The application closing date for this Research Opportunity is January 4, 2008.

Evaluating the consequences of landscape change on ecological services

Landscape ecology is an interdisciplinary science that evaluates how spatial patterns of land-use influence processes that provide and maintain critical ecological services upon which people and nature depend. Landscape ecology has made many important scientific discoveries about the relationship between spatial pattern and processes. However, new approaches, including indicators and models, are needed to evaluate how landscape changes will affect a wide range of ecological services. The USGS has major regional, national, and international programs in landscape change detection, but needs to develop approaches and tools that will translate changes into information useful to environmental managers. These approaches and tools are especially important given the large number of geographically extensive issues, including climate change, invasive species spread, habitat and species loss, changes in water quality and quantity (and balance), and increases in natural hazards.

This postdoctoral research opportunity will involve research to develop new and innovative ways to assess the consequences of landscape change on a wide range of ecological services. As such, the research will be highly inter- and trans-disciplinary, involving the entire range of USGS earth and natural sciences. The incumbent will work with a wide range of spatial and in-situ data generated by the USGS and other agencies in developing ecological indicators, models, and assessment approaches. Data from national landscape programs, such as the National Land Cover Database and National Land Cover Trends programs, will be used to evaluate landscape change. Spatial data will include those derived from satellite imagery, and in-situ data will include broad national datasets such as those maintained by the USGS through the National Water Quality Assessment and the Breeding Bird Survey programs. The incumbent will use both empirical (for example, gradient studies) and process modeling approaches to evaluate consequences of landscape change. The incumbent also will work with USGS social and economic scientists to evaluate the consequences of change to people and their behaviors that drive future landscape change. Geographic emphasis of the incumbent’s research will be in multi-disciplinary research areas ongoing within USGS (e.g., Integrated Landscape Monitoring, Priority Ecosystems, Multi-hazard Risk Assessment). However, other geographies may be selected based on environmental gradients and/or availability of existing data.

Products resulting from the incumbent’s research may include GIS-based landscape indicator and modeling approaches and spatially based assessment tools. They may also include development of alternative landscape futures analysis tools that utilize multiple landscape models and multi-criteria, optimization approaches. These approaches and tools will be critical in developing mitigation and alternative futures strategies at local to regional scales.

Proposed Duty Station: Menlo Park, CA; Tucson or Flagstaff, AZ; Vancouver, WA; Denver or Fort Collins, CO; Rolla, MO; Anchorage, AK; Sioux Falls, SD; Reston, VA; Boston, MA; or Annapolis, MD

Areas of Ph.D.: Landscape ecology, spatial ecology and modeling, GIS, geography, environmental science, remote sensing

Qualifications: Applicants must meet one of the following qualifications: Research Geographer, Research Physical Scientist, Research Ecologist, Research Biologist, Research Hydrologist

(This type of research is performed by those who have backgrounds for the occupations stated above. However, other titles may be applicable depending on the applicant's background, education, and research proposal. The final classification of the position will be made by the Human Resources specialist.)

Research Advisor: Ray Watts, (970) 226-9378, rwatts@usgs.gov

Human Resources Office contact: Kathy McDuffie, (703) 648-7408, kmcduffie@usgs.gov

Summary of Opportunities