Wildlife Program
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We provide rigorous and unbiased information on migratory birds, terrestrial and marine mammals, amphibians and reptiles, terrestrial plants, threatened and endangered species, wildlife disease, and on wildlife issues resulting from human activities. Our science contributes toward a more complete understanding of the Nation’s ecosystems and landscapes.
An ARMI of Many
The USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) provides critical information about amphibian populations and life history traits, environmental characteristics, and potential causes of decline.
Find out moreWildlife Health
The National Wildlife Health Center is an international leader in the timely and accurate diagnosis of wildlife illness and mortality critical to achieving effective disease control and prevention.
Learn moreResearch Highlights
Our research is focused on the study of wildlife populations, their habitats, and the factors that influence their health.
News
Annotated Bibliography of Scientific Research on Greater Sage-Grouse Published
The U.S. Geological Survey has reviewed and summarized the substantial body of literature related to the conservation, management, monitoring, and assessement of the greater sage-grouse, creating an annotated bibliography that provides easy access to sage-grouse science developed since 2015.
It’s Pollinator Week!
Pollinators in the form of bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles provide vital but often invisible services, from supporting terrestrial wildlife and plant communities, to supporting healthy watersheds.
ARMI Scientist Michael Adams Receives 2020 PARC Honor
Dr. Michael Adams, Lead for the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) and Supervisory Research Ecologist at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, has been selected to receive the 2020 Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) Alison Haskell Award for Excellence in Herpetofaunal Conservation...
Publications
Seasonality of biological and physical systems as indicators of climatic variation and change
Evidence-based responses to climate change by society require operational and sustained information including biophysical indicator systems that provide up-to-date measures of trends and patterns against historical baselines. Two key components linking anthropogenic climate change to impacts on socio-ecological systems are the periodic inter- and...
Weltzin, Jake F.; Betancourt, Julio L.; Cook, Benjamin I.; Crimmins, Theresa; Enquist, Carolyn Armstrong; Gerst, MD; Gross, JE; Henebry, GM; Hufft, RA; Kenney, MA; Kimball, JS; Reed, Bradley C.; Running, SW
Ecological forecasting—21st century science for 21st century management
Natural resource managers are coping with rapid changes in both environmental conditions and ecosystems. Enabled by recent advances in data collection and assimilation, short-term ecological forecasting may be a powerful tool to help resource managers anticipate impending near-term changes in ecosystem conditions or dynamics. Managers may use the...
Bradford, John B.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Mccormick, Molly; Baron, Jill; Bowen, Zack; Bristol, Sky; Carlisle, Daren; Crimmins, Theresa; Cross, Paul; DeVivo, Joe; Dietze, Mike; Freeman, Mary; Goldberg, Jason; Hooten, Mevin; Hsu, Leslie; Jenni, Karen; Keisman, Jennifer; Kennen, Jonathan; Lee, Kathy; Lesmes, David; Loftin, Keith; Miller, Brian W.; Murdoch, Peter; Newman, Jana; Prentice, Karen L.; Rangwala, Imtiaz; Read, Jordan; Sieracki, Jennifer; Sofaer, Helen; Thur, Steve; Toevs, Gordon; Werner, Francisco; White, C. LeAnn; White, Timothy; Wiltermuth, Mark Short-term forecasts of insect phenology inform pest management
Insect pests cost billions of dollars per year globally, negatively impacting food crops and infrastructure, and contributing to the spread of disease. Timely information regarding developmental stages of pests can facilitate early detection and control, increasing efficiency and effectiveness. In 2018, the U.S. National Phenology Network (USA-NPN...
Crimmins, Theresa M.; Gerst, Katharine L.; Huerta, Diego; Marsh, R. Lee; Posthumus, Erin E.; Rosemartin, Alyssa H.; Switzer, Jeff R.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Coop, Len; Dietschler, Nicholas; Herms, Daniel A.; Limbu, Samita; Trotter III, R. Talbot; Whitmore, Mark