Moore. 2017. Predicting gopher tortoise habitat connectivity in Georgia from forest structure, soils, and land cover. The Wildlife Society 24th Annual Conference, 23-27 September 2017, Albuquerque, NM.	September 2017	Our objectives were to determine the extent and connectivity of habitat for gopher tortoises in Georgia. We modeled gopher tortoise habitat distribution throughout its range in Georgia using SSURGO soil attributes, 2011 National Land Cover Data, Landsat-derived forest structure characteristics, and ecoregion layers.
Hepinstall-Cymerman, J., T. Prebyl, B. Nuse, C. Moore, and R. Bormann. 2017. Modeling gopher tortoise habitat and habitat connectivity in Georgia using multi-season Landsat imagery and Circuitscape. US-IALE 2017 Annual Meeting, 9-13 April 2017, Baltimore, MD.	April 2017	We developed predictive maps of gopher tortoise habitat using inputs of vegetation conditions estimated through remote sensing, overstory conditions, and soil attributes. Using Circuitscape, we modeled structural landscape connectivity across habitat patches, and we found ecoregion-specific patterns in amount of habitat and connectivity.
Hepinstall-Cymerman, J., R. Bormann, B. Nuse, C. Moore, and M. Elliott. 2016. Mapping gopher tortoise habitat in Georgia using multi-season Landsat imagery and multiple statistical modeling techniques. The Wildlife Society 23rd Annual Conference, 15-19 October 2016, Raleigh, NC.	October 2016	Gopher tortoise distribution in Georgia was modeled at several habitat scales and involving interacting effects of soil, habitat type, and region. Three statistical modeling techniques provided models with high predictive performance.
Hawthorne, S. and J.T. Peterson. 2003. The Development of an Optimal Sampling Strategy for Two Endemic Crayfish Species, Cambarus halli and C. englishi. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Rome.	January 2003
Haak, D. M., K. P. Kowalski, C. T. Moore, and A. DaSilva. 2017. Developing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). 77th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, 5-8 February 2017, Lincoln, NE.	February 2017	Overview of the aims and design of a multi-cooperator adaptive approach to the management of Phragmites in the Great Lakes basin.
Haak, D. M., K. P. Kowalski, C. T. Moore, and A. DaSilva. 2016. Introducing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). 59th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research (International Association for Great Lakes Research), 6-10 June 2016, Guelph, ON, CANADA.	June 2016	The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework is being developed to facilitate a landscape-level change in management strategy against invasive Phragmites. The framework will enable resource managers in the Great Lakes basin to better control invasive Phragmites and benefit from the learning that occurs from a multi-participant effort.
Haag, J. M., N. P. Nibbelink, and C. A. Jennings. 2018. Forecasting the effects of climate change on suitable thermal habitat for trout in northern Georgia. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. August 19-23.	August 2018	This work uses current trout distribution in GA along with stream temperature data to forecast future trout habitat availability under varying climate warming scenarios. The results will be used to inform and update GA's trout management plan to ensure the persistence of the species into the future.
Haag, J. M., C. A. Jennings, N. P. Nibbelink, B. Irwin, and B. Boley. 2019. Pairing demand for trout with effects of climate change on suitable thermal habitat in northern Georgia. Oral presentation, Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Feb 6. Cordele, GA.	September 2020	The current and projected warming climate may affect the persistence of trout in the cool-water regions of Georgia and could affect trout-based recreational opportunities and natural communities in the state. We evaluated how a warming climate might affect trout supply and demand and used estimates based on three warming (1, 2, and 3 degrees C) scenarios to forecast stream temperature through 2050. Our results indicate that suitable thermal habitat for all three species will be increasingly res
Haag, J. M., C. A. Jennings, N. P. Nibbelink, B. Irwin, and B. Boley. 2019. Pairing demand for trout with effects of climate change on suitable thermal habitat in northern Georgia. Oral presentation, Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Feb 6. Cordele, GA.	February 2019	The current and projected warming climate may affect the persistence of trout in the cool-water regions of Georgia and could affect trout-based recreational opportunities and natural communities in the state. We evaluated how a warming climate might affect trout supply and demand and used estimates based on three warming (1, 2, and 3 degrees C) scenarios to forecast stream temperature through 2050. Our results indicate that suitable thermal habitat for all three species will be increasingly res
Haag, J. M., C. A. Jennings, N. P. Nibbelink, B. Irwin, and B. Boley. 2019. Pairing demand for trout with effects of climate change on suitable thermal habitat in northern Georgia. Oral presentation, Annual Meeting of the Southern Division, American Fisheries. Feb 20-23. Little Rock, AR.	February 2020	The current and projected warming climate may affect the persistence of trout in the cool-water regions of Georgia and could affect trout-based recreational opportunities and natural communities in the state. We evaluated how a warming climate might affect trout supply and demand and used estimates based on three warming (1, 2, and 3 degrees C) scenarios to forecast stream temperature through 2050. Our results indicate that suitable thermal habitat for all three species will be increasingly res
Guy, R., N. P. Nibbelink, and B. J. Irwin. Quantifying the Relationship of Juvenile Nekton to Salt marsh and the Effects of Sea Level Rise. 2015 Southern Division meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Savannah, GA.	February 2015	Understanding relationships at a landscape level is paramount to forecasting the long term stability of a system challenged by sea level rise. Using a five-year fisheries independent dataset from the Georgia coast provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, we developed negative binomial linear mixed models at three scales (500m, 1000m, and 5000m) for juvenile blue crab (Callinectes sapidus).
Gregory, K., K.F. Robinson, D.M. Infante, R.M. Claramunt, J. Miller, J. Ross (2024) Decision analysis for building resilience, capacity, and understanding in riverine systems facing climate change. Advances in Decision Analysis Conference, Finland.	July 2024	We describe the co-development of an adaptive management project for climate resilience for the Au Sable River, MI. This case study show how we have worked with stakeholders and managers to develop a decision framework for climate resilience that can be exported to other cold-water systems in Michigan and around the world.
Grabowski, T. B., and C. A. Jennings. 2007. Habitat use and movement patterns of robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Joint Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, South Carolina and Georgia Chapters, and the South Carolina Fisheries Workers Association. Tybee Island, GA. January 23-25.	February 2007
Grabowski, T. B., and C. A. Jennings. 2007. Habitat use and movement patterns of robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Memphis, TN. February 9-12.	February 2007
Grabowski T.B., and C.A. Jennings. Re-evaluation of habitat use and movement patterns of robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. 12th Annual Meeting of the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee. McCormick, SC. 17 October 2006.	October 2006
Grabowski T.B., and C.A. Jennings. Habitat use and movement patterns of robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Joint Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, South Carolina and Georgia Chapters, and the South Carolina Fisheries Workers Association. Tybee Island, GA. 25 January 2007.	January 2007
Grabowski T.B., and C.A. Jennings. Habitat use and movement patterns of robust redhorse released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Memphis, TN. 10 February 2007.	February 2007
Glomb, J. C., R. C. Lowe III, J. L. Shelton, B. J. Irwin, and M. J. Hamel. 2021. Assessing hydrilla spread and subsequent impacts on sportfish communities in Lake Sinclair, Georgia. American Fisheries Society meeting, Baltimore, MD.	November 2021	The objectives of this study were to 1.) determine the efficacy of satellite imagery for identifying hydrilla spread across a large reservoir, and 2.) compare pre- and post-hydrilla assessments of Largemouth Bass relative abundance, age structure, size structure, and body condition using a before-after-control-impact design.
Glassic, H., B. J. Irwin, and A. Rabern. Evaluating stream restoration efforts for eastern brook trout in the Chattahoochee National Forest. 2015 Southern Division meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Savannah, GA	February 2015	GA DNR has monitored brook trout abundance following the addition of large woody debris to several streams. We applied a linear mixed model to the assembled data to test for a treatment effect (i.e., addition of structure) on catches of brook trout, using year and site location as random effects and adjusting for differences in effort.
Gaya, H., L. Smith, and C. Moore. 2017. Improvements to line transect distance sampling for surveying gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations. 2017 Wildlife Research Meeting, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, 8 August 2017, Mansfield, GA.	August 2017	A line-transect distance sampling protocol is adopted rangewide for monitoring of gopher tortoise populations. This project introduces survey modifications to address two known challenges of the standard protocol: difficult detection of juvenile burrows and variation in detectability due to varying vegetation density.
Gaya, H., L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2019. Baby tortoise is hiding, can you find him? Enhancing line-transect distance sampling (LTDS) for gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations. 2019 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Meeting, 14-17 February 2019, Black Mountain, NC.	February 2019	The goal of this project is to reduce bias and increase precision of estimates of gopher tortoise population density by incorporating regularly-measured detection covariates and employing a double-sampling overlay on LTDS to improve detection of juvenile burrows. We found that the addition of intensive searches led to more accurate burrow density and size-demography estimates for modest increase in search effort.
Gaya, H., L. L. Smith, and C. T. Moore. 2017. Improving line-transect distance sampling (LTDS) for gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations. 39th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 13-15 October 2017, Edgefield, SC.	October 2017	Modifications to protocols for sampling gopher tortoises may increase quality of demographic estimates. This work summarizes the first field season testing these proposed techniques.
Gaya, H., L. L. Smith, and C. Moore. 2018. Where are all the baby tortoises? Enhancing line-transect distance sampling (LTDS) for gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations. Presentation at 2018 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 22-25 February 2018, Helen, GA.	February 2018	Modifications to protocols for sampling gopher tortoises may increase quality of demographic estimates. This work summarizes the first field season of these proposed techniques, and an assessment of resulting demographic estimates.
Gaya, H., L. L. Smith, and C. Moore. 2017. Improving line-transect distance sampling (LTDS) for gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations. Poster; The Wildlife Society 24th Annual Conference, 23-27 September 2017, Albuquerque, NM.	September 2017	A line-transect distance sampling protocol is adopted rangewide for monitoring of gopher tortoise populations. This project introduces survey modifications to address two known challenges of the standard protocol: difficult detection of juvenile burrows and variation in detectability due to varying vegetation density.
Gaya, H., B. L. Nuse, and C. T. Moore. 2018. A Bayesian hierarchical model to account for bias in gopher tortoise distance sampling. 40th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 12-14 October 2018, Lake Placid, FL.	October 2018	We present a Bayesian model for line-transect distance sampling in which a covariate associated with the animal, burrow width, helps to account for detection bias of all burrows present and improves precision of estimated density. By modeling the number of burrows missed, by size interval, as a latent quantity, we also produce a detection-adjusted size frequency distribution of occupied burrows, an indicator of population age structure. Our covariate model provides a powerful tool for understa
Gaya, H., B. L. Nuse, and C. T. Moore. 2018. An interesting nuisance: a Bayesian hierarchical model for distance sampling when a detection covariate is also a demographic property of interest. The Wildlife Society 25th Annual Conference, 7-11 October 2018, Cleveland, OH.	October 2018	We present a Bayesian model for line-transect distance sampling in which a covariate associated with the animal, burrow width, helps to account for detection bias of all burrows present and improves precision of estimated density. By modeling the number of burrows missed, by size interval, as a latent quantity, we also produce a detection-adjusted size frequency distribution of occupied burrows, an indicator of population age structure. Our covariate model provides a powerful tool for understa
Gaya, H., B. L. Nuse, T. J. Prebyl, and C. T. Moore. 2019. Assessing stability of gopher tortoise populations through line-transect distance sampling. Oral presentation at 41st Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 15-17 November 2019, Gulf Shores, AL.	November 2019	Current protocols used in line-transect distance sampling for gopher tortoises result in biased size distributions, limiting assessment of population stability. We describe field and analytical modifications to the survey that remove this bias, and we present a model that estimates probability that a surveyed population is in decline.
Gaya, H., B. L. Nuse, T. J. Prebyl, and C. T. Moore. 2019. Assessing stability of gopher tortoise populations on working lands through line-transect distance sampling. Oral presentation at Joint Annual Conference of American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, 29 September - 3 October 2019, Reno, NV.	September 2019	Current protocols used in line-transect distance sampling for gopher tortoises result in biased size distributions, limiting assessment of population stability. We describe field and analytical modifications to the survey that remove this bias, and we present a model that estimates probability that a surveyed population is in decline.
Gannon, J., C. Moore, and T. Shaffer. 2014. Promoting long-term sustainability of an AM program: Lessons learned. Adaptive Management Conference Series, 28-30 May 2014, Fort Collins, CO.	May 2014	Process learning in adaptive management is at least as hard, if not harder, than technical learning. This presentation gives a perspective of how a long-term project such as the Native Prairie Adaptive Management program is initiated and sustained long enough for technical learning to occur.
Gannon, J., C. Moore, T. Shaffer, and C. Dixon. 2017. Collaborating across boundaries to improve management of native prairies: adaptive management within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service across refuge system lands of the prairie pothole region. Presentation at Natural Areas Conference, 10-12 October 2017, Fort Collins, CO.	October 2017	The Native Prairie Adaptive Management program is a new way of doing business and implementing science-based management in a structured way on USFWS-owned lands. By combining efforts toward a common objective, the Service hopes to accelerate the restoration of native prairies under refuge management.
Gannon, J. J., C. T. Moore, and T. L. Shaffer. 2012. Building an adaptive management framework when data are lacking: eliciting information from decision stakeholders. The Wildlife Society 19th Annual Conference. 13-18 October 2012, Portland, OR.	October 2012	Although adaptive management can be a useful approach to decision making under uncertainty, that uncertainty may also result in little or no data usable for the construction of predictive models. This work demonstrates how expert opinion can be directed towards the construction of predictive models that captures the underlying uncertainty.
Fritts, A.K., J.T. Peterson, and R.B. Bringolf. 2011. Development of a non-lethal approach for assessing stress in freshwater mussels. Annual meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, January 13-16, Tampa, FL	January 2011
Freeman, M.C. and J.T. Peterson. 2009. Can instream flow requirements protect biodiversity? 57th Annual Meeting of the North American Benthological Society, Grand Rapids Michigan.	May 2009
Freeman, M. C., R. B. Jacobson, J. W. Jones, C. P. Shea. and J. T. Peterson Stream classification for modeling ecological responses to hydrologic alteration. Annual Meeting of the International Association of Landscape Ecology, Athens, GA.	April 2010
Frasch, L. L., C. T. Moore, M. J. Conroy, and K. Barker. 1998. Adaptive resource management in the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge. Joint Meetings of the American Ornithologists’ Union and North American Ornithological Conference, 6-12 April 1998, St. Louis, MO.	April 1998
Fouts, K. L., C. T. Moore, K. D. Johnson, J. C. Maerz, and V. C. Kinney. 2014. Effects of fire management practices on the amphibians and reptiles of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Science Colloquium, 20 March 2014, Gatlinburg, TN.	March 2014	This study provides information on response to fire by communities of amphibians and reptiles in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This information is needed as the Park embarks on an objective to introduce prescribed fire in some sections of the Park.
Fonnesbeck,C.J, M.J. Conroy, and N. L. Zimpfer. 2002.Adaptive resource management and the optimal control of wildlifepopulations: A case study.INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICSStochastic Methods in Decision and Game Theory, with ApplicationsEttore Majorana Center, Erice, Sicilia,Italy June 18-25, 2002	June 2002
Fonnesbeck, C.J., M.J. Conroy, and N.L. Zimpfer. August 2000. Modeling uncertainty: A Bayesian analysis of American black duck populations dyanmics. Joint Millennial Meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, British Ornithologists' Union, and Society of Canadian Ornithologists. St. John's, Newfoundland	August 2000
Fonnesbeck, C. J. and M.J. Conroy. Application of Bayesian decision making and MCMC to the conservation of a harvested species. EURING 2003 Radolfzell, Germany.	October 2003
Fonnesbeck, C. J. and M. J. Conroy. Solving stochastic dynamic optimization problems using reinforcement learning. Adaptive management conference. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 24-25 April. 2003.	April 2003
Fonnesbeck, C. J. and M. J. Conroy. Application of Bayesian decision-making and Markov chain Monte Carlo to the conservation of a harvested species. 10th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Burlington, Vermont 6-10 September 2003	September 2003
Floyd, T. M., B. J. Irwin, and T. N. Simon. 2024. Age class delineation, sexual maturation, and growth of the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis) in Georgia. Hellbender Symposium, Clemson, SC. [IP-164483]	June 2024	Length-specific growth rates of Georgia hellbenders were derived by regression from the growth of marked and recaptured hellbenders. We also compare length-weight relationships for female and male adults.
Flinn, S., K.F. Robinson. The consequences of connectivity: a decision analytic approach to fish passage decisions. Joint meeting of the Michigan chapter of the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society. March 23-24, 2023.	March 2023	This project describes the use of structured decision making to identify stakeholder values for fish passage decisions for the Boardman River. We describe the use of individual-based models to predict fish productivity under different passage scenarios and provide insight into how to make tradeoffs among stakeholder objectives.
Flinn, S., K.F. Robinson. 2024. Informing fish passage and restoration decisions with decision analysis. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Honolulu, HI.	September 2024	We describe the use of structured decision making to inform selective fish passage decisions in a case study stream in Michigan. The results of this work can inform fish passage decisions in other rivers in the Great Lakes that wrestle with multiple objectives.
Flinn, S., K.F. Robinson. 2022.The Consequences of Connectivity: A Decision Analytic Approach to Fish Passage Decisions. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Spokane, WA. August 21–25.	August 2022	We describe the use of decision analysis to account for multiple objectives related to fish passage decisions for the Boardman River, in Michigan. We used individual based models to project the abundance of five different species of fish with different scenarios of fish passage.
Flinn, S., K.F. Robinson (2024). The consequences of connectivity: using structured decision making to inform fish passage decisions. Advances in Decision Analysis Conference, Finland.	July 2024	This project used SDM to evaluate a suite of fish passage scenarios for a case study stream in Michigan, USA. We show how this framework can be used for other systems in which barrier removal or remediation are being considered and multiple tradeoffs exist.
Flinn, S. and K.F. Robinson. 2023. The consequences of connectivity: a decision analytic approach to fish passage decisions. International Association of Great Lakes Research annual conference. May 8-12.	May 2023	This project describes the use of structured decision making to identify stakeholder values for fish passage decisions for the Boardman River. We describe the use of individual-based models to predict fish productivity under different passage scenarios and provide insight into how to make tradeoffs among stakeholder objectives.
Flinn, S. and K.F. Robinson. 2023. The consequences of connectivity: a decision analytic approach to fish passage decisions. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI.	August 2023	This project describes the use of structured decision making to identify stakeholder values for fish passage decisions for the Boardman River. We describe the use of individual-based models to predict fish productivity under different passage scenarios and provide insight into how to make tradeoffs among stakeholder objectives.
Ferrall, E., B. Irwin, K. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. Castleberry. 2023. Landscape and culvert structural influences on tricolored bat abundance in Georgia, U.S.A. Annual meeting of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network, Jonesboro, AR.	March 2023	White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungal pathogen <i>Pseudogymnoascus destructans</i>, has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats. We used generalized linear mixed models to estimate characteristics of the landscape and culverts that influenced bat abundance.
Ferrall, E., B. Irwin, K. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. Castleberry. 2023. Landscape and culvert structural influences on tricolored bat abundance in Georgia, U.S.A. Annual meeting of the GA chapter of The Wildlife Society, Macon, GA. 1^st place for graduate student talk	March 2023	White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungal pathogen <i>Pseudogymnoascus destructans</i>, has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats. We used generalized linear mixed models to estimate characteristics of the landscape and culverts that influenced bat abundance.
Ferrall, E., B. Irwin, K. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. Castleberry. 2023. Landscape and culvert structural influences on tricolored bat abundance in Georgia, U.S.A. Annual White-nose Syndrome National Meeting, Palm Springs, CA.	June 2023	White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungal pathogen <i>Pseudogymnoascus destructans</i>, has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats. We used generalized linear mixed models to estimate characteristics of the landscape and culverts that influenced bat abundance.
Ferrall, E., B. Irwin, K. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. Castleberry. 2022. Variation in tri-colored bat body mass in response to winter hibernaculum roost selection in Georgia, U.S.A. Annual meeting of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network [Virtual]. 1st place for student oral presentation.	March 2022	White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal pathogen that has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats by causing them to lose vital fat reserves from repeated arousals during hibernation. Our objective was to determine if tri-colored bat body condition varied by gender, roost type, and WNS status.
Ferrall, E., B. Irwin, K. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. Castleberry. 2022. Variation in tri-colored bat body mass in response to winter hibernaculum roost selection in Georgia, U.S.A. Annual meeting of the GA chapter of The Wildlife Society, Covington, GA. 2nd place student talk.	February 2022	White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal pathogen that has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats by causing them to lose vital fat reserves from repeated arousals during hibernation. Our objective was to determine if tri-colored bat body condition varied by gender, roost type, and WNS status.
Ferrall, E., B. Irwin, K. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. Castleberry. 2022. Variation in tri-colored bat body condition in response to winter hibernaculum roost selection in Georgia, U.S.A. Warnell Graduate Student Symposium, Athens, GA.	February 2022	White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal pathogen that has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats by causing them to lose vital fat reserves from repeated arousals during hibernation. Our objective was to determine if tri-colored bat body condition varied by gender, roost type, and WNS status.
Ferrall, E. A., B. J. Irwin, K. M. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. B. Castleberry. 2022. Roost Site and White-Nose Syndrome Disease Influences on Tri-colored Bat Body Mass in Georgia, U.S.A. Annual meeting of the North American Society for Bat Research, Austin, TX.	August 2022	White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal pathogen that has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats by causing them to lose vital fat reserves from repeated arousals during hibernation. Our objective was to determine if tri-colored bat body condition varied by gender, roost type, and WNS status.
Ferrall, E. A., B. J. Irwin, K. M. Morris, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and S. B. Castleberry. 2022. Roost Site and White-Nose Syndrome Disease Influences on Tri-colored Bat Body Mass in Georgia, U.S.A. Annual White-nose Syndrome National Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.	June 2022	White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal pathogen that has led to the death of millions of cave-dwelling bats by causing them to lose vital fat reserves from repeated arousals during hibernation. Our objective was to determine if tri-colored bat body condition varied by gender, roost type, and WNS status.
Fauver, R.J., K. Pleskach, G.T. Tomy, N. Nibbelink, J.T. Peterson, A.T. Fisk. The Influence of Environmental Variables on Perfluorinated Chemicals in Riverine Systems. 2008 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Annual Meeting. November 2008, Tampa, FL. Oral presentation.	November 2008
Fauver, R.J., B. Rosenburg, G.T. Tomy, N. Nibbelink, J.T. Peterson, A.T. Fisk. Factors influencing the occurrence and concentrations of organochlorine chemicals in Georgia Rivers. 2008 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Annual Meeting. November 2008, Tampa, FL. Poster presentation.	November 2008
Fauver, R.J., A. T. Fisk, N. Nibbelink, J. T. Peterson, G. Tomy. 2007. Evaluation of the Influence of Land-based Activities on Riverine Delivery of Contaminants to Estuaries. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America 28th Annual Meeting, Milwaukee WI.	November 2007
Fauver, R., A. Fisk, N. Nibbleink, and J.T. Peterson. 2008. The Influence of Land-Use on Contaminants found in Riverine Systems. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Wheeling WV.	March 2008
Fauver, R., A. Fisk, N. Nibbleink, and J.T. Peterson. 2008. The Influence of Land-Use on Contaminants found in Riverine Systems. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Fauver, R., J. Peterson, B. Konwick, G. Tomy, N. Ismail, D. Higginbotham, M. Blount, and A. Fisk. 2007. Perfluorinated Compounds in Georgia Waters: a Preliminary Analysis. Joint Meeting of the South Carolina and Georgia Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Tybee Island, GA.	January 2007
Estimation of hierarchical open and closed population models with MCMC using PyMC EURING 2007 14-20 Jan 2007 Dunedin, NZ	January 2007
Eroh, G. D., R. B. Bringolf, A. C. Camus, J. L. Williams-Woodward, and C. A. Jennings. 2020. Effects of Fungicidal Hydrogen Peroxide Treatments on the Hatching Success of Walleye Eggs and the Growth of Oomycete Pathogens. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Little Rock, AR. Feb. 20-23.	February 2020	Infections of walleye eggs by organisms of the family Saprolegniaceae have been implicated in instances of poor hatching success experienced by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. We tested effectiveness of various hydrogen peroxide treatment regimens on the hatching success of incubating walleye eggs and doucmented that eggs treated with 100 mg/L hydrogen peroxide hatched at a higher percentage (mean = 18.5 ± 3.69) than every other treatment concentration (mean range 0.02 – 4.58; <i>p
Eroh, G. D., R. B. Bringolf, A. C. Camus, J. L. Williams-Woodward, and C. A. Jennings. 2020. Effects of Fungicidal Hydrogen Peroxide Treatments on the Hatching Success of Walleye Eggs and the Growth of Oomycete Pathogens. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA. Jan. 28-30.	January 2020	Infections of walleye eggs by organisms of the family Saprolegniaceae have been implicated in instances of poor hatching success experienced by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. We tested effectiveness of various hydrogen peroxide treatment regimens on the hatching success of incubating walleye eggs and doucmented that eggs treated with 100 mg/L hydrogen peroxide hatched at a higher percentage (mean = 18.5 ± 3.69) than every other treatment concentration (mean range 0.02 – 4.58; <i>p
Eroh, G. D., R. B. Bringolf, A. C. Camus, J. L. Williams-Woodward, and C. A. Jennings. 2020. Effects of Fungicidal Hydrogen Peroxide Treatments on the Hatching Success of Walleye Eggs and the Growth of Oomycete Pathogens. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Columbus, OH. August 30- Sept. 3.	September 2020	Infections of walleye eggs by organisms of the family Saprolegniaceae have been implicated in instances of poor hatching success experienced by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. We tested effectiveness of various hydrogen peroxide treatment regimens on the hatching success of incubating walleye eggs and doucmented that eggs treated with 100 mg/L hydrogen peroxide hatched at a higher percentage (mean = 18.5 ± 3.69) than every other treatment concentration (mean range 0.02 – 4.58; <i>p
Eroh, G. D. and C. A. Jennings. 2019. Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment on Hatching Success on Walleye Eggs Infected with Saprolegnia spp. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Cordele, GA. Feb. 5 - 7.	February 2019	Saprolegnia infections is suspected of causing wholesale losses of year classes in GA Dept of Natural Resources walleye culture program. This work evaluated the efficacy of various concentrations and exposure frequency of hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant for controlling fungal infections and increasing the hatching success of cultured walleye eggs.
Ely, P.C., and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Seasonal Movements of Adult Robust Redhorse Stocked in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Perry, Georgia. January 26.	January 2010
Ely, P.C., and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Seasonal Movements and Habitat Use of Adult Robust Redhorse Stocked in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Asheville, North Carolina. February 25-28.	February 2010
Ely, P.C. and C.A. Jennings. Size Structure and Spawning Location of Robust Redhorse Stocked in the Ogeechee River, Georgia. Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Macon, Georgia. February 7–9, 2012.	February 2012
Ellis-Felege, Susan N., Michael J. Conroy, John P. Carroll, William Palmer, D. Clay Sisson. Shifts in Nest Predation Risk on Northern Bobwhites as a result of Meso-mammalian Predator Removal in the Southeastern, U.S. IUGB, Uppsala, August 13-18 August	August 2007
Elkins, D., G. Jacobs, S. Wenger, B. Irwin, and C. Jennings. 2019. Using existing datasets to investigate the effects of BMP compliance on the presence or persistence of at-risk aquatics. Joint Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, Reno, NV.	September 2019	The southeastern United States is a global hotspot for temperate aquatic biodiversity, yet this biodiversity is significantly imperiled in many areas. Researchers in the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit and the University of Georgia River Basin Center have recently embarked on a spatial analysis and modelling effort to assess the effects of forestry BMP implementation on the presence and persistence of at-risk aquatic species in the Southeast.
Dycus, J.C., J. T. Peterson, and R. Bringolf. 2010. An evaluation of the influence of stream flows on freshwater mussel growth. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Feb. 25-28. Asheville, NC.	January 2010
Dycus, J.C., J. T. Peterson, and R. Bringolf. 2010. An evaluation of the influence of stream flows on freshwater mussel growth. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, GA.	January 2010
Dycus, J.C. and J.T. Peterson. 2011. Annuli verification and comparison of growth-measurement techniques for Villosa vibex and Villosa lienosa, in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. February 2-3, Perry GA.	February 2011
Dunn, D. L., C. T. Moore, E. G. King, N. P. Nibbelink, and H. R. Morris. 2022. Engaging stakeholders in structured decision making for maritime live oak forest restoration. Oral presentation at Integrative Conservation Conference, 3-5 February 2022, Athens, GA.	February 2022	This application of structured decision-making addresses management needs in a poorly understood forest ecosystem. Synthesizing expert knowledge, available empirical data, uncertainty, and constraints provides managers with a formal framework for restoration and adaptive management decisions.
Dunn, D. L., C. T. Moore, E. G. King, N. P. Nibbelink, and H. R. Morris. 2021. Structured decision making for Maritime Live Oak forest restoration. Oral presentation at Society for Ecological Restoration Conference, 21-24 June 2021, [Online]	June 2021	This application of structured decision-making addresses management needs in a poorly understood forest ecosystem. Synthesizing expert knowledge, available empirical data, uncertainty, and constraints provides managers with a formal framework for restoration and adaptive management decisions.
Dunn, D. L., C. T. Moore, E. G. King, N. P. Nibbelink, and H. R. Morris. 2020. Developing a decision-support tool for management alternatives to restore and conserve maritime live oak forests. Oral presentation at the Ecological Society of America Conference, 2-7 August 2020, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.	August 2020	Maritime live oak forests face various stressors that reduce the recruitment of young trees into the canopy. Despite uncertainties about population dynamics of the forest, managers recognize that active programs of planting and protection of seedlings may be required to restore and sustain forests.
Dunn, D. L., C. T. Moore, E. G. King, N. P. Nibbelink, and H. R. Morris. 2019. Developing a decision-support tool for management alternatives to restore and conserve maritime live oak forests. Oral presentation at Coastal & Estuarine Research Foundation Conference, 3-7 November 2019, Mobile, AL, USA.	November 2019	Maritime live oak forests face various stressors that reduce the recruitment of young trees into the canopy. Despite uncertainties about population dynamics of the forest, managers recognize that active programs of planting and protection of seedlings may be required to restore and sustain forests.
Dumoulin, C., K. Alexander, M. Sanchez Garces, D. Engel, K. Kowalski, and C. Moore. 2018. Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF): Citizen science and decision support for the Great Lakes basin. Presentation at the North American Congress for Conservation Biology, 21-26 July 2018, Toronto, ON, CANADA.	July 2018	We present an overview of an adaptive, citizen-science based program for the management of invasive Phragmites in the Great Lakes watershed, and we present results of an expert elicitation exercise that yielded the initial parameterization of the predictive model that underlies the framework.
Dumoulin, C., K. Alexander, M. S. Garces, D. Engel, K. Kowalski, and C. T. Moore. 2018. The Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF): Decision support meets citizen science. The Wildlife Society 25th Annual Conference, 7-11 October 2018, Cleveland, OH.	October 2018	We present an overview of an adaptive, citizen-science based program for the management of invasive Phragmites in the Great Lakes watershed. The modeling that supports the initiative is described, including the analytical scheme for learning as actions are taken and responses are observed.
Dumoulin, C. E., S. Tank, T. R. Tucker, T. Gruninger, K. Ferran, C. T. Moore, and K. P. Kowalski. 2021. Reproducible quality control of multi-input, participant-reported Phragmites management data. Oral presentation at 64th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research (IAGLR21, Virtual), 17-21 May 2021.	May 2021	Overview of processes and validity checks built in to reduce data errors in the multi-participant Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework.
Dumoulin, C. E., L. Hunt, C. T. Moore, N. Pavlovic, R. Grundel, and P. Esselman. 2022. Supporting decisions to protect forest connectivity into an uncertain future in the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion (USA). Oral presentation at North American Congress for Conservation Biology, 16-21 July 2022, Reno, NV, USA.	July 2022	This work estimates shifts in forest habitat connectivity for species with different movement traits under uncertain climate futures.
Dula, B., A. Kaeser, C. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2020. Changes to Gulf Sturgeon Recruitment, Mortality, and Behavior following Hurricane Michael in the Apalachicola River, Florida. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Little Rock, AR. Feb. 20-23.	February 2020	Using a combination of mark-recapture and acoustic telemetry data, we estimated juvenile abundance and examined adult sturgeon movements in the Apalachicola and Brothers rivers during and after the hurricane. Preliminary findings suggest that frequent hurricanes may cause dramatic increases in the annual mortality of adult Gulf Sturgeon and eventually threaten their populations’ future stability.
Dula, B., A. Kaeser, C. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2020. Changes to Gulf Sturgeon Recruitment, Mortality, and Behavior following Hurricane Michael in the Apalachicola River, Florida. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA. Jan. 28-30.	January 2020	Using a combination of mark-recapture and acoustic telemetry data, we estimated juvenile abundance and examined adult sturgeon movements in the Apalachicola and Brothers rivers during and after the hurricane. Preliminary findings suggest that frequent hurricanes may cause dramatic increases in the annual mortality of adult Gulf Sturgeon and eventually threaten their populations’ future stability.
Dixon, C., V. Fields, C. Moore, J. Gannon, T. Shaffer, T. Grant, S. Vacek, P. Drobney, J. Zorn, and B. Flanders-Wanner. 2015. An adaptive management framework for managing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prairies in the Northern Great Plains. America's Grasslands: Partnerships for Grassland Conservation, 29 Sep-1 Oct 2015, Ft. Collins, CO.	September 2015	The Native Prairie Adaptive Management program is a new way of doing business and implementing science-based management in a structured way on USFWS-owned lands. By combining efforts toward a common objective, the Service hopes to accelerate the restoration of native prairies under refuge management.
Dixon, C., K. Askerooth, J. Gannon, C. Moore, T. Shaffer, P. Drobney, V. Fields, T. Frerichs, T. Grant, S. Vacek, and J. Zorn. 2017. An adaptive approach to managing introduced cool-season grasses in the northern Great Plains: Local and landscape scale perspectives. Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management, 29 Jan-2 Feb 2017, St. George, UT.	January 2017	An overview of the NPAM program from perspectives of the end user and the program coordinator.
Dixon, C., J. Gannon, C. Moore, and T. Shaffer. 2019. Applying native prairie lessons to prairie reconstructions. Society for Range Management Annual Meeting, 10-14 February 2019, Minneapolis, MN.	February 2019	Lessons learned from an ongoing program of adaptive management of native prairies can be applied to prairie reconstruction projects.
Dilts, E.W., C.A. Jennings, and J.L. Shelton. May 2000. Effects of fine sediments on the survival and growth of larval robust redhorse, Moxostoma robustum. International Conference on the Ethology, Ecology, and Evolutionary Ecology of Fishes. Athens, GA	May 2000
Development of black duck adaptive harvest management. Presentation to Adaptive harvest management task force. Denver, CO 14 January 2004.	January 2004
Development of a strategy for adaptive harvest management ofAmerican Black Ducks. CHRISTOPHER J. FONNESBECK, MICHAEL J. CONROY and NATHAN L. ZIMPFERNorth American Ornithological Conference 2002, New Orleans, LA 24-28September 2002	September 2002
Deroba, J. J., S. Gaichas, M. Lee, R. Gallant Feeney, D. Boelke, and B. Irwin. 2018. Getting on the same page, or at least in the same library: Lessons in communication from a stakeholder-driven Management Strategy Evaluation for Northeast US Atlantic herring. Sixth National Meeting of the Scientific Coordination Subcommittee of the Council Coordination Committee, San Diego, CA [poster]	January 2018	An MSE was recently conducted to evaluate harvest control rules for Atlantic herring, possibly the first in the US to use open, public workshops for development. Conducting stakeholder driven MSEs requires investment in organizers, facilitators, and technical experts, preferably with expertise in a particular system.
Deroba, J. J., S. Gaichas, M. Lee, R. G. Feeney, D. Boelke, and B. Irwin. 2017. Getting on the same page, or at least in the same library: lessons in communication from a stakeholder driven MSE for Northeast US Atlantic herring. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Tampa, FL.	August 2017	We describe a management strategy evaluation for Atlantic Herring, which may be the first in the US to use open, public workshops for development. We completed two 2-day workshops that had participants with diverse backgrounds.
Dennerline, D.E., C.A. Jennings, and D. Degan. 2010. Evaluating relationships between hydroacoustic derived density and gillnet catch: Implications for Reservoir Fish Assessments. Fisheries Sampling with Active Methods Conference in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, September 8-11, 2010.	September 2010	Acoustics and gillnets
Dennerline, D.E. and C.A. Jennings. 2019. Safety through the eyes of a supervisor, your new lens. Annual Meeting, Southern Division, American Fisheries Society, Galveston, Texas, 24-27 January 2019.	January 2019	This talk is part of a symposium designed to provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of mid-level supervisory managers to facilitate a smooth transition for those moving from mid-career biologist to a supervisory biologist position. This talk will specifically cover a new supervisors changing roles and responsibilities with respect to an organizations overall safety program.
Dennerline, D., J. Peterson and D. Degan. 2007. Looking Both Ways at the Crosswalk. Joint Meeting of the South Carolina and Georgia Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Tybee Island, GA.	January 2007
Dennerline, D., J. Peterson and D. Degan. 2007. Looking Both Ways at the Crosswalk. American Fisheries Society, 4th International Reservoir Symposium: Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems. Atlanta, GA., 6-9 June 2007.	June 2007
Dennerline, D., C. Jennings, and D. Degan. 2009. Questions regarding the utility of gillnet catch as an index of abundance in reservoir fisheries assessments. 139th Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society. Nashville, Tennessee, 31 August - 03 September, 2009	September 2009
Dennerline, D., C. Jennings and D. Degan. 2009. Questions Regarding the Utility of Gillnet Catch as an Index of Abundance in Reservoir Fisheries Assessments. Annual Meeeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, Georgia, 27-28 January 2009.	January 2009
Dennerline, D. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2016. Evaluation of mean rank shift for discerning changes in reservoir fish assemblages. Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society, Kansas City, Missouri, 21-25 August 2016.	August 2016	We evaluated Mean Rank Shift (MRS) as a way to assess perturbation related changes in reservoir fish assemblages. Though the original MRS formulation was insensitive for detecting directional changes over time, our modified version showed promise for detecting changes like those simulated.
Dennerline, D. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2016. Evaluation of mean rank shift for discerning changes in reservoir fish assemblages. Joint Meeting of the Georgia and Alabama Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Columbus, Georgia, 9-11 February 2016.	February 2016	We evaluated Mean Rank Shift (MRS) as a way to assess perturbation related changes in reservoir fish assemblages. Though the original MRS formulation was insensitive for detecting directional changes over time, our modified version showed promise for detecting changes like those simulated.
Dennerline, D. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2014. Evaluating reservoir fish assemblages: how much sampling is enough? 2014 Annual Meeting, Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Charleston, South Carolina, 22-26 January 2014.	January 2014	This research evaluated the efficacy of different sampling regimes for assessing changes in reservoir fish communities over time. Results suggest that for long term research and monitoring studies, annual effort expended to document community structure likely can be reduced or redirected to address other research questions to resolve key uncertainties in drivers of community change.
DeBruyne, R. L., L. G. Rudstam, J. Coleman, J. R. Jackson, A. J. VanDeValk, M. Richmond, B. J. Irwin, and T. L. DeVault. 2012. Results from a whole lake experiment: response of walleye and yellow perch populations to cormorant management in Oneida Lake, NY. 142nd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Minneapolis – St. Paul, MN.	August 2012
Dawson, H.A. Irwin, B. Wagner, C.M., Johnson, N., Jones, M. Investigating the performance of pheromone-baited trapping techniques using a Management Strategy Evaluation Model. Oral presentation to the Sea Lamprey Trapping Task Force, February 2013, Ann Arbor, MI	February 2013	Presenting possibilities for a model-based evaluation of pheromone-based control efforts for sea lamprey.
Dawson, H., M. Jones, B. Irwin, N. S. Johnson, M. Wagner, and M. Szymanski. 2017. Management strategy evaluation of a new control tactic to manage an invasive fish. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research, Montréal, Québec, Canada.	January 2017	We applied a management strategy evaluation model to examine the potential cost effectiveness of a new control tactic to manage invasive sea lamprey. Four pheromone-baited trapping strategies were modeled, and results indicate that combining lampricides and high efficacy trapping technologies could reduce sea lamprey abundance without increasing control costs.
Dawson, H. A., M. L. Jones, B. Irwin, N. S. Johnson, C. M. Wagner, and M. Szymanski. 2014. A model evaluation of the effectiveness of incorporating pheromone-baited trapping techniques into an integrated pest management program of Great Lakes sea lamprey. Annual meeting of the American Fishery Society, Québec City, Québec, Canada.	August 2014	We evaluated pheromone-enhanced trapping methods as either baiting existing barrier-integrated traps (standard trapping) or combining standard trapping with additional baited traps meant to intercept sea lampreys moving away from existing traps (reverse-intercept trapping).
Daly, J. A., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, and T. D. Tuberville. 2017. Survival estimates and mortality risk factors for indoor head-started, outdoor head-started, and directly released juvenile desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in the eastern Mojave Desert. Desert Tortoise Council Symposium, 24-26 February 2017, Las Vegas, NV.	February 2017	Head-starting is a technique used in species reintroduction efforts where young animals to be released are first maintained in a protected environment for a short period to allow them to gain body size and avoid predators. This study compares survival and mortality risk factors among three treatment groups of Mojave desert tortoises scheduled for release: a novel indoor head-starting approach, conventional outdoor head-starting, and a direct release control.
Daly, J. A., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, M. M. Kerr, and T. D. Tuberville. 2016. Evaluating indoor-rearing as a component of head-starting the Mojave Desert tortoise: methods and preliminary results. 41st Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Desert Tortoise Council, 19-21 Feb 2016, Las Vegas, NV.	February 2016	We present preliminary results of a study to determine whether the acceleration of growth in hatchlings by over-winter rearing in indoor pens affects survivorship and habitat use post-release. Accelerated head-starting may hold promise as a reintroduction strategy for threatened tortoises.
Daly, J. A., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, C. T. Moore, J. M. Peaden, M. M. Kern, and T. D. Tuberville. 2016. Comparing neonate survivorship and growth of Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) under 3 head-start treatments. The Wildlife Society 23rd Annual Conference, 15-19 October 2016, Raleigh, NC.	October 2016	Head-starting is a technique used in species reintroduction efforts where young animals to be released are first maintained in a protected environment for a short period to allow them to gain body size and avoid predators. This study compares growth and survival among three treatment groups of Mojave desert tortoises scheduled for release: a novel indoor head-starting approach, conventional outdoor head-starting, and a direct release control.
Daley, J., and B. Irwin. 2022. Relative Abundance of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Georgia Reservoirs with Low or High Catches of Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus). Annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Jekyll Island, GA.	February 2022	The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has routinely sampled fish communities within the state’s reservoir system using electrofishing over the past 30 years. The objective of this study is to examine relative abundance of Largemouth Bass populations relative to the establishment of Spotted Bass (<i>Micropterus punctulatus</i>) in selected reservoirs.
Daley, J., and B. Irwin. 2022. An analysis of monitoring data for Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides): comparing Georgia reservoirs with low and high catches of Micropterus spp. USGS South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Coordinating Committee Meeting. Clyde V. Madren Conference Center, Clemson, SC. (27 Sept).	September 2022	Long-term monitoring is critical when looking at sportfish populations. Largemouth Bass are a highly desired sport fish in the state of Georgia, where Largemouth Bass fisheries may be under threat by Spotted Bass, Alabama Bass, and their hybrids. We examine size and catch data of Largemouth Bass, provided by the GADNR, to compare reservoirs with low or high catches of Alabama Bass and Spotted Bass.
Daley, J., and B. Irwin. 2022. An analysis of monitoring data for Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides): comparing Georgia reservoirs with low and high catches of Micropterus spp. SC DNR and Clemson University Annual Cooperators Meeting. Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. Clyde V. Madren Conference Center, Clemson, SC. (28 Sept).	September 2022	Long-term monitoring is critical when looking at sportfish populations. Largemouth Bass are a highly desired sport fish in the state of Georgia, where Largemouth Bass fisheries may be under threat by Spotted Bass, Alabama Bass, and their hybrids. We examine size and catch data of Largemouth Bass, provided by the GADNR, to compare reservoirs with low or high catches of Alabama Bass and Spotted Bass.
Daley, J., B. Irwin, T. Vidal, and D. Eyitayo. 2021. Analysis of size structure of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Georgia reservoirs with and without Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus). Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore, MD.	November 2021	The Georgia Department of the Natural Resources has monitored the state’s reservoir system using electrofishing. Data from these sampling events have recently been collated, providing detailed individual fish size information spanning multiple reservoirs for approximately 40 years. The objective of this study is to examine spatial and temporal variability in the size structure of these important sportfish populations.
Daley, J. and B. Irwin. 2022. Analysis of size and body condition of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Georgia reservoirs with and without Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus). Annual meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Charleston, SC.	January 2022	The Georgia Department of the Natural Resources has monitored the state’s reservoir system using electrofishing. Data from these sampling events have recently been collated, providing detailed individual fish size information spanning multiple reservoirs for approximately 40 years. The objective of this study is to examine spatial and temporal variability in the size structure of these important sportfish populations.
DaSilva, A., K. P. Kowalski, D. M. Haak, C. T. Moore, and W. Bickford. 2016. Developing the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF). Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference, 16-19 October 2016, La Crosse, WI.	October 2016	Substantial resources are invested to counter the spread of invasive non-native <i>Phragmites australis</i> throughout the Great Lakes basin. We present an effort by the Great Lakes <i>Phragmites</i> Collaborative to develop an adaptive management framework that provides guidance for managers while leveraging collective learning and reducing uncertainty about the plant's response to management.
Cull, R. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Instaneous growth and mortality estimates of age-0 carpsuckers Carpoides spp. in the Oconee River, GA. Spring Meeting - Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Feb. 9-12, 2006. San Antonio, TX.	February 2006
Cull, R. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Instaneous growth and mortality estimates of age-0 carpsuckers Carpoides spp. in the Oconee River, GA. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Sept. 10-14, 2006	September 2006
Cull, R. E. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Instaneous growth and mortality estimates for Age 0 caprsuckers in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Jan. 24-26, 2006. Gainesville, GA	January 2006
Crownhart, A. K., R. B. Bringolf, J. T. Peterson, and J. Wisniewski. 2010. Development of a non-lethal approach for assessing stress in freshwater mussels. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Perry, GA.	January 2010
Crawford, T. G., and C. T. Moore. 2014. Toward an integrated population model for support of American alligator harvest decision making. 68th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 19-22 October 2014, Destin, FL.	October 2014	A prototype biological model for a structured approach to decision making for statewide alligator harvest is presented. The work will demonstrate how information from research and monitoring are integrated into a model valid for decision inference.
Crawford, T. G., and C. T. Moore. 2014. Statewide adaptive management of public alligator harvests using structured decision making and integrated population modeling. 23rd Working Meeting of the IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, 26-30 May 2014, Lake Charles, LA.	May 2014	Draft elements of a structured approach to decision making for statewide alligator harvest are presented. The work will provide a prototype for managing wildlife populations under uncertainty about population status and biological response to harvest.
Crawford, T. G., and C. T. Moore. 2013. Population modeling and development of decision support tools for public alligator harvest. Georgia Chapter of The Wildlife Society. 5-6 September 2013, Athens, GA.	September 2013
Crawford, T. G., C. T. Moore, G. Balkcom, A. M. Brunell, T. Brunjes, J. Butfiloski, C. Carter, H. Dutton, N. Heynen, C. Nix, R. Tharp, G. Waters, and A. Woodward. 2015. Agency approaches to management of public alligator harvest programs in the species' eastern range. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 1-4 November 2015, Asheville, NC.	November 2015	Comparison of agency approaches to alligator harvesting is useful for understanding the contexts in which the agencies operate and how the agencies implement precautionary management under high uncertainty.
Crawford, T. G., B. Crawford, C. T. Moore, and N. Heynen. 2016. Structured decision making as a process catalyst for integrative thinking and collaboration. The Wildlife Society 23rd Annual Conference, 15-19 October 2016, Raleigh, NC.	October 2016	Research on structured decision making has focused on the technical dimensions of the process. We look at the role of structured decision making as a means of building social capital and producing collective action for creating public value.
Crawford, B.A., J.C. Maerz, C.T. Moore, N. Heynen & T. Norton. 2017. Road management for a declining species: Integrating multiple objectives through structured decision making. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Austin, TX. 13-16 July 2017.	July 2017	Roads represent valuable infrastructure important to people’s daily lives and local economies but also a wicked problem posing direct and indirect threats to nearby wildlife populations. We developed a decision support framework to predict the effects of 20 alternative management strategies on five objective outcomes, including terrapin persistence and Jekyll Island patron satisfaction.
Crawford, B.A., J.C. Maerz, C.T. Moore, D.T. Jones-Farrand & M. Harris. 2017. [Poster] The Longleaf ARC Project: Accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Southeastern Partners of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Little Rock, AR, 16-19 February 2017.	February 2017	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B.A., J.C. Maerz, C.T. Moore, D.T. Jones-Farrand & M. Harris. 2017. [Poster] The Longleaf ARC Project: Accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, Palatka, FL, 13-15 January 2017.	January 2017	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B.A., J.C. Maerz, C.T. Moore, D.T. Jones-Farrand & M. Harris. 2017. Workshop 1: The Longleaf ARC Project: At-risk amphibian and reptile conservation in the longleaf system. Southeastern Partners of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Little Rock, AR, 16-19 February 2017.	February 2017	We conducted a workshop with state and federal partners working in the Southeast to align project objectives, review and discuss species data sources collected for the project, brainstorm landscape attributes that are associated with species presence, and conduct expert elicitation exercises to inform species status models.
Crawford, B.A., J.C. Maerz, C.T. Moore, D.T. Jones-Farrand & M. Harris. 2017. The Longleaf ARC Project: Accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. 14th Annual Stewardship Partners Meeting, Longleaf Partnership Council, Montgomery, AL, 4-5 April 2017.	April 2017	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B.A., J.C. Maerz, C.T. Moore, D.T. Jones-Farrand & M. Harris. 2016. The Longleaf ARC Project introductory webinar: At-Risk species Conservation in the longleaf system. Introductory webinar for partners, 4 October 2016.	October 2016	We conducted a webinar for state and federal researchers and managers working in the Southeast to give background on the project's scope and goals, address any questions, and recruit partners for future collaboration.
Crawford, B., J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2021. Structured decision making: A strategy for collaboration and conservation of imperiled herpetofauna. Invited presentation, U.S. Geological Survey, Ecosystems Mission Area Webinar Series, 7 May 2021, webinar, https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/webinar-series-fridays-findings	May 2021	We co-developed a conservation planning framework with federal, State, and other partners to inform decisions to recover an at-risk species - the gopher frog. Our results can aid partners in making strategic management decisions at focal sites as well as across regions, states, and the species' range.
Crawford, B., J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2021. Structured decision making: A strategy for collaboration and conservation of imperiled herpetofauna. Invited presentation, Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, Science Seminars series, 16 February 2021, webinar. https://secasc.ncsu.edu/resources/videos/	February 2021	We co-developed a conservation planning framework with federal, State, and other partners to inform decisions to recover an at-risk species - the gopher frog. Our results can aid partners in making strategic management decisions at focal sites as well as across regions, states, and the species' range.
Crawford, B., J. C. Maerz, C. T. Moore, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2018. The Longleaf ARC project: accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Presentation at 2018 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 22-25 February 2018, Helen, GA.	February 2018	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B., J. C. Maerz, C. T. Moore, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2018. Range-wide status modeling to accelerate conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 21-24 October 2018, Mobile, AL.	October 2018	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B., C. Moore, J. Maerz, M. Harris, and T. Jones-Farrand. 2017. The Longleaf ARC Project: Accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. 2017 Wildlife Research Meeting, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, 8 August 2017, Mansfield, GA.	August 2017	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B., C. Moore, J. Maerz, M. Harris, T. Jones-Farrand. 2018. The Longleaf ARC Project: Accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Webinar presented to the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, 21 June 2018.	June 2018	We conducted a webinar as part of the web forum series of the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative. This session provided an update on draft models developed and project progress.
Crawford, B. A., J. C. Maerz, N. Heynen, T. M. Norton, and C. T. Moore. 2018. Structured decision-making for road management: allowing disciplines and turtles to cross. Integrative Conservation Conference, 20-22 September 2018, Athens, GA.	September 2018	We describe the co-development of a multi-objective structured decision making framework with local stakeholders to identify road management decisions using the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) as a focal species and the Jekyll Island Causeway (Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA) as a model system.
Crawford, B. A., J. C. Maerz, N. Heynen, T. M. Norton, and C. T. Moore. 2017. Road management for a declining species: integrating multiple objectives through structured decision making. The Wildlife Society 24th Annual Conference, 23-27 September 2017, Albuquerque, NM.	September 2017	We describe the co-development of a multi-objective structured decision making framework with local stakeholders to identify road management decisions using the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) as a focal species and the Jekyll Island Causeway (Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA) as a model system.
Crawford, B. A., J. C. Maerz, C. T. Moore, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2019. Estimating extinction risk for the southern hognose snake to inform listing decisions under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. 2019 Annual Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Meeting, 14-17 February 2019, Black Mountain, NC.	February 2019	We used a comprehensive dataset of occurrences to estimate persistence of 205 populations of southern hognose snake across the species' range under current conditions and future scenarios representing management, sea level rise, and urbanization. Estimated persistence varied considerably by population but was positively influenced by habitat suitability and proportion of protected area and was negatively related to time since last observation. These results will help decision makers characteriz
Crawford, B. A., C. T. Moore, J. C. Maerz, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2020. Using experts and models to accelerate conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf pine system. Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability Steering Committee Meeting, 4 March 2020, Atlanta, GA.	March 2020	By using expert judgment and novel modeling approaches, we have addressed the challenges of limited data and large spatial scales inherent in conservation decision making for at-risk species. Focusing on herpetofauna species in the longleaf pine system in the Southeast, we highlight efforts using 1) expert input to improve habitat suitability models, 2) citizen science data to estimate southern hognose snake persistence under current and future conditions, and 3) structured decision making to g
Crawford, B. A., C. T. Moore, J. C. Maerz, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2019. Using experts and models to accelerate conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf pine system. Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center Regional Science Symposium, 13-15 November 2019, New Orleans, LA.	November 2019	By using expert judgment and novel modeling approaches, we have addressed the challenges of limited data and large spatial scales inherent in conservation decision making for at-risk species. Focusing on herpetofauna species in the longleaf pine system in the Southeast, we highlight efforts using 1) expert input to improve habitat suitability models, 2) citizen science data to estimate southern hognose snake persistence under current and future conditions, and 3) structured decision making to g
Crawford, B. A., C. T. Moore, J. C. Maerz, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2019. Range-wide status modeling to accelerate conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Striped Newt Working Group Meeting, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 6 February 2019, Orlando, FL.	February 2019	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B. A., C. T. Moore, J. C. Maerz, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2018. The Longleaf ARC project: accelerating conservation of at-risk species in the longleaf system. Presentation at Alabama Gopher Frog Working Group annual meeting, 28 November 2018, Kinston, AL.	November 2018	The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecological system supports many priority at-risk species designated for review, including five species of herpetofauna: the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), gopher frog (Lithobates capito), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus). With federal, state, and other partners, we will assess the statuses of these five at-risk species to inform where and how to
Crawford, B. A., C. T. Moore, J. C. Maerz, D. T. Jones-Farrand, and M. Harris. 2017. Preliminary range-wide status modeling to accelerate conservation of the gopher tortoise. Poster; 39th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 13-15 October 2017, Edgefield, SC.	October 2017	We are synthesizing data, developing models of species distribution and persistence, and predicting viability in an effort to inform gopher tortoise conservation across the range. We present our approach and progress on this effort, with emphasis on the development of a prototype range-wide species distribution model.
Craven, S.C., Peterson, J.T., Freeman, M.C. 2007. An Evaluation of the Influence of Fish Life History Characteristics and Flow Regime on the Recruitment of Young-Of-Year Fishes in Regulated Rivers in the Southeast. Joint Meeting of the South Carolina and Georgia Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Tybee Island, GA.	January 2007
Craven, S.C., Peterson, J.T., Freeman, M.C. 2007. An Evaluation of the Influence of Fish Life History Characteristics and Flow Regime on the Recruitment of Young-Of-Year Fishes in Regulated Rivers in the Southeast. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis TN.	February 2007
Craven, S.C. and J.T. Peterson. 2008. Modeling the Effect of Thermal and Hydrologic Alteration on Native Fish Communities in the Upper Chattahoochee River.Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Cooper, R. J., R. S. Mordecai, B. G. Mattsson, M. J. Conroy, K. Pacifici, J. T. Peterson, and C. T. Moore. 2008. Design for a region-wide adaptive search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker with the objective of estimating occupancy and related parameters. Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference, 13-16 February 2008, McAllen, TX.	February 2008	We describe a survey design and field protocol for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) search effort that will: (1) allow estimation of occupancy, use, and detection probability for habitats at two spatial scales within the bird's former range, (2) assess relationships between occupancy, use, and habitat characteristics at those scales, (3) eventually allow the development of a population viability model that depends on patch occupancy instead of difficult-to-measure demograp
Cook K, Conroy MJ, McDonald S, Bewsher J. Black bear habitat models for central Georgia (USA): Incorporating uncertainty in identification of potential habitat 16th International Conference on Bear Research and Management September 27 - October 1, 2005, Riva del Garda, Italy	September 2005
Conroy, Michael J., Christopher J. Fonnesbeck, Nathan L. Zimpfer. 2004. Toward an adaptive approach to an international harvest strategy for American black ducks.	September 2004
Conroy, Michael J., Christopher J. Fonnesbeck, Nathan L. Zimpfer, Fred A. Johnson, Paul M. Castelli, Eric T. Reed, Jerome R. Serie, Myrtle Batemen, Daniel Bordage, J. Bruce Pollard, Ken Ross, And David J. Case. Toward an adaptive approach to an international harvest strategy for American black ducks.	September 2004
Conroy, Michael J. Christopher J. Fonnesbeck, Kiersten L.Cook, Jay D. Howell, James T. Peterson, And John P. Carroll. 2005. Cross-scale, integrated modeling and prediction using hierarchical modeling and MCMC. Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA GATWS 90th ESA Annual Meeting (Joint with Intecol) 7-12 Aug 2005, Montreal	August 2005
Conroy, MJ. Integrated models for adaptive harvest management of American black ducks. Black duck joint venture adaptive harvest management working group. Cape May, NJ	November 2007
Conroy, MJ. Integraci�n de monitoreo y la toma de decisiones en conservaci�n usando manejo adaptativo de recursos (ARM). Presentaci�n al Instituto Nacional Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Castelar, Argentina. 25 agosto 2008.	August 2008
Conroy, MJ. Challenges in dynamic optimization in natural resource management. 1st international conference on Computational Sustainablity. Cornell Univ, Ithaca, NY 8-12 June 2009.	June 2009
Conroy, MJ, JP Runge, RJ Barker, M Schofield, and CJ Fonnesbeck. Estimation of abundance for patchily distributed populations via 2-stage, adaptive sampling.International statistical ecology conference, St. Andrews, Scotland	July 2008
Conroy, MJ, JC Senar. INTEGRATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSES AND DECISION MODELING IN SUPPORT OF MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE PARAKEETS, AN URBAN AND AGRICULTURAL PEST. EURING 2007 14-20 Jan 2007 Dunedin, NZ	January 2007
Conroy, MJ . Integrated state-space models for American black ducks. Adaptive management conference series. St. Petersburg, FL	January 2008
Conroy, M.J., J.C. Senar and J. Domenech. 2000. Analysis of individual and time-specific covariate effects on survival of Serinus serinus in northeastern Spain. EURING 2000. Pt. Reyes, CA.	October 2000
Conroy, M.J., C.J. Fonnesbeck, and N.L. Zimpfer. 2001. Adaptive harvest strategy for American black ducks. 2nd Annual Meeting, Black Duck Adaptive Harvest Working Group, 11-13 June 2001, Quebec City.	June 2001
Conroy, M.J., C. J. Fonnesbeck and N. L. Zimpfer. 2002. Update on adaptive harvest management of American black ducks. Annual meeting of Black Duck Adaptive Harvest Management Working Group, Avalon, N. J., 11-13 June 2002.	June 2002
Conroy, M.J., C. J. Fonnesbeck and N. L. Zimpfer. 2001. Update on adaptive harvest management of American black ducks. Semi-annual meeting of Black Duck Adaptive Harvest Management Working Group, Quebec City, 16 November 2001.	November 2001
Conroy, M.J., C. J. Fonnesbeck and N. L. Zimpfer. 2001. Update on adaptive harvest management of American black ducks. Report to Black Duck Joint Venture. Quebec City, 15 November 2001.	November 2001
Conroy, M.J. and P. Beier. 2004. Review of published literature on Florida panther conservation. Report to panther recovery team, Tampa, FL.	January 2004
Conroy, M.J. and J.T. Peterson. 2006. Integrating monitoring, research, and management: Leveling the 3 legged stool. Gamebird 2006:A joint Conference of Quail VI and Perdix XII. Athens, GA	February 2006
Conroy, M.J. and J.P. Carroll. 2000. Estimating abundance of Galliformes: tools and application. International Galliformes Conference, 25 September - 1 October , Kathmandu, Nepal. (Poster) .	January 2000
Conroy, M.J. and C. A. Allen. 2001. Landscape changes in the southern Piedmont: the Roles of Spatial Scale and Uncertainty in Landscape-level Decision Making. 19-20 April 2001, Amicolola Falls, Georgia. (workshop co-organizers and presenters).	April 2001
Conroy, M.J. November 1999. Adaptive harvest strategy for American black ducks. Technical Committee, Black Duck Joint Venture. Viamede, Ontario, Canada	January 2000
Conroy, M.J. Modeling and statistics for conservation: a philosophical, pragmatic viewpoint. Conference of the World Pheasant Association, Dehra Dun, India. 4-10 April. 2004.	April 2004
Conroy, M.J. May 2000. Adaptive harvest management for American Black Ducks. Adaptive Harvest Management Working Group. Easton, MD	May 2000
Conroy, M.J. February 2000. Adaptive harvest stragety for American Black Ducks. Atlantic Flyway Technical Section. Kill Devil Hills, NC	February 2000
Conroy, M.J. August 2000. Band-recovery and mark recapture applications. Joint Millennial Meeting of the American ornithologists' Union, British Ornithologists' Union and Society of Canadian Orintholgoists, St John's, Newfoundland.	August 2000
Conroy, M.J. 2001. Adaptive harvest strategy for American black ducks. Presentation to Mississippi Flyway Technical Section.23 July 2001, Cincinnati, OH.	July 2001
Conroy, M.J. 2001. Adaptive harvest strategy for American black ducks. Presentation to Black Duck Joint Venture, Sandusky, OH 16-18 Nov. 2000.	November 2000
Conroy, M.J. 2001. Adaptive harvest strategy for American black ducks. Presentation to Atlantic Flyway Technical Section. 19-21 Feb. 2001, Portsmouth, NH	February 2001
Conroy, M. J., and C. T. Moore. 1999. Incorporating wildlife habitat modeling in an adaptive framework: the role of alternative models. Sponsored conference “Predicting species occurrences: issues of scale and accuracy,” 18-22 October 1999, Snowbird, UT.	October 1999
Conroy, M. J., and C. T. Moore. 1997. Optimization, simulation and adaptation: It matters how we get there from here. In symposium: “How to practice safe modeling: the interpretation and application of models in resource management,” The Wildlife Society Fourth Annual Conference, 21-27 September 1997, Snowmass, CO.	September 1997
Conroy, M. J., C. J. Fonnesbeck, and N. L. Zimpfer. Development of a strategy for adaptive harvest management of American black ducks. 9th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Bismarck, ND. 24-28 September 2002.	September 2002
Conroy, M. J., C. J. Fonnesbeck, and N. L. Zimpfer. Adaptive harvest management for multiple stocks of American black ducks. 10th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Burlington, Vermont 6-10 September 2003.	September 2003
Conroy, M. J. and C. J. Fonnesbeck. Hierarchical modeling and MCMC for solving complex ARM problems. Adaptive management conference. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 24-25 April. 2003	April 2003
Conroy, M. J. Objective functions for adaptive resource management. Workshop on adaptive management for bobwhite quail. Rum Creek, Georgia. 17 June 2003.	June 2003
Conroy, M. J. Modeling in an optimal control framework: modeling and estimation for optimal decision-making. 10th Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society, Burlington, Vermont 6-10 September 2003.	September 2003
Conroy, M. J. Conservation Decision Making: Objectives, Models, Monitoring (I) . State Wildlife Grant Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan Workshop for the Southeast Region. Atlanta, Georgia. 22-23 April 2003	April 2003
Conroy, M. J. Application of capture-recapture to addressing questions in evolutionary ecology. EURING 2007 14-20 Jan 2007 Dunedin, NZ	January 2007
Conroy, M. J. Adaptive harvest management. Adaptive management below dams: development of a decision support model. Auburn, AL. 29 April - 1 May 2003.	April 2003
Conroy, M. J. Adaptive harvest management for American black ducks. Black duck adaptive harvest management working group annual meeting, Avalon, NJ 15-17 November 2003.	November 2003
Conroy, M. J. Adaptive harvest management for American black ducks. Atlantic Flyway Council Tech. Meeting. Jekyll Island, Georgia. 29 Feb -5 March 2004.	March 2004
Conroy, M. J. 2004. Incorporating monitoring data to improve decision-making. Native Fish Species Reintroductions: Risks and Rewards. Georgia DNR Retreat at Lake Blackshear, Georgia. September 27, 2004	September 2004
Conroy , M.J. Paul Beier, Howard Quigley , and Michael R. Vaughan. Flawed scientific inferences about the Florida panther: The importance of sound science in endangered species management. The Wildlife Society, Calgary, Alberta. September 20, 2004.	September 2004
Colin P. Shea, C.P. and J. T. Peterson. 2007. An Evaluation of the Influence of Streamflows and Species Traits on Meta-Demographic Parameters of Stream-Dwelling Fishes. Joint Meeting of the South Carolina and Georgia Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Tybee Island, GA.	January 2007
Colin P. Shea, C.P. and J. T. Peterson. 2007. An Evaluation of the Influence of Streamflows and Species Traits on Meta-Demographic Parameters of Stream-Dwelling Fishes. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis TN.	February 2007
Cline, M. H., R. Chandler, C. T. Moore, J. Giocomo, and J. A. Martin. 2016. Uncertainty and the entanglement of habitat loss and fragmentation effects in the management of northern bobwhite. Eighth National Quail Symposium, 24-29 July 2017, Knoxville, TN.	July 2017	Through the modeling of bobwhite count data, risks to bobwhite populations will be mapped in response to anthropogenic landscape drivers.
Claire S. Teitelbaum, Nicholas M. Masto, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Allison C. Keever, Rebecca L. Poulson, Deborah L. Carter, Abigail G. Blake-Bradshaw, Cory J. Highway, Jamie C. Feddersen, Heath M. Hagy, Richard W. Gerhold, Bradley S. Cohen and Diann J. Prosser. 2024. Effects of highly pathogenic avian influenza infection on movement patterns of wintering and migrating mallards. 78th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Savannah, GA, 9-13 December 2024	December 2024	Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wildlife pose threats to wildlife health and conservation. This talk discusses results from a study of relationships between influenza infection and movement behavior in mallards early in the current influenza outbreak in North America (January 2022).
Cehelsky, B., K.F. Robinson, J. Bence, C. Cahill, A. Honsey. 2024. Evaluating performance of random forest models using a simulation test. Annual Meeting of the Michigan Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. East Lansing, MI.	March 2024	Random forest models are becoming more widely used in fisheries science for understanding the drivers of processes like recruitment. We simulated walleye recruitment and climate data that are representative of Lake Erie to evaluate the random forest model's ability to accurately analyze the study system and produce reliable variable importance outputs.
Carswell, B.L., J.T. Peterson, and C.A. Jennings. 2013. Abundance and diversity of sub-adult fishes in impounded South Carolina marshes: the effects of tidal exchange. GA Chapter - American Fisheries Society. Jekyll Island, GA.	January 2013	This work identified that the lack of tidal exchange in waterfowl impoundments significantly reduced the abundance and diversity of larval and juvenile fishes compared to fish impoundments that had twice daily tidal exchange. This information is useful to impoundment managers who want to promote fish diversity and abundance in impounded coastal marshes.
Carswell, B.C. and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Does water level management of brackish impoundments on the Combahee River affect a resident population of Gulf Pipefish? South Carolina Fisheries Society and South Carolina Fishery Workers Association joint annual meeting. February 9-10. Charleston, SC.	February 2010
Carswell, B.C. and C.A. Jennings. 2010. Does tidal exchange in marsh impoundments affect larval fish assemblages? American Fisheries Society 140th annual meeting, Sept. 12-16. Pittsburgh, PA.	September 2010
Carlton, J. S., and C.A. Jennings. 2004. Identification of larval Moxostoma (Catostomidae) from the Oconee River, Georgia. Warnell School of Forest Resources Graduate Student Symposium, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA. February 27, 2004.	February 2004
Carlton, J. S., and C.A. Jennings. 2003. Identification of Larval Moxostoma (Catostomidae) from the Oconee River, Georgia --- a progress report. Annual Meeting of the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee, McCormick, SC. October 24, 2003.	October 2003
Carlton, J. S. and C. A. Jennings. 2004. Taxonomic descriptions of larval Moxostoma in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Meeting of the Georiga Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. January 27-29. Athens, GA.	January 2004
Candal, C. M., K. A. Buhlmann, B. D. Todd, K. J. Navara, C. T. Moore, P. A. McGovern, N. I. Stacy, and T. D. Tuberville. 2021. The role of physiological stress in head-starting success for Mojave Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). Presentation at Desert Tortoise Council Symposium, 9-25 February 2021 (virtual).	February 2021	We evaluated three treatments of head-starting for desert tortoises released from captivity. In this preliminary assessment of the role of physiological stress in the establishment success of translocated tortoises, we compared first-year survival and movement among the treatment groups.
Camp, E., B. Van Poorten, K.F. Robinson, H. Harrison, V. Nguyen, C. Crandall, K. Lorenzen, W. Casola, M. Dedual, K. Klizentyte. 2023. Synthesis of approaches for integrating diverse stakeholder knowledge in recreational fisheries decision making. Annual Conference of the Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society	May 2023	We describe the ways in which stakeholder knowledge can be integrated into decision making frameworks for recreational fisheries. We then identify how managers might select from among these ways based on their objectives and constraints.
Camp, E., B. Van Poorten, K.F. Robinson, H. Harrison, V. Nguyen, C. Crandall, K. Lorenzen, W. Casola, M. Dedual, K. Klizentyte. 2023. Synthesis of approaches for integrating diverse stakeholder knowledge in recreational fisheries decision making. Annual Conference of the American Fisheries Society, Grand Rapids, MI	August 2023	We describe the ways in which stakeholder knowledge can be integrated into decision making frameworks for recreational fisheries. We then identify how managers might select from among these ways based on their objectives and constraints.
C.A. Jennings, H.J. Roop, and N.C. Poudyal. 2015. Expanding the Roving Survey: Creel Estimates from a Multiple-Impoundment Fishery in Georgia. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Portland, OR. August 16-20.	August 2015	The work provides data on the fishing effort and harvest for a popular fishing destination in middle GA. GA DNR will use this new information to manage the fishery at the location.
Bunch, C., R. Chandler, D. Peterson, A. Kaeser, C. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2020. Side-scan sonar as an effective tool for estimating Atlantic Sturgeon spawning run size. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Little Rock, AK. February 20-23.	February 2020	This work evaluates the effectiveness of side-scan sonar for estimating the run size of Atlantic Sturgeon spawning in the Altamaha River, GA. This work will provide quantitative estimates that will serve as the basis for management plans aimed at preserving the species.
Bryan Nuse, Anna Tucker, John Sweka, Kristen Anstead, Clinton Moore, James Lyons, David Smith, and Conor McGowan, 2022, Updating the adaptive management plan for horseshoe crab harvest and red knot conservation in Delaware Bay. Joint meeting of the American Ornithological Society and Birds Caribbean, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 27 June - 2 July 2022.	June 2022	We present the updates to the Adaptive management plan for Horseshoe Crab Harvest in the Delaware Bay.
Brouwer, M.C., W.J. Bubley, C. Freiss, S.F. Goldman, K. Hendricks, A.R. Lytton, K.F. Robinson, G.R. Sedberry, B. White, D.M. Wyanski, S.P. Yeckley. 2023. Fisheries for Teleosts Associated With Deep-Sea Sponge-Coral Ecosystems on the Blake Plateau Off The Southeastern U.S. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Norfolk, VA.	July 2023	We are presenting the body of research conducted on deep-sea fisheries in the southeastern U.S. The bulk of these species are not currently managed, but their life histories indicate that they could be easily overfished.
Bringolf, R.B., K. Kellock, C.A. Jennings, B. Trushel, and P. Ely. 2012. High rates of intersex in bass from small impoundments. Presented at the 142nd annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society. St. Paul, MN. Aug. 18-23.	August 2012
Bringolf, R.B., K. Kellock, B. Trushel, P. Ely, and C. Jennings. 2012. Intersex fish: Not just in wastewater anymore. Presented at the annual meeting of the Southern Division of American Fisheries Society. Biloxi, MS. Jan. 26-29.	January 2012
Bringolf, R., K. Kellock, and B. Irwin. 2013. Factors associated with intersex bass in the southeastern U.S. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Nashville, TN.	February 2013	Using hierarchical models to evaluate factors associated with intersex bass.
Brenden, T., M. Jones, and B. Irwin. 2014. Re-examination of sea lamprey control policies for the St. Marys River through simulation analysis. Michigan chapter meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Holland, MI.	March 2014	The addition of trapping and sterile male releases will reduce the number of effective reproducing females, but due to overcompensation in the stock-recruit relationship may result in greater production of parasites from the SMR.
Brandon, G., B. Haram, C. Jennings, A. Camus, and S. Wilde. 2016. Incremental stocking and monitoring of triploid grass carp to manage and reduce the risk of Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy at J. Strom Thrumond Reservoir. Georgia Chapter - American Fisheries Society. Columbus, GA. Feb. 9-11.	February 2016	This work is investigation the efficacy of triploid grass carp for managing the abundance and spread of hydrilla, an aquatic plant that supports a bacterium the causes Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy in waterbirds and birds of prey. The results of this work will aid reservoir managers in devising management strategies for dealing with this deadly waterfowl and raptor disease.
Bormann, R., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, L. German, J. Rice, C. Moore, and M. Elliott. 2014. (Poster) Modeling gopher tortoise habitat and habitat connectivity in Georgia, and analyzing the role of private landowners in their conservation. 36th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 17-19 October 2014, Albany, GA.	October 2014	We are developing gopher tortoise habitat distribution models with datasets intended to approximate the gopher tortoise’s key habitat characteristics. Another objective is to understand under what conditions various types of private landowners participate in conservation incentive programs (particularly the WLFW program).
Bormann, R., J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, B. Nuse, C. Moore, and M. Elliott. 2015. (Poster) Modeling gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) distribution in Georgia. 37th Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting, 16-18 October 2015, Covington, LA.	October 2015	Application of 3 modeling approaches to predicting distribution of gopher tortoises in Georgia based on designed surveys of burrow location
Bopp, J., K.F. Robinson, L. Nathan, S. Herbst, T. Brenden, C. Mayer, J. Dettmers. 2023. Re-evaluating an adaptive management framework for invasive grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in Lake Erie. International Association of Great Lakes Research, Toronto, Canada.	May 2023	We describe the double-loop learning process of adaptive management for response actions for invasive grass carp in Lake Erie. Through this process, we updated objectives and alternatives, as well as the population model, to determine which actions should be implemented and which uncertainties should still be reduced (i.e., survival, stock-recruitment).
Bopp, J., K.F. Robinson, J.L. Fischer, L. Nathan, S. Herbst, C.M. Mayer, E. Weimer, J. Dettmers. 2022. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Invasive Grass Carp Response Actions in Lake Erie. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Spokane, WA. August 21–25.	August 2022	This work describes efforts to understand how potential control actions for grass carp in Lake Erie will affect population growth. We also evaluated the expected value of perfect information for reducing uncertainty in particular parameters in our grass carp population model.
Bleau, T., K.F. Robinson, B. Irwin. 2024. Creating a model framework to inform the viability of rocky shiner (Notropis suttkusi). 50^th annual meeting of the Southeastern Fishes Council, Little Rock, AR.	November 2024	We are developing a modeling framework to assist in the Species Status Assessment of Rocky Shiner, which is endemic to Arkansas and Oklahoma. This model will also be useful for other SSAs for small-bodied fishes.
Black,D.D.,E.R. Irwin, and J. Peterson.2002.Development of a rapis bioassessment technique for characterizing streams impacted by acid mine drainage.132nd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society.Baltimore, Maryland.	February 2002
Belcher, C. N. and C. A. Jennings. 2009. Identification and evaluation of sub-adult shark bycatch in Georgia’s commercial trawl fisheries. Spring Meeting, Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. New Orleans, Louisiana. January 15-19.	January 2008
Belcher, C. N. and C. A. Jennings. 2008. Utility of microhabitat features for determining habitat associations of sub-adult sharks in Georgia's estuaries. Annual Meeting of GA Chapter - American Fisheries Society. Jan. 29-31. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Belcher, C. N. and C. A. Jennings. 2008. Use of fishery-independant trawl survey to evaluate distributional patterns of sub-adult sharks in Georgia waters. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter - American Fisheries Society. Jan. 29-31. Eatonton, GA.	January 2008
Belcher, C. N. and C. A. Jennings. 2008. Identification and evaluation of sub-adult shark bycatch in Georgia’s commercial trawl fisheries. Fifth World Fisheries Congress. Yokohama, Japan. October 20-25.	October 2008
Beier, Paul, Michael R. Vaughan, Michael J. Conroy, and Howard Quigley. Deconstructing Flawed Scientific Inferences About The Florida Panther. 1 Aug 2004. 18th Annual Meeting Society for Conservation BiologyJuly 30th to August 2nd, 2004 - New York, New York, USA	August 2004
Bayley,P.B. and J.T. Peterson.2000.When a species is not caught, what is the probability of it being present? 130th meeting of the American Fisheries Society.St Louis, Missouri.	February 2000
Banish, N.P., J.T. Peterson, and R.F. Thurow. 2003. Analysis of movement patterns of stream-dwelling bull trout in response to sampling. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
Banish, N.P., J.T. Peterson, and R.F. Thurow. 2003. Analysis of movement patterns of stream-dwelling bull trout in response to sampling. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Rome.	January 2003
Banish, N.P. and J.T. Peterson. 2003. Diel summer habitat use by bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus in Esatern Cascade Streams. 133rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Quebec City, Quebec.	August 2003
Banish, N.P. and J. Peterson. 2002. Movement of bull trout in response to fish sampling. The Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA.	January 2002
Baker, T.L. and C.A. Jennings. February. 2000. Survival, habitat use, and movement patterns of adult striped bass in Lake Blackshear, GA. Midyear Meeting Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Savannah, GA	February 2000
Baker, T. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2001. Striped bass survival in Lake Blackshear, Georgia during drought conditions: implications for restoration efforts in Gulf Coast drainages. International Symposium of the Role of Droughts in Aquatic Ecosystems . Feb. 12-14. Albury, NSW, Australia	February 2001
Baker, M., J. Carmignani, B. Irwin, A. Roy, C. Rushing, S. Sterrett, B. Swartz, and P. Hazelton. 2024. Contrasting results at newly established long term monitoring sites suggest the potential for differing future sampling strategies. 78th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Augusta, GA.	October 2024	The primary objective of this study was to calculate capture probability and demographic information (abundance, survival) for Brook Floater at two long-term monitoring sites in Maine and three in Massachusetts. A candidate set of Robust Design models was constructed that allow demographic parameters to vary depending on year, sampling occasion, and individual shell length.
Baker, M., J. Carmignani, B. Irwin, A. Roy, C. Rushing, S. Sterrett, B. Swartz, and P. Hazelton. 2024. An application of capture-recapture methods for long term monitoring if freshwater mussel populations. Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 13-15 February 2024, LaGrange, GA.	February 2024	The primary objective of this study was to provide demographic information including abundance, survival, and capture probability for Brook Floater at two long-term monitoring sites in Maine and three in Massachusetts. These results will not only provide managers with baseline information about this species, but will also help to improve future sampling designs and provide insight into regional level population trends.
Baker, M., B. Irwin, and A. Fox. 2020. Comparing recruitment estimation models using age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, GA. American Fisheries Society Virtual Annual Meeting.	September 2020	The Atlantic Sturgeon (<i>Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus</i>) is an anadromous fish species that was once of great commercial importance in many of the coastal rivers of the eastern U.S.A. The objective of this study was to compare the use of two modelling techniques to estimate recruitment of age-1 juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, GA from 2008-2019.
Arsana, I.M.A., M. Axelrod, A. Bennett, S. Chandra, A. Flaim, C. Fransis, B. Lugendo, J. Manson, K. Robinson, S.P. Suadi, S. Tefera, I. Tirtowalujo, A. Weldemichael. 2023. Transregional Influences and Regional Responses in the Indian Ocean Socio-Ecological System. International Studies Association Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.	March 2023	We the Indian Ocean as a complex social-ecological system, describing case studies of external threats on natural resources and responses that have occurred. The case studies incorporate illegal fishing, climate change adaptation efforts, and responses to coastal pollution and habitat destruction.
Andries, C. T., C. T. Moore, and M. Kohl. 2021. Modeling Piedmont prairie plant species habitat along powerline right of ways in the eastern Piedmont of Georgia. Presentation at Association of Southeastern Biologists [virtual], 24-27 March 2021.	March 2021	We built a predictive model of occurrence of plants associated with the Piedmont prairie grassland community within powerline right of ways in northeast Georgia. The work will have relevance for conservation efforts for this ecological community where routine right of way maintenance operations can be more precisely focused.
Alvarez, G., D. Gandy, C. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2020. Using Video Surveys to Identify Habitat Preferences of the Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis) in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA. Jan 28-30.	January 2020	We used generalized linear models to assess habitat characteristics (e.g., substrate, habitat type, vertical relief, and/or sessile organisms) as useful predictors of Gag Grouper presence. Our preliminary results indicate that the probability of Gag Grouper occurrence is highest in habitats with fragmented bottom, higher latitudes, and greater depths.
Alvarez, G., D. Gandy, C. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2020. Using Video Surveys to Identify Habitat Preferences of the Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis) in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Annual Meeting of the GA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Augusta, GA. Jan 28-30.	February 2020	We used generalized linear models to assess habitat characteristics (e.g., substrate, habitat type, vertical relief, and/or sessile organisms) as useful predictors of Gag Grouper presence. Our preliminary results indicate that the probability of Gag Grouper occurrence is highest in habitats with fragmented bottom, higher latitudes, and greater depths.
Alvarez, G. A., D. Gandy, B. J. Irwin, C. A. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2020. Using video survey to examine the effect of habitat on gag grouper encounter. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Virtual. Sept. 14-25	August 2020	The Gag Grouper (<i>Mycteroperca microlepis</i>) is a popular recreationally and commercially targeted fish found along the continental shelf of the United States and Mexico., but relatively little is known about the kinds of reefs they use. We used information theoretic approaches to evaluate the habitat features with which gag was most frequently associated. Results indicated that gag occourence was positively related to percent rock coverage, maximum vertical relief, latitude, and depth. The
Alvarez G., D. Gandy, B. Irwin, C. Jennings, and A. Fox. 2021. Using Video Surveys to Examine the Effect of Habitat on Gag Occurrence. Florida Chapter of the American Fishery Society Virtual Meeting.	April 2021	The economically important Gag (<i>Mycteroperca microlepis</i>) fishery was declared overfished in the Gulf of Mexico in 2009. Although Gag are no longer overfished in the Gulf of Mexico, fisheries managers are concerned that stocks may not be recovering. Limited information on life history and habitat use contributes uncertainty about the long-term effectiveness of current management strategies in aiding recovery. Our objective was to identify habitat characteristics important to Gag, and thei
Albanese, B., T. Penland. B. Irwin, A. Hsiung, and E. Walther. (2024 to be submitted). Long-term monitoring for Sicklefin Redhorse in Brasstown Creek, Georgia using multiple gear types and population models. 78th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Augusta, GA.	October 2024	Monitoring Sicklefin Redhorse in Brasstown Creek has evolved from qualitative observations to comprehensive monitoring that utilizes fyke netting, seining and a PIT tag antenna system. We constructed a quantitative population-level model to use the combined data from these gears to estimate annual survival, recruitment and population size.
Albanese, B., D. Weiler, J. Peterson, and B. Freeman. 2005. Accounting for incomplete detection when estimating site occupancy of Pteronotropis welaka in southwest Georgia. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Annual Meeting, Tampa FL.	July 2005
WITHDRAWN - Baker, M., B. Irwin, and A. Fox. 2021 (accepted). Refining capture-recapture recruitment estimation methods for Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore, MD.	November 2021	The objective of this study was to estimate recruitment of age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River using two modeling approaches. We estimated abundance of age-1 fish using Huggins closed population models and a new nonlinear extension of Huggins models (“VGAM”).
WITHDRAWN - Baker, M., B. Irwin, and A. Fox. 2021 (accepted). Investigating the effects of multiple flow regime characteristics on recruitment of age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore, MD.	November 2021	The objective of this study was to investigate how river flow affects recruitment of Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, GA from 2008-2020. The results of this study demonstrate that, although yearly juvenile recruitment is highly variable, some of the variation in recruitment can be explained by differences in flow regime across time.
SYMPOSIUM CANCELED - Irwin, B. J. 2021 (submitted). Science to support decision making – a few thoughts on some uncertainties encountered along the way. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore, MD. POSTPONED due to ongoing COVID precautions.	November 2021	As decision makers, fishery managers make choices about exploiting, restoring, and protecting fish populations. In this presentation, I will consider how encountering uncertainty is to be expected within a decision-support process and how, in some cases, it can be quantified or otherwise confronted to improve information for future decisions.
Sanderlin, J. S. and M. J. Conroy. Nov. 2008. State-space model of black bear demographics in central Georgia. The Wildlife Society Conference, Miami, FL.	November 2008
Sanderlin, J. S. and M. J. Conroy. Nov. 2008. Optimal selection of microsatellite loci in the presence of genetic misidentification error: a noninvasive genetic sampling case study. The Wildlife Society Conference, Miami, FL.	November 2008
Robinson, K.F. and C.A. Jennings. 2011. A comparison of resident fish communities in managed and unmanaged wetlands in North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. Joint Meeting of Society of Wetland Scientists, WETPOL, and Wetland Biogeochemistry Symposium, Prague, Czech Republic, July 3-8.	July 2011
Conroy, MJ, JD Nichols, RJ Cooper,MC Runge Conservation in the face of climate change: the roles of alternative models, monitoring, and adaptation in dealing with and reducing uncertainty 10th International Congress of Ecology, Brisbane, Australia, 16-21 Aug 2009	August 2009

Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations	Publication Date
Ziegeweid, J. R. 2006. Ontogenetic Changes in salinity and temperature tolerances of young-of-the-year shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). MS Thesis submitted to the University of Georgia.	December 2006
Yondo, H. 2018. Specialization and divergent angler preferences for trout fishing in Georgia. Masters Thesis. University of Georgia, Athens, GA.	May 2018
Wilson, A. W. 2018. The impacts of extreme high tide events on sea turtle nesting along the Georgia barrier islands. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens	May 2018
Vidal, T. 2017. Understanding the role of variability in fish population and community response to changing environmental conditions, PhD Dissertation, University of Georgia.	August 2017
Trushel, B. E. 2012. Influence of multi-scale factors on sportfish structural indices in samll- to medium-sized impoundment in Georgia, USA: implications for successful fisheries management. M.S. Thesis submitted to University of Georgia, Athens, GA.	December 2012
Tilson, D. A. 2022. Emerging technology for the study of one of North America's most elusive birds, the Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis). M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	December 2022
Sundmark, A. P. 2016. Influence of lake morphometry, water quality, and angling on annual bluegill growth in small impoundments of central Georgia. Master of Science Thesis. University of Georgia, Athens.	May 2016
Satterfield, L. C. 2014. Use of baited camera traps to sample carnivore communities in eastern Botswana. M.S. thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	May 2014
Sanderlin, JS. Integrated demographic modeling and estimation of the Central Georgia, USA black bear population.	July 2009
Roop, H. J. 2015. Angling activity, use patterns, and anglers' evaluations of fishery quality and management at the Marben Public Fishing Area. MS Thesis submitted to the University of Georgia.	July 2015
Robinson, K. F. 2011. A comparison of the fish communities in managed and unmanaged wetlands in coastal South Carolina. Ph.D. Dissertation submitted to the University of Georgia.	May 2011
Reinert, T. R. 2004. Decline and recovery of striped bass in the Savannah River Estuary: synthesis and re-analysis of historical information and evaluation of restoration potential.	May 2004
Pruitt, W.A. 2013. Use of Hierarchical occupancy models to estimate the seasonal distribution and habitat use of stocked Robust Redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the upper reaches of the Ocmulgee River, Georgia. Master of Science Thesis, University of Georgia	December 2013
Parr, R. T. 2011. Age, growth, and reproductive status of tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) in the aggregation nearshore Jekyll Island, GA, USA. MS Thesis submitted to the University of Georgia.	December 2011
Mosley, D. L. 2006. Habitat selection of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum): implications for developing sampling protocols. MS Thesis submitted to Univ. of GA	May 2006
Moore, C. 2002. Forest decision making under uncertainty: adaptive management for the conservation of bird populations on a National Wildlife Refuge.	May 2002
Mitchell, G. E. 2015. Food habits of Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) introduced into Lake Oconee, Georgia. MS Thesis submitted to the University of Georgia.	July 2015
McKee, R. K. 2019. An island of misfit tortoises: Evaluating the use of waif tortoises to recover populations on the brink. M.S. thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	May 2019
McGovern, P. A. 2019. Changing the survival formula for the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) through head-starting. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	December 2019
Lawson, Abigail J. 2019. Reducing uncertainties in conservation decision-making for American alligators. Dissertation. Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. 233 pp.	May 2019
Jansch, C. R. 2015. Informing wild population monitoring through the use of mixed models. Masters Thesis, University of Georgia.	May 2015
Homer, M. D., Jr. 2011. Age and size structure for an introduced population of blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in Lake Oconee Georgia and a comparison of age determination techniques. MS Thesis submitted to the University of Georgia	December 2011
Haag, J. M. 2020. Assessing supply and demand for trout in North Georgia under current and projected thermal regime. Master of Science Thesis. Submitted to the Graduate School. University of Georgia. Athens.	January 2020
Gaya, H. E. 2019. Enhancing line-transect distance sampling to increase detectability of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in population surveys. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	May 2019
Fonda, M. 2021. Analyzing population trends for an actively poached plant species: Galax urceolata in the Blue Ridge Parkway. Masters Thesis. University of Georgia, Athens, GA (December 2021).	December 2021
Eroh, G. D. 2019. The Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide Treatments on the Hatching Success of Walleye eggs infected with Oomycete pathogens and the growth of those Pathogens in a Georgia Aquaculture System. Master of Science Thesis. Submitted to Graduate School. University of Georgia. Athens.	December 2019
Dennerline, D. E. 2015. Evaluating novel approaches for sampling and assessing changes in reservoir fish assemblages. Ph.D. Dissertation submitted to the University of Georgia. Athens, GA.	December 2015
Daly, J. A. 2017. Indoor-rearing as a component of head-starting the Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). M.S. thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	May 2017
Daley, J. 2022. An analysis of monitoring data for Largemouth Bass (Micropertus salmoides): comparing Georgia reservoirs with low and high catches of Micropterus spp. Masters Thesis. University of Georgia, Athens, GA (May, 2022).	May 2022
Cull, R. E. 2005. Instantaneous growth and mortality estimates of Age-0 carpsuckers (Carpoides spp) in the Oconee River, Georgia. MS Thesis submitted to the University of Georgia	December 2005
Carswell, B. L. 2012. Abundance and diversity of sub-adult fishes in impounded South Carolina marshes: the effects of tidal exchange. MS Thesis submitted to the University of Georgia.	July 2012
Candal, C. M. 2021. Pressure to perform: the role of stress physiology in head-starting success for Mojave desert tortoises. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	December 2021
Bunch, C. J. 2020. Using Side-scan Sonar to Quantify the Spawning Runs of Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, Georgia. MS Thesis Submitted to the Graduate School - University of Georgia, Athens.	December 2020
Belcher, C. N. 2008. Investigating Georgia's shark nurseries: evaluation of sampling gear, habitat use, and source of sub-adult mortality. Ph.D. Dissertation submitted to the University of Georgia.	December 2008
Baker, M. A. 2021. Juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River: refined recruitment estimation and investigating the effects of flow regime. Masters Thesis. University of Georgia, Athens, GA.	May 2021
Angela Hsiung, Ph.D., University of Georgia: Supporting conservation decision making for imperiled Catostomid fishes in the southeastern US (Aug., 2022).	August 2022
Andries, C. T. 2022. Powerful prairies: Analysis of Piedmont prairie and associated pollinator occurrence along utility rights-of-way in Georgia's eastern Piedmont. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens.	August 2022
Alvarez, G. 2020. Using Video Surveys to Examine the Effect of Habitat on Gag Occurrence. MS Thesis submitted to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia.	December 2020

Technical Publications

Technical Publications	Publication Date
Will, T. A., T. R. Reinert, and C. A. Jennings. 2001. Assessment of spawning sites and reproductive status of striped bass, Morone saxatilis, in the Savannah River Estuary. Final Project for Project 10-21-RR251-144. Prepared for Georgia Ports Authority. 95 p.	January 2001
Will, T. A., T. R. Reinert, and C. A. Jennings. 2000. Spatial assessment of current and historic spawning sites of striped bass, Morone saxatilis, in the Savannah River estuary. Final Reprot for Project No. 10-21-RR251-131. Prepared for Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Richmond Hill, GA. 33 p.	January 2000
Will, T. A., T. R. Reinert, and C. A. Jennings. 2000. Assessment of the reproductive status of striped bass, Morone saxatilis, in the Savannah River Estuary. Final Report for Research Work Order 47. Prepared for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (Savannah District) Savannah, GA. 33 p.	January 2000
Thurow, R. F., J. T. Peterson, C. A. Larsen, and J. W. Guzevich. 2003. Development of Bull Trout Sampling Protocols. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquatic Resources Division, Lacey, WA.	July 2003
Sanchez, G. and C. A. Jennings. 2015. Identifying and Evaluating the Distribution of Fishes, Crab, and Shrimp in the Savannah River Estuary. Final Report (project number: W912HZ-14-2-0001) submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers. Savannah District.	June 2015
Sanchez, G. and C. A. Jennings. 2014. Identifying and Evaluating the Distribution of Fish in the Savannah River Estuary. Quarterly Summery - May 2014. Submitted to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, GA.	May 2014
Sanchez, G. and C. A. Jennings. 2014. Identifying and Evaluating the Distribution of Fish in the Savannah River Estuary. Quarterly Summery - August 2014. Submitted to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, GA.	October 2014
Ruiz, J., D. Dennerline, and C. Jennings. 2008. Fisheries Investigations (2007): Richard B. Russell and J. Strom Thurmond Reservoirs. Annual Project Report for Research Work Order No. 76. Prepared for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District. 179 pp.	January 2008
Ruiz, J., D. Dennerline, and C. Jennings. 2007. Fisheries Investigations (2006): Ricahrd B. Russell and J. Strom Thurmond Reservoirs. Annual Report for Research Work Order No. 76. Prepared for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District. 179 pp.	January 2007
Ruiz, J., D. Dennerline, and C. Jennings. 2006. Fisheries Investigations (2005): Richard B. Russell and J. Strom Thurmond Reservoirs. Annual Report for Research Work Order No. 76. Prepared for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District. 176 pp.	February 2006
Reinert, T.R. , K. Jefferson, and C.A. Jennings. 1998. Abundance and distribution of striped bass eggs and larvae in the Savannah River estuary--Implications for channel dredging window. Final Report. Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.	December 1998
R.F. Thurow, J.T. Peterson, and J.W. Guzevich 2001. Development of Bull Trout Sampling Protocols. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,Aquatic Resources Division, Lacey, WA.	September 2001
Peterson,J.T.,J.W. McCargo and J.C. Ruiz.2002.An evaluation of drought impacts on fish communities in the lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Panama City,Florida(Agreement#1448-41410-01-N002).	January 2002
Peterson,J.T. and N.P. Banish.2002.The evaluation of sampling conditions across the bull trout range in Washington State.Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquatic Resources Division, Lacey, Washington(Agreement#134100N001).	January 2002
Peterson,J.T. and J. Zhu.2004.CapPost-Capture and posterior probability of presence estimation, Users guide Version 1.0.Final Report to USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Idaho(Agreement#03-JV-11222014-241).	January 2004
Peterson, R.C., C.A. Jennings, J.L. Shelton, and J. Zelko. 2007. Culture techniques and ecological studies of larval and juvenile robust redhorse: abundance and distribution in the Oconee River. Annual Project Report (2003) Prepared for Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, GA. 32 pp. (Project Number:25-21-RC-387).	September 2007
Peterson, R. C., C. A. Jennings, J. L. Shelton,Jr., J. Zelco, and J. E. Evans. 2008. Ecological studies of larval and juvenile robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum: abundance and distribution in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Report for Project Year 2006. Prepared for Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, GA.	August 2008
Peterson, J.T., N. P. Banish, and R. F. Thurow. 2003. Analysis of Movement Patterns of Stream-dwelling Salmonids in Response to Three Survey Methods. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquatic Resources Division, Lacey, WA.	July 2003
Peterson, J.T., C.R. Jackson, G. Li, J. McCargo, and R. McPherson. 2003. The development and evaluation of tools for evaluating flow requirements in streams in the Lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Annual Report to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle, GA.	January 2003
Peterson, J.T. and S. W. Craven. 2007. The development of a quantitative decision models for evaluating the effects of river regulation and water use on native fishes in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Final Report to the National Park Service, Atlanta, Georgia.	December 2007
Peterson, J.T. and J.M. Meador. 2008. Design of a Long Term Monitoring Program for Freshwater Mussels in the Lower Altamaha River Basin. Final Report to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle, Georgia.	August 2008
Peterson, J.T. and J. Dunham. 2001. Combining inferences from models of capture efficiency, detectability, and suitable habitat to classify landscapes for conservation of threatened bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquatic Resources Division, Lacey, WA.	August 2001
Peterson, J.T. B. J. Freeman, M. C. Freeman, C. Straight, A.Price and G. Anderson. 2010. SCIENCE SUPPORT FOR THE UPPER COOSA BASIN PHASE I. Final Report to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, Athens GA.	June 2010
Peterson, J.T. B. J. Freeman, E. Kramer, E. Irwin, M. C. Freeman, C. Straight, A. Wimberley, and J. C. Ruiz. 2004. Aquatic Gap: Regional analysis of biodiversity in the ACT/ACF Basins. U.S. Geological Survey, GAP Analysis Program, Moscow, Idaho.	February 2004
Peterson, J.T. 2003. Toward the development of a common framework for assessing the distribution and potential threats to bull trout. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquatic Resources Division, Lacey, WA.	December 2002
Peterson, J., J. Dunham, P. Howell, S. Bonar, R. Thurow. 2002. Protocol for determining bull trout presence. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society.	March 2002
Peterson, J., J. Dunham, P. Howell, S. Bonar, R. Thurow. 2001 Interim protocol for determining bull trout presence. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society.	March 2001
Peterson, J. T., C. R. Jackson, G. Li, J. McCargo, and R. McPherson. 2006. The development and evaluation of tools for evaluating flow requirements in streams in the Lower Flint River Basin, Georgia. Report to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle, Georgia.	January 2006
Peterson, J. T., C. R. Jackson, C. Shea, J. Romeis, and K. Rugel. 2010. Lower Flint River Basin Mussel Habitat Assessment and Monitoring Project, Georgia. Report to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle, Georgia.	June 2010
Peterson, J. T. 2000. Development of interim tools for predicting bull trout detection probabilities. Final Report to Washington Department of Natural Resources, Olymipa, WA. 28p.	January 2000
Nuse, B. L., R. L. Bormann, J. Hepinstall-Cymerman, and C. T. Moore. 2017. Habitat models and predictions for gopher tortoises in Georgia. Final Report to USGS Cooperative Research Units Program.	December 2017
Mosley, D. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2006. Habitat selection of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in an experimental mesocosm. Final Project Report submitted to GA Power Company, Atlanta, GA. (Project No. 20-21-RR272-064)	July 2006
Maguffee, A., K.F. Robinson, T. Brenden, D.G. Fielder. 2023. Development of a basis for allocation of fish production between management needs and double-crested cormorant predation within their nesting range. Final report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.	January 2023
Kennedy, K. M., E. R. Irwin, M. C. Freeman, and J. Peterson. 2006. Development of a decision support tool and procedures for evaluating dam operation in the Southeastern United States. Science Support Partnership Program Project Final Report to USGS and USFWS.	June 2006
Jones, ML, KF Robinson. 2023. Using stock assessment information to inform harvest policy in data-limited fisheries. Completion report to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Project 2021_Jon_770210.	July 2023
Jones, M. L., T. O. Brenden, and B. J. Irwin. 2012. Evaluating integrated pest management in the St. Marys River. Great Lakes Fishery Commission Project Completion Report.	December 2012
Jennings, C.A., J.L. Shelton, R.C. Peterson, and J. Zelko. 2007. Culture techniques and ecological studies of the robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum): recruitment success, distribution, and abundance of wild-caught larvae and juveniles in the Oconee River, Georgia. Annual Report (2002) Prepared for Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, GA. 41 pp. (Project Number. 25-21-RC295-387)	April 2007
Jennings, C.A., J.L. Shelton, R.C. Peterson, S.C. Shepard, and J. Zelko. 2006. Culture techniques and ecological studies of the robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum): distribution and abundance of wild-caught larvae in the Oconee River and evalutions of methods for radio telemetry. Annual Report (2001) prepared for Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, GA. 57 pp. (Project Number: 25-21-RC295-387)	December 2006
Jennings, C.A., J.L. Shelton, Pete Lasier, and Greg L. Looney. 2005. Ecological Studies of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the Oconee River, GA. Part1: Distribution and abundance of wild-caught larvae, and radio telemetry determinations of juvenile habitat use and movement patterns. Part 2: impacts and toxic threshold of sediment-associated contaminants to robust redhorse in the lower Oconee River. Annual Report (2000) prepared for Georgia Power Comapany, Atlanta, GA. Part 1 = 52 pp; Part 2= 50 pp. (Project Number: 25-21-RC295-387)	December 2005
Jennings, C. A., and R. S. Weyers. 2003. Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Estuarine-Dependant Species in the Savannah River Estuary. Final Project (#10-21-RR251-148) Report to the Georgia Ports Authority. 152 pp + appendices	June 2003
Jennings, C. A., and D. C. Shepard. 2003. Movement patterns and habitat use of hatchery-reared juvenile robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) released in the Ocmulgee River, GA. Final Project (Project No. 25-21-RC295-515) Report to GA Power Company. 36 pp.	December 2003
Jennings, C. A., J. L. Shelton, and G. L. Looney. 2001. Culture Techniques and Ecological Studies of the Robust Redhorse Moxostoma robustum: assessment of reproductive and recruitment success, incubation temperatures and flows, and gravel quality and percent fine sediment on hatching success. Annual Report (Project 25-21-RC295-387) prepared for Georgia Power Company. 55 p.	August 2001
Jennings, C. A., J. L. Shelton, and G. L. Looney. 2004. Culture Techniques and Ecological Studies of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum): assessment of incubation temperatures and flows, recruitment and recruitment success, and population dynamics. Annual Report (1999) submitted to Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, GA. 63 pp. (Project No. 25-51-RC295-387)	August 2004
Jennings, C. A., J. L. Shelton, E. W. Dilts, and G. L. Looney. Culture techinques and ecological studies of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum): assessment of reproductive and recruitment success, incubation temperatures and flows, and gravel quality and percent fine sediment on hatching success. Annual Project (Project No. 25-21-RC295-383 {1997}) submitted to GA Power Company, Atlanta, GA. 64 pp.	March 2003
Jennings, C. A., J. L. Shelton, E. W. Dilts, and G. L. Looney. 2004. Culture techniques and ecological studies of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum): an assessment of reproductive and recruitment success, and percent fine sediment on hatching success. Annual Project Report (1998) Prepared for Georgia Power Company. 45 pp. (project Number. 25-21-RC295-387)	May 2004
Jennings, C. A., B. J. Hess. J. Hilterman, and G. L. Looney. 2000. Population dynamics of robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the Oconee River, GA. Final Project Report for Research Work Order 52. Prepared for the U.S. Geological Survey, Biological resources Division. Reston, VA 29p.	January 2000
Jennings, C. A. and R. S. Weyers. 2002. Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Esturaine Dependant Fishes in the Savannah River Estuary. Annual Report prepared for Georgia Ports Athority (Project No : 10-21-RR251-148) by the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. 48 p.	February 2003
Grabowski, T. B. and C. A. Jennings. 2008. Post-release movements and habitat use of stocked robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the Ocmulgee River, Georgia. Final Report for Project No. 2021RR272077 prepared for Georgia Power Company, Atlanta, GA. 70pp.	March 2008
Gannon, J.J., T. L. Shaffer, and C. T. Moore. 2013. Native Prairie Adaptive Management: A multi region adaptive approach to invasive plant management on Fish and Wildlife Service owned native prairies: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013–1279, 184 p. with appendixes, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20131279	December 2013
Freeman, M.C., J.T. Peterson, E.R. Irwin, and B.J. Freeman. 2003. Distribution and Status of At-Risk Aquatic Taxa in the Upper Tallapoosa River System, Georgia and Alabama. Final Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Athens, Georgia.	July 2003
Dennerline, D. E., and C. A. Jennings. 2000. Fisheries Investigaitons (1999): Richard B. Russell and J. Strom Thrumond Reservoirs. Final Report for Research Work Order 43. Prepared for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Savannah District)Savannah, GA. 54p + Appendices.	January 2000
Conroy, M.J.2001. Adaptive Management framework for the monitoring of forest wildlife populations on national wildlife refuges. US Fish and Wildlife Service. p.118	August 2001
Conroy, M.J. and R.J. Cooper. 2001. Effects of Riparian Zone characteristics on the reproductive ecology of forest songbirds. US Fish and Wildlife Service.p.16	June 2001
Conroy, M.J. and P.F. Doherty. 2001. Development of a bird banding recapturel resighting database. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.	December 2002
Conroy, M.J. and J.C. Senar.2001. Sex specific survival in cardueline finches: when do the females die? NATO	July 2001
Conroy, M.J. and E.A. Kramer. 2003. The Georgia Gap Analysis Project 2003. USGS/BRD/WRD, GA Dept of Natural Resources and the EPA. p111	August 2003
Conroy, M. J., J. T. Peterson, R. J. Cooper, C. T. Moore, B. J. Mattsson, R. S. Mordecai, and K. Pacifici. 2008. An adaptive sample survey design for the ivory billed woodpecker. Final Report to USGS/CRU.	March 2008
Conroy, M. J., J. T. Peterson, C. T. Moore, J. Runge, J. Howell, and Z. Zhong. 2007. The effects of hydrologic stressors on wading bird foraging distributions in the Everglades from 1985 2000. Final Report to South Florida Water Management District.	May 2007
Conroy, M. J., J. P. Carroll, R. J. Cooper, C. T. Moore, R. Thackston, R. Hamrick, and J. E. Howell. 2007. Adaptive decision support for landscape level conservation of birds in early successional habitats on private lands in Georgia. Final Report to USGS/BRD.	August 2007
Conroy, M. J. 2006. Wildlife Demography: Analysis of Sex, Age, and Count Data [Book Review]. Auk. 123:1205-1207.	November 2006
Beier, P., M. R. Vaughan, M. J. Conroy, and H. B. Quigley. 2003. An analysis of scientific literature related to the Florida panther. Final Project Report (Research Work Order No. 74) sumbitted to the US Fish and Wildlife (Jacksonville, FL). 66 pp.	November 2003
Baker, T. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2001. Downstream through-dam movement of advanced Phase II striped bass stocked and Lake Blackshear, Georgia. Final Report to Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Project 10-25-RR251-124). 12 p.	September 2001
Baker, T. L. and C. A. Jennings. 2000. Survival, movement patterns, and habitat use of adult striped bass in Lake Blackshear, GA. Final Project (Project No. 10-25-RR251-122)Report to Georgia Department of Natural Resources. 75 p.	December 2000

Data or Software Releases

Type	Citation	Publication Date
Data Release	Nuse, B.L., P.L. Fackler, K.A. Anstead, J.E. Lyons, C.P. McGowan, C.T. Moore, D.R. Smith, J.A. Sweka, A.M. Tucker. HSC-ADP: optimal horseshoe crab harvest policies via approximate dynamic programming. Version 1.0.0: U.S. Geological Survey software release. Reston, Va. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9HCEW6S	September 2022
Data Release	Nuse, B.L., P.L. Fackler, K.A. Anstead, J.E. Lyons, C.P. McGowan, C.T. Moore, D.R. Smith, J.A. Sweka, A.M. Tucker. HSC-ADP: optimal horseshoe crab harvest policies via approximate dynamic programming. Version 1.0.0: U.S. Geological Survey software release. Reston, Va. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9HCEW6S	October 2024
Software Release	Lawson, A.J., Jodice, P.G., Rainwater, T.R., Hart, M., Butfiloski, J.W., Wilkinson, P.M., and Moore, C.T., 2022, American alligator demographic and harvest data from Georgetown County, South Carolina, 1979–2017: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9AEXW1Z.<br>	September 2022
Software Release	Gregory, K.M. & McGowan, C.P. Code repository for the northwestern and southwestern pond turtle population viability analysis. Version 1.0.0: U.S. Geological Survey software release. Reston, Va. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9HLIOD4	October 2022
Software Release	Gaya, H., and Moore, C. Accounting for Spatial Heterogeneity in Visual Obstruction in Line-Transect Distance Sampling of Gopher Tortoises. Version 1.0.0: U.S. Geological Survey software release. Reston, Va. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9B9DAFU	May 2023
Data Release	Gaya, H., and Moore, C. Accounting for Spatial Heterogeneity in Visual Obstruction in Line-Transect Distance Sampling of Gopher Tortoises. Version 1.0.0: U.S. Geological Survey software release. Reston, Va. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9B9DAFU	January 2020
Data Release	Crawford, B. A., M. J. Olds, J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2020. Southern hognose snake Species Status Assessment data products: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9HQSMCR	January 2020
Software Release	Crawford, B. A., J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2020. Range-wide habitat suitability maps for at-risk species in the longleaf system: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P92PZN7G	September 2022
Software Release	Crawford, B. A., J. C. Maerz, and C. T. Moore. 2020. Range-wide habitat suitability maps for at-risk species in the longleaf system: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P92PZN7G	October 2022

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

Georgia Research Activities

Links

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

Georgia Research Activities

Links

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