News From the QWEC Lab
Contract Awarded to Dr. Manning to Study Washington’s Critically Imperiled Mountain Quail Populations
8/2021 – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife awarded Dr. Manning a $500,000 contract to develop survey methods to estimate Mountain Quail abundance, examine the current status of populations, estimate vital rates, and determine factors that limit populations in order to inform translocation and habitat management strategies. This is a very exciting opportunity, as the Mountain Quail is ranked by WDFW as Critically Imperiled and included on the Priority Habitats and Species list.
Success! Our Research Results on Environmental Drivers of Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions in the Methow Valley, Washington has Informed a Critical Engineering Solution for Wildlife Conservation.
6/2021 – The QWEC Lab’s research results on modeling environmental drivers of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the Methow Valley, Washington to inform engineering solutions by Dr. Manning and collaborator Dr. Caren Goldberg has led to the approval of $2 million+ of Washington Federal Lands Access Program funds to the WSDOT to create a wildlife underpass along SR 20 in the Methow Valley. The site for engineering this wildlife underpass was selected based on our research findings and recommendations that identified a number of critical sites along this highway where risk of deer-vehicle collisions are high. Wildlife overpasses and underpasses are proving to be successful at reconnecting fragmented local and regional wildlfie populations worldwide.
WSU Natural Resource Conservation Endowment Fund Grant Awarded to M.S. Student Cullen Anderson
6/2021 – Congratulations Cullen Anderson! Cullen was awared a $1,200 WSU Natural Resource Conservation Endowment Fund grant, which will help fund his M.S. thesis research on the effects of climate change and recreation on black bears in the North Cascades National Park Complex.
Article accepted in Journal of Wildlife Management
1/2021 – An article by Stanek, J.E., S.E. McNeil, D. Tracy, J.R. Stanek, P. Wohner, J.A. Manning, and M.D. Halterman titled “Nest site selection by western yellow-billed cuckoos in restored and natural riparian forests” from research along the lower Colorado River was accepted into the Journal of Wildlife Management. The authors’ results show that habitat components selected by nesting western cuckoos in restoration and natural riparian forests can help guide the creation, enhancement, and management of riparian forests with desired habitat conditions necessary to promote nesting of this federally threatened species.
WSU CAHNRS Undergraduate Student Internship Funding Awarded for Black Bear Research
12/2020 – Dr. Manning and M.S. student Cullen Anderson were awarded a paid WSU CAHNRS Internship to support an undergraduate student. The funded student will be part of our larger black bear study in North Cascades National Park, and will explore black bear interactions with game cameras.
Presentation for 2020 US Fish and Wildlife Service Desert Tortoise Week
10/2020 – A special guest presentation titled “Genetic origins and population status of desert tortoises in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California” by Dr. Manning live broadcast streamed and posted on the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Facebook page. October 9. Link
Report on Vertebrate and Plant Biodiversity on the El Canto De La Tierra Wildlife Conservation, and Management UMA in Baja, Mexico to the International Community Foundation
9/2020 – This report titled “Vertebrate and plant biodiversity on the El Canto De La Tierra Wildlife Conservation, Management, and Sustainable Utilization Unit (UMA [from its name in Spanish]) in Rancho San Gregorio, Baja, Mexico” was authored by Dr. Manning and Dr. Caren Goldberg. This project involved extensive field sampling and mapping of vertebrates and plant assemblages, which was used to create a classified landcover map and identify biodiversity hotspots. Funding was provided by the International Community Foundation.
Report on Environmental Drivers of Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions in the Methow Valley, Washington to Washington Department of Transportation
3/2020 – This agency report titled “Modeling environmental drivers of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the Methow Valley, Washington to inform engineering solutions” was authored by Dr. Manning and Dr. Caren Goldberg. This project involved radio-tracking, extensive field data collection using trail cameras, UHF data loggers, and visual observations, which fed into spatiotemporal modeling of environmental drivers of the wildlife-vehicle collision process. Funding was provided by Washington Department of Transportation. (Click on the image to read the report)
Report on Drought Severity Effects on Endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatchers Breeding in California to California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
9/2019 – This agency report titled “Drought severity in wintering grounds prior to arrival influences annual survival of Southwestern Willow Flycatchers breeding in California” was authored by Dr. Manning and Mary Whitfield of the Southern Sierra Research Station (SSRS). Jeff collaborated with the SSRS to carry out this research, which involved developing geographically explicit long-term regional climate indices for overwintering and migration ranges, as well as annual breeding ranges of this neotropical migrant bird, and linking these geographic and temporally explicit climate metrics to long-term willow flycatcher demographic data breeding in the Kern River Valley, California. Funding was provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Grant Program.
WSU CAHNRS News
8/2019 – Former WSU M.S. student Kyle Ebenhoch was interviewed by CAHNRS News (titled “Saving Sage-grouse by Relocation“) about his graduate research. The interview emphasizes the resulting published article on effects of post-release movements on survival of translocated sage-grouse. The research team included WSU professors Daniel Thornton, Lisa Shipley, and Jeff Manning and Kevin White from the Yakima Training Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Poster Presentation at 2019 WSU Annual Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Symposium
3/2019 – A presentation titled “Mule Deer Space Use in Washington’s Methow Valley: Do Urban Deer have Smaller Home Ranges?” from WSU Undergraduate Intern Shayleh Shamrock (co-mentored by Dr. Manning and Dr. Caren Goldberg) was given at the 8th Annual Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Symposium in Pullman, WA, March 25. This study was part of Dr. Manning’s larger investigation into deer-vehicle collisions for Washington’s Department of Transportation (Piper Petit, WSDOT lead). The SURCA is administered by the WSU Office of Undergraduate Research.
Article in press in Ecology and Evolution
2/2019 – Dr. Manning coauthored an article titled “Environmental and demographic drivers of male mating success vary across sequential reproductive episodes in a polygynous breeder” from an intensive, individual-based field study on wild horses on Sable Island, Canada that is accepted into the journal Ecology and Evolution. The authors’ results show that local demography, resource availability, and weather have differential effects on opportunity for sexual selection in males across selection episodes that make up the sexual selection process, effectively attenuating or accentuating effects of adult sex ratio. Read it online at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ece3.5066.
Presentation at 2019 Desert Tortoise Council Symposium
2/2019 – A presentation titled “Genetic origins and population status of desert tortoises in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California” from Dr. Manning’s collaborative work with Dr. Taylor Edwards at the University of Arizona was given at the 44th Annual Desert Tortoise Council Symposium in Tucson, AZ, February 21-23.
Presentation at 2019 Mule Deer Foundation Conference
2/2019 – A presentation titled “Studying spatial patterns in deer-vehicle collisions & modeling environmental factors affecting their frequency in Washington’s Methow Valley” from Dr. Manning’s work for Washington’s Department of Transportation (Piper Petit and Matt Wisen) was given at the Mule Deer Summit at the Okanogan Trails Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation on Feb. 23.
Presentation at 2019 Desert Tortoise Council Symposium
2/2019 – A presentation titled “Efficacy of DNA sampling from herbivorous reptile scat” from Dr. Manning’s collaborative work with Drs. Taylor Edwards (University of Arizona), John Clemons (University of Arizona), and Melanie Culver (University of Arizona, USGS) was given at the 44th Annual Desert Tortoise Council Symposium in Tucson, AZ, February 21-23.
Report on Desert Tortoises to California State Parks
2/2019 – This agency report titled “Genetic origins and population status of desert tortoises in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California: initial steps towards population monitoring” was authored by Dr. Manning just prior to coming to WSU. Jeff was employed as an Environmental Scientist with California State Parks at the time he conducted this work. It involved various collaborations, including with Dr. Taylor Edwards (University of Arizona), Dr. Lyndon Murray (CDPR), and Dr. Caren Goldberg (WSU). This report is representative of Jeff’s work for agencies over the years. (Click on the image to read the report)