Department of Natural Resources Conservation

Research Associate Professor

Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Assistant Unit Leader - Wildlife U.S. Geological Survey
Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Phone: 413-545-4888
Email: psievertpsievert(at)nrc.umass.edu

Primary interests

Dr. Sievert’s research interests are in conservation biology, physiological ecology, and biostatistics. His research group studies populations of threatened and endangered species (freshwater turtles, salamanders, butterflies and moths, short-tailed albatross, Sumatran tigers) to better understand, and hopefully reverse, their declines. With respect to physiological ecology, Dr. Sievert is interested in how energy and water balance influence the nesting ecology of marine birds, the estivation behavior of turtles, and the establishment of species range boundaries. His quantitative research focuses on methods for estimating survival rates, and the use of population viability analyses in conservation biology.

Courses Taught

• Applied Biostatistics for Natural Resources (W&FCONSV 697S&T)
• Biostatistics Journal Club (NRC 697B)

Current Research Group Members

Graduate Students

• MICHAEL T. JONES (PhD): Modeling the spatial distribution of wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) in New England

• LISABETH WILLEY (PhD): Ecology and conservation of Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts

• KIMBERLY M. OGDEN (PhD): Distribution and abundance of four-toed salamanders (Hemidactylium scutatum): development of a multi-scale model of habitat preference

• DAVID J. PAULSON (MS): Evaluating the effectiveness of road passage structures for freshwater turtles in Massachusetts

• KATHERINE KAUFFMAN (MS): Foraging ecology and reproductive success of auks in the Gulf of Maine

Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates

• MYRA FINKELSTEIN (Postdoc; co-advised with Daniel Doak, UC Santa Cruz, and Michael Fry, American Bird Conservancy): Understanding the effects of interacting threats on the survival of long-lived species

• BRADLEY W. COMPTON (Research Associate): Rare species habitat modeling and population assessment
Past Research Group Members

Graduate Students

• GENE ALBANESE (MS 2006; co-advised with Peter D. Vickery): Local and landscape requirements of frosted elfins (Callophrys irus) in sandplain communities of Massachusetts [Currently in PhD program at Oklahoma State University]

• MARK GRGUROVIC (MS 2006): Habitat selection and movement patterns of Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) in Massachusetts [Currently a herpetological research consultant]

• SARAH A. HAGGERTY (MS 2005): Effect of firebreak maintenance on rare insects of Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, Massachusetts [Currently employed by Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program]

• LAURA J. CLARK (MS 2005; co-advised with Stephen DeStefano): Small mammal ecology and the prevalence of Lyme disease on Martha’s Vineyard [Currently employed by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI]

• HARIYO T. WIBISONO (MS 2005): Conservation of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Indonesia [Currently employed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, Indonesia Program]

• L. LEANN KANDA (PhD 2005; co-advised with Todd K. Fuller): Limitations to the northernmost distribution of Virginia Opossums [Currently Assistant Professor at Ithaca College , NY]
Postdoctoral Fellows

• JAVIER ARATA (Postdoc 2005): Population status of Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis) and black-footed albatrosses (Phoebastria nigripes) in the North Pacific [Currently employed by the Toronto Zoo]

Selected Publications

Albanese, G., P.D. Vickery, and P.R. Sievert. 2008. Microhabitat use by larvae and females of a rare barrens butterfly, frosted elfin ( Callophrys irus ). Journal of Insect Conservation

Albanese, G., M.W. Nelson, P.D. Vickery, and P.R. Sievert. 2007. Larval feeding behavior and ant association in frosted elfin, Callophrys irus , (Lycaenidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 61(2):61-66.

Albanese, G., P.D. Vickery, and P.R. Sievert. 2007. Habitat characteristics of adult frosted elfins (Callophrys irus) in sandplain communities of southeastern Massachusetts, USA. Biological Conservation 136(1):53-64.

Finkelstein, M., B.S. Keitt, B. Tershy, W.M. Jarman, S. Rodriguez-Pastor, D.J. Anderson, P.R. Sievert, D.A. Croll, and D.R. Smith. 2006. Albatross species demonstrate regional differences in North Pacific marine contamination. Ecological Applications 16(2):678-686.

Suryan, R.M., F.Sato, G. Balogh, K.D. Hyrenbach, P.R. Sievert, and K. Ozaki. 2006. Foraging destinations and marine habitat use of short-tailed albatrosses: A multi-scale approach using first-passage time analysis. Deep Sea Research, Part II 53(3-4):370-386.

Kanda, L.L., T.K. Fuller, and P.R. Sievert. 2006. Local distribution and landscape associations of Virginia opossums ( Didelphis virginiana ) in central Massachusetts . American Midland Naturalist 156:128-134.

Haggerty , S.A. and P.R. Sievert. 2005. Managing firebreak fuels to promote habitat of an imperiled moth. Ecological Restoration 23(1):67-68.

Grgurovic, M. and P.R. Sievert. 2005. Movement patterns of Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii ) in the suburban landscape of eastern Massachusetts . Urban Ecosystems 8:201-211.

Kanda, L.L., T.K. Fuller, P.R. Sievert, and K.D. Friedland. 2005. Variation in winter microclimate and its potential influence on Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana ) survival in Amherst , Massachusetts . Urban Ecosystems 8:213-223.

Field, R., R. J. Warren, H. Okarma, and P. R. Sievert, editors. 2001. Wildlife, land, and people: priorities for the 21st Century. Proceedings of the Second International Wildlife Management Congress. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Fernandez, P., D. J. Anderson, P. R. Sievert, and K. P. Huyvaert. 2001. Foraging destinations of three low-latitude albatross species. Journal of Zoology 254:391-404.

Fuller, T. K., and P. R. Sievert. 2001. Carnivore demography and the consequences of changes in prey availability. Pages 163-178 in Carnivore Conservation, Gittleman, J. L., S. M. Funk, and D. W. Macdonald, editors. Cambridge University Press, London, U.K.

Sievert, P. R., and L. Sileo. 1993. The effects of ingested plastic on growth and survival of albatross chicks. Pages 212-217 in Vermeer, K., K. T. Briggs, K. H. Morgan, and D. Siegel-Causey, editors. The status, ecology, and conservation of marine birds of the North Pacific. Canadian Wildlife Service Special Publication, Ottawa, Canada.

Place, A. R., P. R. Sievert, and R. Butler. 1991. The volume of stomach oils increases during pre-fledging weight loss in Leach’s storm- petrel chicks. Auk 108:709-711.

Anderson, D. J., P. R. Sievert, J. Andrews-Labenski, and R. E. Ricklefs. 1991. A miniature activity recorder for plunge-diving birds. Auk 108:257-263.

Sievert, P. R., R. Butler, and A. R. Place. 1990. Total body water and its turnover in normal and salt-loaded nestling Leach’s storm-petrels. MDIBL Bulletin 29:143-146.

Sileo, L., P. R. Sievert, and M. D. Samuel. 1990. Causes of mortality of albatross chicks at Midway Atoll. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 26:329-338.

Sileo, L., P. R. Sievert, M. D. Samuel, and S. I. Fefer. 1990. Prevalence and characteristics of plastic ingested by Hawaiian seabirds. Pages 665-681 in Shomura, R. S. and M. L. Godfrey, editors. Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Marine Debris, 2-7 April 1989, Honolulu, Hawaii. NOAA-Technical Memorandum-NMFS-SWFSC-154.

Goff, M. L., P. R. Sievert, and L. Sileo.1989. New species of Apoloniinae (Acari: Trombiculidae) from the Laysan albatross taken in the Midway Islands and a key to the species of Apoloniinae of the World. Journal of Medical Entomology 26:484-486.

Sievert, P. R., and L. B. Keith.1985. Survival of snowshoe hares at a geographic range boundary. Journal of Wildlife Management 49:854-866