CV - Nancy L. Staus, M.S.

Education

University of Minnesota, Conservation Biology Program. M.S. 1997. Thesis: "Ecology and conservation of the West Indian whistling-duck in the Bahamas."

University of Minnesota. B.A. Anthropology, 1990.

Employment

Conservation Biologist/Landscape Ecologist, Conservation Biology Institute, Corvallis, OR (8/98-present).

• Conduct ecosystem level biological assessments and conservation reserve planning. Use geographic information systems (GIS) and existing digital data to model habitats and biological processes in order to make conservation recommendations.
• Also developed an independent project examining the ecology of Salvadori's Teal [internal link] (Anas waigiuensis) in Papua New Guinea in relation to land use within the Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area.

Conservation Officer (temp), Department of Conservation, Russell, New Zealand (2/98-5/98).

• Research on and management of the endangered Brown Teal (Anas chlorotis) in northern New Zealand.
• Also assisted on Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) energetics project.
  

Research Technician, New South Wales, Australia (10/97-12/97).

• Assisted on Gerry Borgia's long term study of satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) in eastern Australia.

Biological Science Technician (GS-6, seasonal), U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources Division, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK (5/97-10/97).

• Investigated nesting success and late summer duckling survival in a threatened population of Spectacled Eiders (Somateria fischeri) on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska.
• Also worked on large scale banding drives of molting Steller's Eiders (Polysticta stelleri) in Cold Bay, Alaska.
  

Landscape Ecology Assistant (temp), The Nature Conservancy, MN (7/96-5/97).

• Developed and maintained large GIS databases for projects investigating the effect of landscape-level patterns on ecological processes, especially in relation to ecoregional planning throughout the U.S.

Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Minnesota (9/93-7/96).

• Developed and presented lectures, discussions, laboratory exercises, and examinations for the following courses:
• BIOL 1009 "General biology."
• BIOL 1201 "Evolutionary and ecological perspectives."
• EEB 3111 "Introduction to animal behavior."
• EEB 5321 "Evolution of social behavior."

Research Assistant (4/91-9/92)

Kuala Krau Game Reserve, Malaysia (7/92-9/92).

• High volume mist-netting (50 nets open 10 hrs/day), banding, species identification by sight. Some mist-netting and trapping of bats, and small terrestrial mammal trapping.

Southwestern Research Station, Coronado National Forest, Arizona (3/92-7/92).

• Investigated cooperative breeding in the common bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus.)

Guanica Commonwealth Forest Reserve, Puerto Rico (4/91-9/91).

• Studied effects of shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) brood parasitism on the endemic Puerto Rican vireo (Vireo latimeri) in a dry, subtropical forest.

Publications

Staus, N.L. and E.F. Weast. 2003. A survey of Peruvian torrent ducks (Merganetta armata leucogenis) on two rivers in Peru. Ornitologia Neotropical 14:269-273.

Staus, N.L., J.R. Strittholt, D.A. DellaSala and R. Robinson. 2002. Rate and pattern of forest disturbance in the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion, U.S.A. between 1972 and 1992. Landscape Ecology 17(5):455-470.

Paquet, P.C., J.R. Strittholt, N.L. Staus, P.J. Wilson, S. Grewel, and B.N. White. 2001. Feasibility of timber wolf reintroduction in Adirondack Park. Pages 47-64 in Maehr, D.S., R.F. Noss and J.L. Larkin, eds. Large Mammal Restoration. Washington, DC: Island Press.

DellaSala, D.A., N.L. Staus, J.R. Strittholt, A. Hackman, and A. Iacobelli. 2001. An updated protected areas database for the United States and Canada. Natural Areas Journal. 21:124-153.

Staus, N.L. and P.M. Mayer. 1999. Arthropods and predation of artificial nests in the Bahamas: Implications for subtropical avifauna. Wilson Bull. 111:561-564.

Staus, N.L., K. Conforti, L.N. Clapper, J.A. Longhenry, C.C. Schoenbauer, M.S. Rentz, and J.R. Tester. 1999. Effect of human disturbance on small mammal communities in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. J. Minn. Acad. Sci. 64:1-5.

Staus, N.L. 1998. Behaviour and natural history of the West Indian whistling-duck (Dendrocygna arborea) on Long Island, Bahamas. Wildfowl 49:194-206.

Staus, N.L. 1998. Habitat use and home range of West Indian whistling-ducks. J. Wildl. Manage. 62:171-178.

Staus, N.L. and F.H. Barnwell. 1996. The tropical Atlantic land crab (Cardisoma guanhumi) feeds on bird eggs. American Zoologist 36:80A.

Staus N.L. 1994. Observations on the West Indian whistling-duck on Long Island, Bahamas. IWRB Threatened Waterfowl Research Group Newsletter 5:13-14.

Technical Reports

Strittholt, J.R., N.L. Staus, and M.D. White. 2000. Importance of Bureau of Land Management Roadless Areas in the Western U.S.A. Conservation Biology Institute, Corvallis, OR. 71 pp.

Paquet, P.C., J.R. Strittholt, and N. L. Staus. 1999. Wolf reintroduction feasibility in the Adirondack Park, A report to the Adirondack Park Citizens Action Committee and Defenders of Wildlife. Conservation Biology Institute, Corvallis, OR. 84 pp.

Book contributions

Species account for West Indian whistling-duck in Bird families of the world: Ducks, geese and swans. J. Kear (ed.). In press.

Scientific Presentations

Society for Conservation Biology, Missoula, MT. 2000. Comparison of landscape change (1970s - 1990s) in two western ecoregions, U.S.A.

IV Neotropical Ornithological Congress, Monterrey, Mexico. 1999. Habitat use of West Indian Whistling-ducks in the Bahamas: Implications for conservation planning.

Society for Conservation Biology, Washington DC. 1999. An updated protected areas GIS database for the United States and Canada.

Society of Caribbean Ornithology, Nassau, Bahamas. 1996. Home range and habitat use of the West Indian whistling-duck: A conservation perspective.

Society of Caribbean Ornithology, Port of Spain, Trinidad. 1995. A comparison of artificial nest survival rates on two islands in the Bahamas.

Anatidae 2000 Conference, Strasbourg, France. 1994. Ecology and conservation of the West Indian whistling-duck.

Symposia/Workshops

Co-chair/facilitator for West Indian whistling-duck workshop, Society of Caribbean Ornithology, 1996. Co-founder and active member of the West Indian whistling-duck working group.

Invited Presentations

The Nature Conservancy, MN Chapter (5/97). "Ecology and conservation of West Indian whistling-ducks."

Tri-county environmental school, Maplewood, MN (2/97). Radio telemetry demonstration and endangered species presentation for group of students, grades 1 - 6.

Evergreen Park School, Brooklyn Park, MN (6/96). Endangered species presentation for third grade students.

Minnesota JASON ScienceFest. (3/96). Radio telemetry demonstration held at the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History. Interacted with 400-600 students grades 4-12.

Bahamas National Trust (8/94). Spoke to Trust members about my project on the West Indian whistling-duck on Long Island, Bahamas.

Scientific And Professional Memberships

Society for Conservation Biology

Wilson Ornithological Society

Neotropical Ornithological Society