ANNUAL REPORT: June 1, 2008 – May 31, 2009
(i.e., Summer 2008, AY 2008-2009)
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST BIOLOGY
SUNY-ESF
NAME: James P. Gibbs
I. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Regular Course Offerings
Credit
Students
Course No.
Sections
No.
Title
No. of Lab.
Hrs.
SUMMER: EFB 384 Field herpetology 3 cr, 16 students
FALL: None
SPRING: EFB 413 Introduction to Conservation Biology 3 cr, 110 students
EFB 419 Problem solving in conservation biology 3 cr. 36 students
2. Non-Scheduled Course Offerings (e.g., 496, 899, 999)
Credit
Course No.
Title
Hrs.
No.
Students
3. Continuing Education and Extension (short courses, workshops, etc.)
Taller sobre el programa “Distance” para analizar data de fauna silvestre. 12/17/08, Charles Darwin
Research Station, Galapagos. 15 participants (with Kevin Shoemaker, in Spanish)
Introduction to R-workshop, SUNY-ESF 3/12-3/14/09, 40 participants (organizer; workshop delivered by
Sasha Hafner and Adam Ryan).
4. Guest Lecture Activities
Course No.
Title
No. of Lectures
Global Environment, 2 lectures
II. STUDENT ADVISING
A. Number of undergraduates for whom you are the student’s official advisor 31 and unofficial advisor 3
B. Graduate Students: (Name, degree sought, starting date, month & year; if a degree was completed,
please give
date and full citation for the thesis or dissertation).
MAJOR PROFESSOR
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Mike Fishman (9/05, MS)
Helen Czech (1/06, MS)
Sam Quinn (9/07, MS)
Kevin T. Shoemaker (1/08, PhD)
Murray Launtner (8/07, PhD)
Andrew Myers (1/09, MS)
Kristin Winchell (1/09, MS, Columbia)
CO-MAJOR PROFESSOR
MEMBER, STEERING COMMITTEE (other than those listed above)
1. Martin Mendez, PhD (Columbia)
2. Hara Woltz PhD (Columbia)
3. Viorel Popescu PhD (Maine)
4. Oscar Pinedo (Columbia)
5. David Williams PhD
6. Amy Dechan, PhD
7. Cynthia Watson, PhD
8. Sara Scanga, PhD
9. Ayesha Prasad, PhD
10. Matthew Buff, PhD
11. Shannon Dodge, MS
12. Wendy Jensen, PhD
13. Linda Ordiway, PhD
14. Rita Oliveira Monteiro, PhD
15. William Hellenbrook, PhD
16. Juan Carlos Alvarez-Yepiz, PhD
17. Katherina Bendz Searing, PhD
18. Christine Boser, MS
19. Jason Townsend, PhD
20. Jaime Johns, MS
21. Jessica Bohn, MS
CHAIRMAN OR READER ON THESIS EXAMS, ETC.
Felix Eigenbrod, Carleton University, Ottawa, PhD thesis external examiner
POST-DOCTORAL SCHOLARS, TECHNICIANS AND OTHERS SUPPORTED AND ADVISED
Dr. Geri Tierney (since 9/04 to present) – NPS ecological monitoring project
Dr. David Patrick (1/07 to 1/09) – NYSDOT project
Dr. Elizabeth Harper (5/07 to 1/09) – NSF LEAP project
III. RESEARCH COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY
A. Departmental Research (unsupported, boot-legged; title - % time spent)
B. 1. Grant-supported Research (source, subject, amount - total award and current year, award period
starting and ending dates; list graduate research assistants supported by each grant)
Sloan Foundation, “Professional Science Masters Program at the SUNY College of Environmental Science
and Forestry,” Scott Shannon, Gary M. Scott; James P. Gibbs; Kenneth J. Tiss; Shijie Liu; Susan E.
Anagnost. $15,000. 5/09-5/10
American Bird Conservancy, “Restoring Espanola Island as Nesting Habitat for Waved Albatross -- Phase I:
Establishment of Baseline to Measure Albatross Nesting Response to Experimental Vegetation
Manipulation and Refinement of Rapid Nesting Population Survey Methods,” J.P. Gibbs $3,750,
5/08-1/10.
Honeywell International, Inc., “Sustainable Reuse Remedy Demonstration,” T. Volk, D. Daley, J. Frair, and
J. P. Gibbs, $369,227, 3/08-2/09.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “Conservation Research on the Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail,” J. Frair
and J. P. Gibbs, $60,000, 6/07-5/09.
New York State Department of Conservation: “Survey of Hellbenders in the Upper Susquehanna
Watershed,” J. P. Gibbs and J. Frair. $30,000. 1/07-12/08.
New York State Department of Conservation: “Population status and foraging ecology of eastern coyotes in
New York State.” Jacqueline L. Frair, James P. Gibbs, Gordon R. Batcheller, $678,704, 1/06-9/11.
New York State Department of Conservation: “Bog Turtle Dispersal and Population Monitoring,” J. P.
Gibbs and L. B. Smart. $155,000. 4/06 – 3/09.
New York State Department of Conservation: “Status Assessment and Evaluation of Habitat Quality of the
Bog Brook Unique Area for the Bog Turtle and Spotted Turtle,” J. P. Gibbs, $60,000,4/06 – 3/09.
National Science Foundation, “Biodiversity dynamics and land-use changes in the Amazon: Multi-scale
interactions between ecological systems and resource-use decisions by indigenous peoples,” J. M. V.
Fragoso, J. P. Gibbs, K. Silvius, L. Martins, J. Read. $1,650,001. 9/05-8-09.
New York State Departmental Environmental Conservation: “The Status, Distribution and Life History of
the Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle, Apalone spinifera, in central New York,” J. P. Gibbs. $80,000,
1/06-12/09.
New York State Department of Transportation/University Transportation Research Center: “Effects of New
York State roadways on amphibians and reptiles: A research and adaptive mitigation program,” J. P.
Gibbs, D. J. Leopold, and P. Ducey, $253,000. 5/05-4/09.
National Science Foundation: "Land-Use Practices and Persistence of Amphibian Populations,” R. D.
Semlitsch, M. L. Hunter, J. W. Gibbons, and J. P. Gibbs. $1,200,000, 3/03-3/09.
Northern States Research Cooperative, “Importance of calcium-rich substrates for supporting refugia of
biodiversity and productivity in an increasingly acidified landscape,” Colin Beier, Myron Mitchell,
James Gibbs, Donald Leopold, Martin Dovciak, $41,543, 2009-2010/
SUNY-ESF McIntire-Stennis Research Program Proposal, “Restoring Small, Ephemeral Wetlands in
Forested Landscapes of New York State: Initiating a Large-scale, Long-term Collaborative Research
Program Based at the Heiberg Forest,” James P. Gibbs, John C. Stella, Kimberly L. Schulz, Donald
J. Leopold, 1/09-12/12, $89,850.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, “Golf Course Wetlands as Refuges for Turtles,” J. P. Gibbs,
$60,000, 12/08-12/11.
U.S. National Park Service: “Vital Signs Monitoring of the Northeast Temperate Parks,” J. P. Gibbs and G.
Tierney (since 2001); current projects as follows:
“Phase III: Development of Terrestrial and Related monitoring Protocols for High Priority NETN
Vital Signs,” 7/1/03-12/3/107, $83,729 (augmented $28,931 1/09, and extended 12/10).
“Monitoring Ecological Integrity of Forest Ecosystems: Evaluation and Implementation of the
NETN Forest Condition Protocol” 7/1/2009-6/30/2010. $49,493
2. Research Proposals pending (as in B.1., above)
IV. PUBLICATIONS (Full bibliographic citation, i.e., do not use "with Jones," or "Jones, et al."; please list
only
publications published, in press, or actually submitted during this reporting period --- do not list
manuscripts in preparation).
A. Refereed Publications
Tierney, GL, D Faber-Langendoen, BR Mitchell, WG Shriver, JP Gibbs. 2009. Monitoring and evaluating
the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (in press).
Chiari,Y. C. Hyseni, T. H. Fritts, S. Glaberman, C. Marquez, J. P. Gibbs, J. Claude, A. Caccone.
Morphometrics parallel genetics in a newly discovered and endangered taxon of Galápagos tortoise.
PLoS One (in press).
Karraker, N. E., J. P. Gibbs. Amphibian production in forested landscapes in relation to wetland
hydroperiod: A case study of vernal pools and beaver ponds. Biological Conservation (In press).
Popescu, V. and J. P. Gibbs. Interactions between climate, beaver activity, and pond occupancy of the coldadapted mink frog in New York State, USA. Biological Conservation (in press)
R. D. Semlitsch, S. M. Blomquist, A. J.K. Calhoun, J. W. Gibbons, J. P. Gibbs, G. J. Graeter, E. B. Harper,
D. J. Hocking, M. L. Hunter, Jr., D. A. Patrick, T.A.G. Rittenhouse, B. B. Rothermel, and B. D.
Todd. Effects of timber management on amphibian populations: understanding mechanisms from
forest experiments. BioScience (in press).
Gibbs, J. P., E. J. Sterling, and F. J. Zabala, Giant tortoises as ecological engineers: A long-term quasiexperiment in the Galápagos Islands. Biotropica (in press).
Patrick, D. A. and J. P. Gibbs. Snake occurrences in grassland associated with road versus forest edges. J.
Herpetology (in press).
D. H. Johnson, J. P. Gibbs, M. Herzog, S. Lor, N. D. Niemuth, C. A. Ribic, M. Seamans, T. L. Shaffer, W.
G. Shriver, S. Stehman, and W. L. Thompson, A sampling design framework for monitoring
secretive marshbirds. Waterbirds (in press).
Zuckerberg, B., and J. P. Gibbs. 2009. Overcoming “analysis paralysis,” Frontiers in Ecology and the
Environment 9:505-506
Woltz, H. W., J. P. Gibbs, and P. K. Ducey. 2008. Road crossing structures for amphibians and reptiles:
Informing design through behavioral analysis. Biological Conservation 141:2745-2750.
Lin, J., Gibbs, J.P., and Smart, L.B. 2009. Population genetic structure of native versus naturalized
sympatric shrub willows. Amer. J. Bot. 96:771-785
B. Non-refereed Publications
C. Papers Presented at Science Meetings (give title, date, occasion, and location)
D. Public Service Presentations (lectures, seminars, etc. to and for the public; give group or occasion,
date(s), and
attendance)
“Evolution, ecology and conservation of giant Galapagos tortoises,” Department of Entomology & Wildlife
Ecology, University of Delaware, 10/8,08 (~50 attendees).
“Evolution, ecology and conservation of giant Galapagos tortoises,” Biology Department, Villanova
University, 2/12/09 (~75 attendees).
“Small wetland science,” Plenary speaker, Conference: “Falling Through the Cracks: The Science and
Policy Challenges of Conserving Small Wetlands in the Hudson Valley,” Hudson River Estuary
Program and the Hudson River Environmental Society, Norrie Point Environmental Center,
Staatsburg, NY, 10/28/08. ~60 attendees.
“Small wetland science,” New York State Wetlands Forum, Poughkeepsie, NY, 4/7/09. ~50 attendees.
“Effects of New York State roadways on amphibians and reptiles: a research and adaptive mitigation
program,” NYSDOT Annual Environmental Program Meeting, White Eagle Conference Center,
Hamilton, NY, 18 June 08. ~45 attendees
“Reptiles and amphibians”, Naturally New York/SUNY-ESF, lecture 9/19 and field trip 9/20. ~15 attendees
V. PUBLIC SERVICE
A. Funded Service (include consulting activities)
1. Government Agencies (Federal, State, Local):
National Environmental Management Council, United Republic of Tanzania/World Bank, Training program
in “Principles of ecological monitoring” for Mr. Wilirk Ngalason and Mr. Dismas Mwikila (10/1210/19), SUNY-ESF.
Member, Isle Royale National Park “Blue Ribbon Panel” of science experts assessing Park’s research
programs (1 week site visit August, 2008, final report delivered Jan 09).
2. Industrial and Commercial Groups, etc.
General Electric Corporation, Inc.: Herpetological and colonial waterbird assessment on the Upper Hudson
River (5/06 - present)
Nelson Bird Woltz Landscape Architects, Ecological survey of land holding, Charlottesville, VA, May 1822, (co-organized w/ Leopold, work completed by 12 EFB undergrads, grads and affiliates).
B. Unfunded Service to Governmental Agencies, Public Interest Groups, etc.
Vice Chair, Altai Assistance Project (Wadhams, NY, USA/Gorno-Altaisk, Altai Republic, Russia), (elected
3/09, 2-year term)
Member, Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail recovery team (2002-present)
Nine Mile Creek Conservation Council, Council Member, Camillus, New York (2001-present).
VI. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A. Professional Honors and Awards (for teaching, research, outreach, etc.)
University of Maine, Dept Wildlife Ecology, “Award for Professional Excellence,” 2008
B. 1. Activities in Professional Organizations (offices held, service as chairman, member, participant or
consultant)
Elective Member of the Board, North American Section of the Society for Conservation Biology (3 year
term, elected 5/07, starting 5/07)
2. Professional Society Membership
Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society, American Association for the Advancement of
Science
3. Other Professional Activities
a. Editorial activity
Journal (s)
Responsibility
Other (books, symposia, etc.)
b. Reviewer
Journal(s)
No. of manuscripts
Agency
No. of proposals
[Did not track]
[Did not track]
Other
Promotion and Tenure External Reviewer, University of New Orleans
c. Participation (workshops, symposia, etc.)
Name of workshop, etc.
Date
Place
C. Further Education/Re-training Undertaken, Leaves, Workshops, etc.
D. Foreign Travel (Where, When, Purpose)
5/14-6/4 Macas, Ecuador for giant tortoise management workshop, and Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, for
albatross fieldwork
11/27-12/21 Volcan Wolf expedition, Galapagos, Ecuador
VII. ADMINISTRATIVE AND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES (include committee participation)
A. Department-level
Coordinator, Conservation Biology Major
Coordinator, Internships
Member, Course and Curriculum Assessment Committee
B. College-level
Member, Professional Science Masters planning committee
C. University-wide, including Research Foundation
VIII. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THIS
REPORTING PERIOD, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST NOTEWORTHY AND RELATIVE TO
THE COLLEGE’S AND DEPARTMENT’S MISSION.
I coordinate EFB’s growing conservation biology undergraduate major, offer its two core courses for
undergraduates (enrollments in both swelled this year), and oversee the progress of a large contingent (ca.
35) of undergraduate advisees, mainly conservation biology majors. I also teach at our Cranberry Lake Field
Station. As internship coordinator for EFB I assist many students each year to find, undertake and receive
credits for their experiences. On the graduate front, we have recruited a fine nucleus of new graduate
students and a research fellow from Brazil to move forward a major constructed small wetlands project,
seeded by a just-received McIntire-Stennis grant. Taking advantage of a lull in graduating grad students, I
focused hard this year on publishing technical articles, with many now in press; otherwise, I remain quite
busy overseeing the financial aspects of a large “biocomplexity” grant relocated to ESF last summer as well
as advising my own graduate group and serving on the committees of many grads here at ESF and at
Columbia University, where I am an active adjunct. With much interest nationwide in Professional Science
Masters initiatives, I’m serving with a cross-college group trying to create a niche for ESF in the PSM arena.
I remain active as an adjunct scientist with the Charles Darwin Foundation, advising on many matters, and
will be supported by USAID for further consultation during 1.5 months in Galapagos this summer. A large
contribution of time was made as an appointee to a USNPS “Blue Ribbon Panel” evaluating science
programs at Isle Royale National Park, in which we fashioned a research agenda for the Park for the next
decade. I continue to seek out relationships that benefit our students and the College via groups in the
private sector, including Panthera and NBWLA, among others, and also am seeking an opportunity to help
coalesce ESF’s image as the “go to” place in the northeast for research and outreach on matters of biological
conservation.
IX. A. FUTURE PLANS, AMBITIONS, AND POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR YOUR OWN
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE PROGRAM IN
ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST BIOLOGY (brief summary)
B. PROJECTED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT YEAR
1. Summer 2009
a.
Course(s) to be offered
Field herpetology, Cranberry Lake
b. Proposed research activity
Oversee many ongoing grad projects, starting developing analyses for Guyana biocomplexity project,
embark on analyses of long-term tortoise datasets
c. University, professional society, and public service
Develop biology-themed PSM curriculum prototype
Deliver plenary address at Charles Darwin anniversary celebration in Galapagos (July); debrief USAID on
Galapagos activities (August)
2. Fall Semester 2009
a.
Course(s) to be offered
Herpetology (tentative)
b. Proposed research activity
Oversee ongoing grad projects
c. University, Professional society, and public service
3. Spring Semester 2010
a.
Course(s) to be offered
Conservation biology
Problem-solving in conservation biology
b. Proposed research activity
c. University, professional society, and public service