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Alaska Science Center

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ABOUT THE ALASKA
SCIENCE CENTER

SCIENCE OFFICES

CONFERENCES

USGS ALASKA DATA RESOURCES

OTHER ALASKA AREA
SCIENCE OFFICES

Courtney L. Amundson

Title: Research Wildlife Biologist
Address: 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508-4626
Phone: (907) 786-7062
Fax: (907) 786-7021
Email: camundson@usgs.gov

Image of Courtney L. Amundson

Education and/or Training

Ph.D.2010University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MNNatural Resource Science & Mgmt
M.S.2007University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MNWildlife Management
B.S.2003University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MNFisheries and Wildlife

Areas of Specialization and/or Research Interests

Ecology of birds, spatial ecology, predator-prey dynamics, reproductive impacts of energy development on wildlife, wetland-dependent wildlife, and wildlife statistics.

Current Activities

  • Estimating abundance, population trends, habitat relationships, detection probability and distributions of waterfowl, landbirds, and shorebirds in Alaska using point-count and aerial survey data
  • Reviewing the effects of thermokarst features on wildlife in the Arctic Coastal Plain, AK
  • Coordinator, USGS technical review of the Alaska BLM Rapid Ecoregional Assessments
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Wildlife Management

Professional Experience

2012 - PresentResearch Wildlife Biologist, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK
2010 - 2012Research Associate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN/ USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND
2010 - 2011Post-doctoral Researcher, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
2008 - 2010Student Contractor, USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND
2008Visiting Instructor, Population Ecology, Carlton College, Northfield, MN
2004 - 2008Teaching and Research Assistant, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

Professional Activities and/or Memberships

American Ornithologists’ Union
The Waterbirds Society
The Wildlife Society
Delta Waterfowl Foundation
Ducks Unlimited

Honors and/or Awards

  • Dennis Raveling Waterfowl Scholarship, California Waterfowl Association, 2009
  • Robert N. Helm, Jr. Travel Scholarship (with M. Pieron), North American Duck Symposium, 2009
  • 2nd Place Student Presentation Award (with M. Pieron), North American Duck Symposium, 2009
  • Best Student Poster Award, North American Duck Symposium, 2009
  • Best Student Poster Award, Midwest Wildlife Society Conference, 2008
  • Best PhD Presentation, Delta Waterfowl Foundation Research Symposium, 2008
  • Ed Clarke Award for ‘Thinking Outside the Box’ (with M. Pieron), Delta Waterfowl Symposium, 2008
  • Bell Avian Fellowship, Bell Museum of Natural History, 2007
  • F. Chapman Research Scholarship, American Museum of Natural History, 2005
  • Dayton and Wilkie Fellowship, Bell Museum of Natural History, 2005

Significant Recent Publications

Pagano, A. M., C. L. Amundson, M. R. Pieron, T. W. Arnold, and T. Kimmel. Sightability-adjusted brood-to-pair ratios to estimate waterfowl productivity. Wildlife Society Bulletin: in review.

Amundson, C. L., M. R. Pieron, T. W. Arnold, and L. M. Beaudoin. 2012. The effects of predator removal on Mallard production and population change in northeastern North Dakota. Journal of Wildlife Management 77(1):143-152. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.438

Amundson, C. L. and T. W. Arnold. 2011. The role of predator removal, density-dependence, and environmental factors on Mallard duckling survival in North Dakota. Journal of Wildlife Management 75(6):1330-1339. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.166

Johnson, D. H., J. Solberg, and C. L. Amundson. 2011. Countability of Sandhill Cranes in aerial surveys. Proceedings, 11th North American Crane Workshop 89-95.

Pelayo, J. T., K. R. Mehl, J. J. Traylor, W. L. Reed, T. W. Arnold, and C. L. Amundson. 2011. Assessment of nape tags for marking offspring of precocial waterbirds. Waterbirds 34(3):312-318.

Amundson, C. L. and T. W. Arnold. 2010. Effects of radio-transmitters and plasticine bands on Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) duckling survival. Journal of Field Ornithology 81(3):310-316.

Amundson, C. L. and T. W. Arnold. 2010. Anthelmintics increase chick survival in American Coots (Fulica americana). The Auk 127(3):653-659.

Johnson, D. H., M. J. Holloran, J. W. Connelly, S. E. Hanser, C. L. Amundson, and S. E. Knick. 2010. Influences of environmental and anthropogenic features on greater Sage-Grouse populations, 1997-2007. Studies in Avian Biology 38:408-450.

Technical Reports and Theses
Amundson, C. L., C. M. Handel, D. R. Ruthrauff, T. L. Tibbitts, and R. E. Gill, Jr. Hierarchical models of bird distribution and abundance across national parks of southwestern Alaska. USGS Open File Report: in review.

Amundson, C. L., and D. H. Johnson. 2012. A rapid method for assessing wildlife issues associated with potential wind development sites: Bird Conservation Region 11, The Prairie Pothole Region. Technical Report to the Plains and Prairie Potholes LCC.

Amundson, C. L., and D. H. Johnson. 2011. Assessment of the eastern population greater Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis tabida) fall migration survey, 1979-2009. Technical Report to the USFWS, Region 3. 21 pp.

Amundson, C. L., and F. C. Rohwer. 2011. NRDA Bird Study 11: Carcass detection probabilities for boat-based marsh surveys in coastal Louisiana. Technical report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resource Damage Assessment, Fairhope, AL. 20 pp.

Amundson, C. L., and F. C. Rohwer. 2011. NRDA Bird Study 10, Objective 1: Assessing the effects of the MC-252 deepwater horizon oil spill on mortality and oiling rates of wintering waterfowl. Technical report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resource Damage Assessment, Fairhope, AL. 31 pp.

Amundson, C. L. 2010. The role of predator removal and density-dependence on Mallard production in northeastern North Dakota. Dissertation, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA.

Amundson, C. L. 2007. The impacts of helminthic parasites on the survival of American Coot (Fulica americana) chicks. Thesis, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA.

Websites of Interest

Landbird Research at the Alaska Science Center
Shorebird Research at the Alaska Science Center

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