Article
Ecology
Joseph B. Burant, Eric W. Heisey, Nathaniel T. Wheelwright, Amy E. M. Newman, Shannon Whelan, Daniel J. Mennill, Stephanie M. Doucet, Greg W. Mitchell, Bradley K. Woodworth, D. Ryan Norris
Summary: Phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to adjust breeding timing in response to environmental conditions, with pre-breeding temperature and age significantly affecting lay date, rather than breeding population density. Natal precipitation interacts with age to influence lay date plasticity.
Article
Ecology
Maeve M. McGowan, Noah G. Perlut, Allan M. Strong
Summary: This study examined the relationship between environmental factors and nest initiation dates for migratory songbirds. It found that Savannah Sparrows' nest initiation dates were influenced by precipitation on the breeding grounds and the average temperature at their wintering site. Meanwhile, Bobolinks' nest initiation dates were affected by breeding ground precipitation and average temperature at their fall stopover site.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michael C. Allen, Julie L. Lockwood, Joanna Burger
Summary: This study utilized structural equation modeling to identify potential social-ecological pathways for halting regional population declines in a grassland bird species. The interconnected drivers of population fluctuations, including farm management decisions, climate conditions, and regional conservation spending, were revealed through the analysis.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Shaobin Li, Xiaoman Liu, Guopan Li, Xiaolong Du
Summary: The brain is an energetically costly organ, and the energy trade-off hypothesis suggests that reducing energy consumption in reproduction or other costly tissues should compensate for the cost of a large brain. We analyzed data from bird species and found a negative correlation between brain size and clutch size, but a positive correlation between brain size and egg mass and total egg production. This suggests that the relationship between brain size and energy allocation in bird species is complex and not a general trade-off.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Olivia M. Scott, Noah G. Perlut, Allan M. Strong
Summary: The reproductive parameters of Savannah Sparrows and Bobolinks are influenced by age, with older Savannah Sparrows showing reproductive decline and weak age effects on Bobolink reproductive performance.
AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ibeth P. Alarcon, Paul Molina Abril, Maria Cristina Rios, Adrian Orihuela-Torres, Agustin Carrasco, Daniel Pacheco, Edison Juca, Ruth Arias, Carlos I. Espinosa, Leonardo Ordonez-Delgado, Hector Cadena-Ortiz, Boris A. Tinoco
Summary: Understanding the reproductive biology of birds is important for their conservation. This manuscript adds to the knowledge of the reproductive biology of bird species in Southern Ecuador by providing detailed information on previously undocumented and scarce species, as well as additional information on already documented species. It contributes to the development of better conservation strategies in the region.
NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Megan Massa, Elizabeth R. Matthews, W. Gregory Shriver, Emily B. Cohen
Summary: Grassland birds have experienced a significant decline in population, particularly in the eastern United States. However, battlefield parks may serve as important refuge for these birds within an urbanized environment. This study investigated the conservation importance of battlefield parks and the role of park management in sustaining grassland birds. The results showed that local habitat features, landscape characteristics, and management activities influenced the breeding-season occupancy of grassland birds. Maintaining the parks' cultural goals and establishing partnerships with private agricultural operators could provide valuable habitat for these birds.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Clara Trofino Falasco, Adrian Santiago Di Giacomo, Maria Florencia Aranguren, Tomas Martinez Aguirre, Pablo Grilli, Estefania Laura Paz, Maria Gimena Pizzarello, David Gustavo Vera, Igor Berkunsky
Summary: The accelerated transformation of grasslands has caused population declines in many grassland bird species. However, there is limited information on the nesting biology of grassland species in southern South America. This study examined the nesting attempts of two threatened grassland bird species in central-eastern Argentina over three breeding seasons, and found that their breeding biology is strongly associated with tall native grasslands. The findings suggest that changes in breeding habitat, particularly in grassland vegetation structure, could affect these species.
STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Anthony Roberts, John M. Eadie, David W. Howerter, Fred A. Johnson, James D. Nichols, Michael C. Runge, Mark P. Vrtiska, Byron K. Williams
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2018)
Article
Ecology
Dale D. Humburg, Michael G. Anderson, Michael G. Brasher, Michael F. Carter, John M. Eadie, David C. Fulton, Fred A. Johnson, Michael C. Runge, Mark P. Vrtiska
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2018)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fred A. Johnson, Guthrie S. Zimmerman, Min T. Huang, Paul I. Padding, Gregory D. Balkcom, Michael C. Runge, Patrick K. Devers
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joslin L. Moore, Abbey E. Camaclang, Alana L. Moore, Cindy E. Hauser, Michael C. Runge, Victor Picheny, Libby Rumpff
Summary: The study aimed to optimize resource allocation to address multiple threats, highlighting the impact of budget changes on optimal management actions, the efficiency benefits of considering multiple candidate actions, and the variability in performance of ranking schemes. Results showed that global sensitivity analysis emphasized the importance of focusing on the expected impact of threats and management effectiveness for better quantification of research and monitoring efforts.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shou-Li Li, Joseph Keller, Michael C. Runge, Katriona Shea
Summary: The management of biological invasions is hindered by biological and operational uncertainties. However, simultaneously addressing both sources of uncertainty can help optimize control decisions, leading to a reduction in population growth rate of invasive species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Emily Howerton, Matthew J. Ferrari, Ottar N. Bjornstad, Tiffany L. Bogich, Rebecca K. Borchering, Chris P. Jewell, James D. Nichols, William J. M. Probert, Michael C. Runge, Michael J. Tildesley, Cecile Viboud, Katriona Shea
Summary: The study examines how mixed control strategies can achieve improved public health outcomes while reducing reliance on costly preventative interventions. Increasing testing capacity can help in reducing the dependence on preventative measures.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
William J. M. Probert, Sam Nicol, Matthew J. Ferrari, Shou-Li Li, Katriona Shea, Michael J. Tildesley, Michael C. Runge
Summary: This study investigates the methods of comparing control interventions during disease outbreaks using mathematical modelling. Existing methods have limitations, and this study proposes a new approach of combining rankings of interventions instead of model projections. The results suggest that this method provides similar recommendations with fewer assumptions about model comparability.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Johanna A. Harvey, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Michael C. Runge, Diann J. Prosser
Summary: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 was introduced in North America in late 2021 through migratory birds. This led to an unprecedented outbreak in animals, particularly affecting poultry and wild birds. The spread of H5N1 in North America highlights the need for effective management and scientific prioritization to address the impacts on wildlife, agriculture, and human health.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Management
Michael C. Runge, Clark S. Rushing, James E. Lyons, Madeleine A. Rubenstein
Summary: The value of information is an important concept in decision analysis, but its quantitative analysis is challenging. A novel measure of the value of information (CVOI) is proposed, which decomposes the expected value of perfect information (EVPI) into contributions representing the relevance and magnitude of uncertainty. CVOI requires less from experts and analysts and can be used to prioritize research in areas like migratory bird management facing climate change.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily Howerton, Michael C. Runge, Tiffany L. Bogich, Rebecca K. Borchering, Hidetoshi Inamine, Justin Lessler, Luke C. Mullany, William J. M. Probert, Claire P. Smith, Shaun Truelove, Cecile Viboud, Katriona Shea
Summary: Probabilistic predictions are crucial for public health planning and decision making during infectious disease emergencies. Aggregating predictions from multiple models can improve the robustness and uncertainty estimation of the outcomes. However, selecting an appropriate aggregation method is challenging when empirical validation is not feasible. This paper summarizes the literature on aggregating probabilistic predictions, provides simulation examples of different methods, and offers a strategy for choosing an aggregation method in the absence of empirical validation. The work focuses on the linear opinion pool (LOP) and Vincent average, which make different assumptions about between-prediction uncertainty and provide an R package for implementation.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Abigail J. Lawson, Kevin Kalasz, Michael C. Runge, Amy C. Schwarzer, Michelle L. Stantial, Mark Woodrey, James E. Lyons
Summary: Natural resource management decisions often face uncertainty, and Value of information (VoI) methods are decision analytical tools to evaluate the benefits of resolving uncertainty. This study describes the first application of a qualitative VoI approach in an adaptive management workshop for eastern black rail populations, discussing its benefits in the context of adaptive management and co-production of conservation science.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jonathan D. Cook, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Michael C. Runge
Summary: This article discusses the use of decision analysis in studying and managing wildlife disease outbreaks and the importance of risk assessment. By combining expert judgment and rapid dissemination of scientific information, timely decision support can be provided for wildlife conservation.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jonathan D. Cook, Evan H. C. Grant, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Michael C. Runge
Summary: The COVID-19 virus likely evolved in a mammalian host, possibly Old-World bats, before adapting to humans. Concerns have been raised regarding the possibility of reverse zoonotic transmission to bats. Recent studies have shown that the risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to bats during fieldwork is lower than previously assessed, and can be significantly reduced by wearing high-efficiency filtration masks or obtaining a negative COVID-19 test before surveys.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Leslie New, Juniper L. Simonis, Mark C. Otto, Emily Bjerre, Michael C. Runge, Brian Millsap
Summary: The development and installation of renewable energy can have environmental costs such as wildlife deaths. Failure to acknowledge uncertainties around these costs may impact local conservation efforts, while adaptive management plans can help refine the balance between energy consumption and conservation. By improving estimates and implementing them within the government's framework, the impact of renewable energy development on biodiversity can be better managed.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yun Tao, William J. M. Probert, Katriona Shea, Michael C. Runge, Kevin Lafferty, Michael Tildesley, Matthew Ferrari
Summary: Livestock diseases have significant global impacts economically, socially, and politically. Response delays in stamping out outbreaks may lead to underestimated projections and misinformed decisions. This study demonstrates the importance of considering response dynamics and intervention controllability in managing livestock disease epidemics.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2021)