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Person

Sarah H Peterson

Wildlife Biologist

Email: sepeterson@usgs.gov
Office Phone: 530-669-5088
ORCID: 0000-0003-2773-3901

Location
800 Business Park Drive
Dixon , CA 95620
US
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This dataset describes mesopredator locations (raccoons and striped skunks), dabbling duck nest locations (mallard, gadwall, and cinnamon teal), northern harrier nest locations, and random locations in relation to a set of habitat features in Suisun Marsh, California during 2016 through 2019. We designed a series of questions to link fine-scale predator movements and vulnerability of dabbling duck nests to predator encounters and egg predation. We conducted our study over a 4-year period using 41 GPS-collared raccoons and striped skunks, two of the most widespread mammalian predators of waterfowl eggs in North America, and more than 2000 monitored duck nests. Each night of movement for mesopredators contains the...
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We used free-ranging northern elephant seals as a model species to investigate maternal transfer of mercury (Hg) to pups in relation to maternal traits, including maternal blood mercury concentrations, and to quantify the links between pup lanugo mercury concentrations and maternal mesopelagic foraging behavior during gestation. We satellite tracked known-age adult females at sea during their seven-month-long foraging trip to determine maternal foraging strategies (geographic locations and diving depths) and quantified mercury concentrations in maternal blood and their pups’ blood and lanugo (which is defined as pup hair grown in utero) early in lactation when seals were hauled out. We then tested how the maternal...
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Methylmercury contamination of the environment is an important issue globally, and birds are useful bioindicators for mercury monitoring programs. The available data on mercury contamination of birds in western North America were synthesized. Original data from multiple databases were obtained and a literature review was conducted to obtain additional mercury concentrations. In total, 29219 original bird mercury concentrations from 225 species were compiled, and an additional 1712 mean mercury concentrations, representing 19998 individuals and 176 species, from 200 publications were obtained. To make mercury data comparable across bird tissues, published equations of tissue mercury correlations were used to convert...
Categories: Publication; Types: Citation
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Eggshells of 13 waterbird species were divided in half longitudinally and the outer eggshell membrane was removed from one of the halves. Eggshell thickness was measured for both eggshell halves, both with and without the outer eggshell membrane. The eggshell membrane thickness was calculated by taking the difference between the two thickness measurements. These data support the following publication: Santolo, G.M., Peterson, S.H., Cooney, B., Hartman, C.A., Herzog, M.P. and Ackerman, J.T., 2024. Eggshell membrane thickness and its contribution to total eggshell thickness for 13 waterbird species. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. https://doi.org/10.1676/23-00017
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This dataset describes nocturnal incubation recess behavior for mallard and gadwall hens nesting in Grizzly Island Wildlife Area in breeding seasons 2015-2018. It includes the frequency, start time and duration of recesses, and details a method for determining whether a recess was initiated in response to a predator at the nest using nest temperature data. These data support the following publication: Croston, R.L., Peterson, S.E., Hartman, C.A., Herzog, M.P., Feldheim, C.L., Casazza, M.L., Ackerman, J.T., 2021. Nocturnal incubation recess and flushing behavior by duck hens. Ecology and Evolution
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