Mike Knowles

I use a variety of software (e.g., SAS, ArcGIS, R, Python) and data sources (e.g., National Land Cover Data (NLCD), Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), NatureServe) to create, analyze and maintain data sets used in a wide variety of research efforts. Currently, my primary effort is working with the Research Economist on Water Resources and the Research Fish Biologist on Wildilife Resources in their fulfillment of the RPA Assessment.

• RPA Wildlife Assessments and Updates since 1984.
• Identifying potential suitable habitat for the Ivory-billed woodpecker across its historic range.
• Montreal Process sustainable forestry initiative indicator reports.
• Projecting biodiversity response to changes in landscape composition and habitat conditions in forest ecosystems.

Flather, C. H.; Knowles, M. S.; Baggett, L. S. 2017. Land cover dynamics across the Great Plains and their influence on breeding birds: Potential artefact of data and analysis limitations. Biological Conservation. 213: 243-244. Flather, Curtis H.; Knowles, Michael S.; Jones, Martin F.; Schilli, Carol. 2013. Wildlife population and harvest trends in the United States: a technical document supporting the Forest Service 2010 RPA Assessment. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-296. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 94 p.

Expanding my knowledge of software and their capabilities, increasing my efficiency in completing tasks and expanding the research opportunities available to the research scientist.

It expands the knowledge of how wildlife resources respond to changing environmental conditions, including shifts in land use and land management, human populations and housing, fragmentation of native vegetation, and climate change.