Research Branch
Our Mission
To conduct robust research and provide scientific information to inform and support the sound management and professional stewardship of Arizona’s fish and wildlife resources, and to ensure the credibility of the Department’s science.
Goals
- Address the Department’s management information needs through relevant, robust, and timely research
- Transfer research and scientific information to end-users and the general public through various media, training, and technical support
- Build and maintain partnerships with external experts to expand the Department’s scientific capacity and leadership role in wildlife management
- Support the Department’s programmatic needs by maintaining a high level of staff expertise within the Branch, developing new techniques to study and manage wildlife, and leveraging resources and collaborative relationships to obtain additional funds to support research programs
- Serve as the Department’s wildlife health experts for disease surveillance and population health assessments, wildlife health related response and investigation, training in wildlife handling methods and disease recognition, and maintaining veterinary compliance requirements
About the Branch
The Research Branch is comprised of 25-30 people including seasonal interns. Our main office is located in Phoenix; however, projects are conducted throughout Arizona. Our research is funded primarily by Federal sources (the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the Dingle-Johnson Act or the Wallop-Breaux Act). Several research projects have combined funding through contracts and grants.
Our work includes terrestrial, aquatic and wildlife health research. Please see below for additional information regarding specific programs.
Research Branch Chief
Esther Rubin, PhD
623 236-7379, Erubin@azgfd.gov
CV
Programs and Projects Specialist
Julie Tolby
623 236-7246, Jtolby@azgfd.gov
WMD Biometrician
Matt Clement
623 236-7275, MClement@azgfd.gov
Research Program
Terrestrial Program
Terrestrial Research Program Manager
Larisa Harding, PhD
623 236-7301, Lharding@azgfd.gov
Current Projects
Aquatic Program
Aquatic Research Program Manager
Ryan Mann
623 236-7538, RMann@azgfd.gov
Current Projects
Tools and Techniques
Recent Publications 2010-2017
| Journals: |
O’Brien, C. S., P. R. Krausman, H. M. Boyd.2010.Influence of Coyotes on Habitat Use by Mule Deer Following a Wildfire. California Game and Fish. 96(1):7-22.
http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=47319. |
Atwood, T. C., J. K. Young, J. P. Beckman, S. W. Breck, J. Fike, O. E. Rhodes, K. D. Bristow.2011.Modeling Connectivity of Black Bears in a Desert Sky Islands Archipelago. Biological Conservation.144:2851-2862.
http://www.skyislandalliance.org/images/2011_sky%20island%20bear%20study_Bio%20Conservation.pdf |
Avery, L. A., D. Ward, J. Marks.2011.Exercise Conditioning of Pond-Reared Razorback Suckers Decreases downstream Movement Upon Release into a Stream Environment. Western North American Naturalist.71:78-85.
http://nau.edu/Centers-Institutes/Ecoss/_Forms/Publications/Avery-et-al-2011/. |
Justice-Allen, A. E., C. J. Luedtke, M. Overstreet, J. W. Caine III, T. R. Stephenson.2011.Prevalence of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in Desert Bighorn Sheep in Arizona. Desert Bighorn Council Transactions.51:1-12.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/file-storage.INDIVIDUAL-ACTIVITIES-CooperativeResearchUnits.digitalmeasures.usgs.edu/jwcain/intellcont/Justice-Allen%20et%20alDesert%20Bighorn%20Council%20Transactions%20Volume%2051.pdf%20-%20Adobe%20Acrobat%20Pro-1.pdf. |
| Loberger, C. L., T. C. Theimer, S. S. Rosenstock, C. S. Wightman.2011.Use of restoration-treated ponderosa pine forest by tassel-eared squirrels. Journal of Mammalogy.92:1021-1027. |
| Sesnie, S. E., B. G. Dickson, S. S. Rosenstock, J. Rundall.2011.A Comparison of Landsat TM and MODIS Vegetation Indices for Estimating Forage Phenology in Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) Habitat in the Sonoran Desert, USA. International Journal of Remote Sensing.DOI:10.1080/01431161.2011.592865. |
| Besser, T. E., E. F. Cassirer, M. A. Highland, P. Wolff, A. Justice-Allen, K. Mansfield, M. A. Davis, W. Foreyt.2012.Bighorn Sheep Pneumonia: Sorting Out the Cause of a Polymicrobial Disease. Preventative Veterinary Medicine.109 (3-4):185.pdf. |
| Schuler, K. L., D. E. Green, A. E. Justice-Allen, R. Jaffe, M. Cunningham, N. J. Thomas, M.G. Spalding, H. S. Ip.2012.Expansion of an Exotic Species and Concomitant Disease Outbreaks: Pigeon Paramyxovirus in Free-Ranging Eurasian Collared Doves.Ecohealth.9(2):163-170. |
| Korman, J., S. J. D. Martell, C. J. Walters, A. S. Makinster, L. G. Coggins, M. D. Yard, W. R. Persons.2012. Estimating Recruitment Dynamics and Movements of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon Using an Integrated Assessment Model. Canadian Journal of Fisheries Aquatic Science.69:1-23.pdf. |
Bunch, A. J., C. J. Walters, L. G. Coggins, Jr. 2013. Measurement Error in Fish Lengths: Evaluation and Management Implications. Fisheries.38 (7):320-326.
http://afs.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03632415.2013.803472 |
Horncastle, V. J., R. F. Yarborough, B. G. Dickson, S. S. Rosenstock.2013.Summer Habitat Use by Adult Female Mule Deer in a Restoration-Treated Ponderosa Pine Forest. Wildlife Society Bulletin.DOI: 10.1002/wsb.301.
http://library.eri.nau.edu/gsdl/collect/erilibra/index/assoc/D2014001.dir/doc.pdf |
| Kalies, E. L., S. S. Rosenstock.2013.Stand Structure and Breeding Birds: Implications for Restoring Ponderosa Pine Forests. Journal of Wildlife Management.9999:1-9;DOI:10.1002/jwmg.577. http://library.eri.nau.edu/gsdl/collect/erilibra/index/assoc/D2013017.dir/doc.pdf |
| Stewart, W. T., M. Burrell.2013.Striped Bass Dispersion and Effects on Fisheries Management in Lakes Mohave and Pleasant, Colorado River Basin. American Fisheries Society Symposium.80:431-448 |
| Lucas S. Bair, David L. Rogowski & Chris Neher.2016.Economic Value of Angling on the Colorado River at Lees Ferry: Using Secondary Data to Estimate the Influence of Seasonality, North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 36:6, 1229-1239, DOI:10.1080/02755947.2016.1204388 |
| Harding, L. E., Heffelfinger, J., Paetkau, D., Rubin, E., Dolphin, J., Aoude, A.2016.Genetic Managment and setting recovery goals for Mexican Wolves in the wild. Bio. Conserv.203, 151-159 |
| Bair, L. S., D. L. Rogowski, C. Neher. 2016. Economic Value of Angling on the Colorado River at Lees Ferry: Using Secondary Data to Estimate the Influence of Seasonality. North American Journal of Fisheries Management.36(6):1229-1239 |
| Jones, A. S., J. J. Anderson, B. G. Dickson, S. Boe, E. S. Rubin. 2016. Off-Highway Vehicle Road Networks and Kit Fox Space Use. Journal of Wildlife. 81(2):230-237, DOI:10.1002/jwmg.21204 |
Reports:
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| O’Neill, M. W., D. L. Ward, W. T. Stewart.2011.Growth of Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) at Bubbling Ponds Fish Hatchery. Report. U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. https://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/documents/c10_growth_rasu_nov11.pdf |
Reif, S., R. F. Yarborough, S. S. Rosenstock, E. L. Kalies, S. Hedwall.2013.Wildlife Habitat Values and Forest Structure in Southwestern Ponderosa Pine: Implications for Restoration. Working Paper. Ecological Restoration Institute.
http://library.eri.nau.edu/gsdl/collect/erilibra/index/assoc/HASH8e44.dir/doc.pdf |
| Rosenstock, S. S., R. F. Yarborough.2012.Yuma Proving Ground Wildlife Studies: Final Report. Final Report Contract No: W9124R-11-R-0007 Tasks A-D, 28 pp.pdf |
| Bristow, K. D., L. E. Harding, S. R. Boe, M. L. Crabb, E. S. Rubin.2014.Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) Movements and Habitat Use in the Big Chino Valley, Arizona. Technical Guidance Bulletin 15.Arizona Game and Fish Department. |
| Stewart, B., A. Makinster, A. Vasey, L. Avenetti.2013.Salt River Reservoirs Golden Alga Project. Technical Guidance Bulletin.13.pdf. |
Justice-Allen, A., A. C. Knox.2014.The Prevalence of Pigeon Paramyxovirus 1 and Trichomonas gallinae in band-tailed pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata), mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) and white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica).Final Report. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
https://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/documents/DoveStudyFinalReportDraft16Apr2014.pdf |
| Knox, A. C. 2014. Chronic Wasting Disease Report. Annual Report. Arizona Game and Fish Department.pdf. |
| Rogowski, D. L., R. O. Osterhoudt, P. W. Wolters.2015. Status of the Lees Ferry Rainbow Trout Fishery-2014. Annual Report. U. S. Geological Survey, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ. |
| Rogowski, D. L., P. W. Wolters.2015. Colorado River Fish Monitoring in Grand Canyon, Arizona-2014. Annual Report .U. S. Geological Survey, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ. |
| Osterhoudt, R. O., D. L. Rogowski.2015. Little Colorado River Fish Monitoring in the Lower 1,200 Meters-2014. Annual Report. U. S. Geological Survey, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ. |
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Popular Reading:
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| Rosenstock, S. S., B. Wolf.2010.What Photos and Neutrons Tell Us: How Wildlife Water Developments Benefit Nongame Wildlife in the Sonoran Desert. Arizona Wildlife Views .53(4):21-24.pdf. |
| Warren, J., A. Jones.2011.The Fox and the (Four-Wheel) Hound. Arizona Wildlife Views.54 (2):27-30. |
| Bunch, A., B. Stewart.2012.Tight Lines at Lee’s Ferry. Arizona Wildlife Views.55 (1):12-14. |
| Stewart, B. 2012. A Changing Grand Canyon: Can High Flows Help? .Arizona Wildlife Views. 55(5):30-33.pdf. |
| Bristow, K., M. Crabb.2013.Black Bears and the Wallow Fire. Arizona Wildlife Views.56 (1):8-13.pdf. |
For other publications, please contact Julie Tolby at Jtolby@azgfd.gov
