USGS National Wetlands Research Center: Steven Travis

Steven E. Travis, Ph.D.

Steven E. Travis, Ph.D. 1994. Biology, Northern Arizona University. Population genetics, quantitative genetics, restoration ecology, conservation biology, community ecology.

Current research activities focus on ecological genetic aspects of species conservation and habitat restoration, particularly in tropical and subtropical estuaries. All projects emphasize the role of biodiversity in maintaining the health of individuals, populations, and species covering a broad array of taxa. Specifically, research efforts are aimed at molecular marker based assessments of genetic diversity in declining plant and animal populations threatened by habitat destruction, hybridization, competition from invasives, etc. Special emphasis is given to the interplay between genetic diversity and inbreeding depression in plant species with variable breeding systems. Additional projects are aimed at assessing levels of local genetic adaptation in species that are commonly translocated during restoration efforts, through a combination of common garden experiments and controlled crosses for heritability estimation.

Travis' NWRC Publications
The following is only a select list of publications. For a more complete list, please go to the online NWRC publications data base (http://sourcecom.cr.usgs.gov/ris/risweb.isa) to search for the bibliographic citations of individual staff members. For a complete list of Travis’ career publications, please click here (PDF, 22K).

Marburger, J., S. Travis, and S. Windels. 2006, Cattail sleuths use forensic science to better understand spread of an invasive species. NPS Natural Resource Year in Review 2005:75-76.

Edwards, K.R., Travis, S.E., and Proffitt, C.E., 2005, Genetic effects of a large-scale Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) dieback and recovery in the northern Gulf of Mexico: Estuaries, v. 28, p. 204-214.

Proffitt, C.E., and Travis, S.E., 2005, Fine-scale mutational and breeding system effects of environmental contaminants on red mangroves in Tampa Bay, Florida: Wetlands, v. 25, p. 326-334.

Proffitt, C. E., Chiasson, R.L, Owens, A.B., Edwards, K.R., and Travis, S.E., 2005, Spartina alterniflora genotype influences facilitation and suppression of high marsh species colonizing an early successional salt marsh: Journal of Ecology v. 93, p. 404-416.

Travis, S.E., and Hester, M.H., 2005, A space-for time substitution reveals the long-term decline in genotypic diversity of a widespread salt marsh plant, Spartina alterniflora, over a span of 1,500 years: Journal of Ecology v. 93, p. 417-430.

Ritland, K., and Travis, S.E., 2004, Inferences involving pairwise relatedness and individual inbreeding coefficients in natural populations: overview, and a comparative study of two British Columbia Abies species: Forest Ecology and Management, v. 197, p. 171-180.

Travis, S.E., Proffitt, C.E., and Ritland, K., 2004, Population structure and inbreeding vary with succesional stage in created Spartina alterniflora marshes: Ecological Applications, v. 14, p. 1189-1202.

Egerova, J., Proffitt, C.E., and Travis, S.E., 2003, Facilitation of survival and growth of Baccharis halimifolia L. by Spartina alterniflora Loisel. in a created Louisiana salt marsh: Wetlands, v. 23, p. 250-256.

Proffitt, C.E., Travis, S.E., and Edwards, K.R., 2003, Genotype and elevation influence Spartina alterniflora colonization and growth in a created salt marsh: Ecological Applications, v. 13, p. 180-192.

Travis, S. E., 2003, Hurricane Mitch: Population genetic structure of Pacific white shrimp from the Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras: USGS Open-File Report 03-174, 30 p.,

Travis, S., Proffitt, E., Edwards, K., Hartman, G., and Haigh, G., 2002, Text box 7.2: Ongoing dredged material marsh research in the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, in Turner, G., and Streever, W., Approaches to coastal wetlands restoration: northern Gulf of Mexico: The Hague, SPB Academic Publishing, p. 81-82.

Travis, S.E., Proffitt, C.E., Lowenfeld, R.C., and Mitchell, T.W., 2002, A comparative assessment of genetic diversity among differently-aged populations of Spartina alterniflora on restored versus natural wetlands: Restoration Ecology, v. 10, p. 37-42.

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