Paul Schuette

Paul completed his Ph.D. and a postdoctoral research position at Montana State University investigating the dynamics among large carnivores, herbivores, and local communities in Kenya (Ph.D.) and Zambia (postdoctoral). He also held a postdoctoral research position at SUNY School of Environmental Science and Forestry studying moose in the Adirondack Park, New York. He completed his M.S. degree at San Diego State University evaluating carnivore response to wildfire and acquired his B.S. from Truman State University. Prior to joining USFWS, Paul worked at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Center for Conservation Science, where he led various terrestrial wildlife projects and taught several undergraduate courses. Paul achieved his scientific diver certification as a member of the sea otter program at USFWS. He enjoys various types of terrestrial and water-based recreational activities in Alaska with his family.

Publications

Hinton, J.W., R.E. Wheat, P. Schuette, J. Hurst, D. Kramer, J. Stickles, J. Frair. 2022. Challenges and opportunities for estimating abundance of a low-density moose population. Journal of Wildlife Management, doi: 10.1002/jwmg.22213.

Droghini, A., T. Gotthardt, P. Schuette, K. Christie, R. Kelty. 2022. Conservation status, threats, and information needs of small mammals in Alaska. Conservation Science and Practice.

Schuette, P., S.  Ebbert, A. Droghini, T. Nawrocki. 2022. Small mammal diet indicates plant diversity, vegetation structure structure
Something temporarily or permanently constructed, built, or placed; and constructed of natural or manufactured parts including, but not limited to, a building, shed, cabin, porch, bridge, walkway, stair steps, sign, landing, platform, dock, rack, fence, telecommunication device, antennae, fish cleaning table, satellite dish/mount, or well head.

Learn more about structure , and ecological integrity in a remote ecosystem. Biodiversity and Conservation. doi: 10.1007/s10531-022-02370-4.

Goodheart, B., S. Creel, M.S. Becker, M. Vinks, P. Schuette, K. Banda, C. Sanguinetti, E. Rosenblatt, C. Dart, A. Kusler, K. Young-Overton, X. Stevens, A. Mwanza, C. Simukonda. Low apex carnivore density does not release a subordinate competitor when driven by prey depletion. 2021. Biological Conservation, doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109273.

Vinks, M., S. Creel, E. Rosenblatt, M. Becker, P. Schuette, B. Goodheart, C. Sanguinetti, K. Banda, C. Chifunte, C. Simukonda. 2021. Leopard Panthera pardus density and survival in an ecosystem with depressed abundance of prey and dominant competitors. Oryx. doi:10.1017/S0030605321000223.

Vinks, M., S. Creel, P. Schuette, M. Becker, E. Rosenblatt, K. Young-Overton, C. Sanguinetti, K. Banda, B. Goodheart, X. Stevens, C. Chifunte, N. Midlane, C. Simukonda. Response of lion demography and dynamics to the loss of preferred larger prey. 2021. Ecological Applications. 31:1-12.

Vinks, M., S. Creel, P. Schuette, W. Matandiko, E. Rosenblatt, C. Sanguinetti, K. Banda, B. Goodheart, M. Becker, C. Chifunte, C. Simukonda. 2020. Evaluating the effects of anthropogenic pressures on a diverse African herbivore community. Ecosphere, 11:1-22.

Rosenblatt, E., J. Masonde, J. Merkle, J. M'soka, S. Creel, P. Schuette, M. Becker, D. Christianson, E. Dröge, T. Mweetwa, H. Mwape, T. Simpamba. 2019. Do protection gradients explain patterns in herbivore densities? An example with ungulates in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. PLOS One. 14 (10): e0224438.

Creel, S, C. Simukonda, M. Becker, E. Droge, J. M'soka, W. Matandiko, E. Rosenblatt, T. Mweetwa, H. Mwape, M. Vinks, B. Goodheart, J. Merkle, T. Mukula, D. Smit, C. Sanguinetti, C. Dart, D. Christanson, P. Schuette. 2018. What explains variation in the strength of behavioral responses to predation risk? A standardized test with large carnivore and ungulate guilds in three ecosystems. Biological Conservation, 232:164-172.

Christianson, D., M. Becker, A. Brennan, S. Creel, E. Droge, J. M’soka, T. Mukula, P. Schuette, D. Smit, F. Watson. 2018. Foraging investment in a long‐lived herbivore and vulnerability to coursing and stalking predators. Ecology and Evolution, 8:10147-10155.

Creel, S., W. Matandiko, P. Schuette, E. Rosenblatt, C. Sanguinetti, K. Banda, M. Vinks, M. Becker. 2018. Changes in large carnivore diets over the past half-century reveal depletion of large prey. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55:2908-2916.

Schuette, P., N. Namukonde, M. Becker, F. Watson, S. Creel, C. Chifunte, W. Matandiko, P. Millhouser, E. Rosenblatt, C. Sanguinetti. 2018. Boots on the ground: in defense of low-tech, inexpensive, and robust survey methods for Africa’s under-funded protected areas. Biodiversity and Conservation, 27:2173-2191.

Creel, S., E. Dröge, J. M’soka, D. Smit, M. Becker, D. Christianson, P. Schuette. 2017. The relationship between direct predation and antipredator responses: a test with multiple predators and multiple prey. Ecology, 98: 2081-2092.

Becker M.S., S.M. Durant, F.G.R. Watson, M. Parker, D. Gottelli, J. M’soka, E. Droge, M. Nyirenda, P. Schuette, S. Dunkley, and R. Brummer. 2017. Using dogs to find cats: detection dogs as a survey method for wide-ranging cheetah. Journal of Zoology, 302:184-192.

Rosenblatt, E., S. Creel, M.S. Becker, J. Merkle, H. Mwape, P. Schuette, T. Simpamba. 2016. Effects of a protection gradient on carnivore density and survival: an example with leopards in the Luangwa valley, Zambia. Ecology and Evolution, 6:3772-3785.

Schuette, P., S. Creel, D. Christianson. 2016.Ungulate distributions in a landscape of competitors, predators, and pastoralists. Journal of Applied Ecology. 53:1066–1077.

Creel, S., M. Becker, D. Christianson, E. Dröge, N. Hammerschlag, M.W. Hayward, U. Karanth, A. Loveridge, D. Macdonald, W. Matandiko, J. M’soka, D. Murray, E. Rosenblatt, P. Schuette. 2015. Policy for hunting large carnivores can and should be improved, Reply to Mitchell et al. Science doi: 10.1126/science.aac4768.

Creel, S., M. Becker, D. Christianson, E. Dröge, N. Hammerschlag, M.W. Hayward, U. Karanth, A. Loveridge, D. Macdonald, W. Matandiko, J. M’soka, D. Murray, E. Rosenblatt, P. Schuette. 2015. Science-based policy for hunting of large carnivores. Science 350:1473-1475.

Durant, S.M., M.S. Becker, S. Bashir, S. Creel, A.J. Dickman, R.C. Beudels-Jamar, L. Lichtenfeld, R. Hilborn, J. Wall, G. Wittemyer, L. Badamjav, S. Blake, L. Boitani, C. Breitenmoser, F. Broekhuis,   D. Christianson, G. Cozzi, T.R.B. Davenport, J. Deutsch, P. Devillers, L. Dollar, S. Dolrenry, I. Douglas-Hamilton, E. Dröge, E. FitzHerbert, C. Foley, L. Hazzah, J.G.C. Hopcraft, D. Ikanda, A. Jacobson, D. Joubert, M.J. Kelly, J. Milanzi, N. Mitchell, J. M’Soka, M. Msuha, T. Mweetwa, J. Nyahongo, E. Rosenblatt, P. Schuette, C. Sillero-Zubiri, A.R.E. Sinclair, M.R. Stanley-Price,  A. Zimmermann, N. Pettorelli. 2015. Developing fencing policies for dryland ecosystems. Journal of Applied Ecology 52:544–551.

Rosenblatt, E., S. Creel, M. Becker, E. Dröge, J. Merkle, H. Mwape, T. Mweetwa, P. Schuette, F. Watson. 2014. Detecting declines of apex carnivores and evaluating their causes: an example with Zambian lions. Biological Conservation 180:176-186.

Schuette, P. J. Diffendorfer, D. Deutschman, S. Tremor, W. Spencer. 2014. Carnivore distributions across chaparral habitats exposed to wildfire and rural housing in southern California. International Journal of Wildland Fire 23:591-600.

Creel, S., P. Schuette, D. Christianson. 2014. Effects of predation risk on group size, vigilance and foraging in an African ungulate community. Behavioral Ecology 25:773-784.

Creel, S., M.S. Becker, S.M. Durant, J. M’Soka, W. Matandiko, A.J. Dickman, D. Christianson, E. Dröge, T. Mweetwa, N. Pettorelli, E. Rosenblatt, P. Schuette, R. Woodroffe, S. Bashir, R.C. Beudels-Jamar, S. Blake, M. Borner, C. Breitenmoser, G. Cozzi, T.R.B. Davenport, J. Deutsch, L. Dollar, S. Dolrenry, I. Douglas-Hamilton, C. Foley, L. Hazzah, P. Henschel, R. Hilborn, G. Hopcraft, D. Ikanda, A. Jacobson, B. Joubert, D. Joubert, M.S. Kelly, L. Lichtenfeld, G.M. Mace, J. Milanzi, N. Mitchell, M. Msuha, J. Nyahongo, S. Pimm, G. Purchase, C. Schenck, C. Sillero-Zubiri, A.R.E. Sinclair, A. Songorwa, M. Stanley-Price, J.A. Tehou, C. Trout, J. Wall, G. Wittemeyer, A. Zimmermann. 2013. Conserving large populations of lions–the argument for fences has holes. Ecology Letters 16:1413–e3.

Schuette P., S. Creel, D. Christianson. 2013. Coexistence of African lions, livestock, and people in a landscape with variable human land use and seasonal movements. Biological Conservation 157:148-154.

Creel, S., D. Christianson, P. Schuette. 2013. Glucocorticoid stress responses of lions in relationship to group composition, human land use, and proximity to people. Conservation Physiology 1:1-9.

Schuette P., A. Wagner, M. Wagner, S. Creel. 2013. Occupancy patterns and niche partitioning within a diverse carnivore community exposed to anthropogenic pressures. Biological Conservation 158:301-312.

Schuette, P. and S. Creel. 2011. An integrated approach to evaluate human-carnivore interactions in the south Rift Valley of Kenya. Wild Felid Monitor, Winter 2011.