Biodiversity Research Institute has been conducting scientific inquiries for government and private sector clients nationwide and globally since 1998. Using both traditional and innovative approaches, BRI scientists collect, analyze, and interpret scientific results on how ecological stressors impact living systems. By incorporating regional data and developing strategies for collecting additional data, BRI has effectively modeled such stressors on species and community distributions, phenology, adaptive strategies and population viability across tropical, temperate, and arctic biomes. BRI researchers provide comprehensive ecological services in following areas of expertise.

Wildlife Movements and Distributions
Capturing and tagging animals to gain insight on migratory patterns, local demographics, and other population-related metrics is one of BRI’s premier areas of expertise:

Wildlife surveys and monitoring:

• Conduct waterbird and raptor surveys using aerial and ground-based visual methods
• Conduct songbird point counts and transect surveys
• Conduct bat breeding, migrations, and hibernacula surveys
• Conduct bird, mammal, jish, and invertebrate threatened and endangered species surveys
• Conduct surveys for multiple taxonomic groups using distance-protocol boat surveys, visual aerial surveys, and high definition video aerial surveys
• Conduct bird and bat passive acoustics and video monitoring

Wildlife capture for research:

• Capture birds using night-lighting, mist netting (fixed and floating), noose mats, bow nets, dho gaza nets, rocket netting, audio lures, and other methods
• Capture bat and other mammals using mist nets, harp traps, Sherman traps, and other methods

Wildlife tracking:

• Track wildlife using all available technology, including VHF transmitters, nanotags, geolocators, GPS transmitters, GPS-Argos (satellite) transmitters, and high resolution GPS transmitters (GSM)
• Tailor attachment methods to individual animals as appropriate for each species (i.e., backpack harness, tail mount, glue-on, leg band attachment)
• Surgically implant transmitters in wildlife intolerant of other attachment methods (i.e., sea ducks and loons)

Renewable Energy Development
BRI biologists have a bredth of expertise researching and monitoring wildlife in relation to energy development. BRI's staff have experience working at a range of geographic scales, from monitoring energy development sites to addressing complicated regional-scale research questions. We collect data on all aspects of the ecosystem, from environmental covariates to invertebrates to apex predators. We manage ecological data, conduct geospatial analysis, and create ecological models. Below are some examples of the work we have conducted within three different energy sectors.

Wind Energy – BRI has conducted over 30 projects related to wind energy development in partnership with state and federal agencies, developers, environmental consultants, universities, and nongovernmental organizations, examining wildlife and its relationship with offshore and terrestrial wind energy development:

• Determine bird, sea turtle, and marine life distributions and densities through:
  • High-definition aerial video surveys
  • Boat surveys
• Document focal avian species movements and site fidelity through:
  • Satellite telemetry tracking
• Assess nocturnal migration of avian and bat species using:
  • Acoustics monitoring
  • Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD)

Petroleum-based Energy – BRI has considerable experience providing data on the short-term and long-term effects of oil and other petroleum-based (natural gas) energy development on avian and bat species. Experience includes working with trustees on Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) studies.

• Estimating mortality and productivity rates.
• Modeling population survival using mark/recapture and telemetry.
• Tracking species’ movement using radio and satellite telemetry.
• Documenting presence/absence of listed species.
• Assessing overall wildlife health.

Hydropower-based Energy – For more than 10 years, BRI has conducted wildlife, habitat, and contaminant research related to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requirements. These ecological services include:

• Conducting wildlife surveys and shoreline ecosystem impacts of reservoirs in association with hydropower activities. 
• Managing water birds to compensate for potential losses from hydrological management activities.
• Examining contaminants related to water level fluctuations and other management activities on reservoirs.

Other Services

Wildlife research permit management:

• Apply for, acquire, and manage municipal, state, federal, international, threatened and endangered species, and other permits required for wildlife research
• Serve as the direct point of contact for the Bird Banding Laboratory, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and other permitting offices

Stakeholder processes:

• Facilitate workshops to establish scientific consensus
• Facilitate communication between state and federal agency staff to establish permitting goals and processes
• Elicit expert knoledge through surveys and interviews
• Conduct literature reviews to inform stakeholders about current research

New technology development:

• Bring new products to the market when existing technology is inadequate to monitor wildlife, including mobile applications and video monitoring equipment

Reporting:

• Write proposals, budget justifications, and Scopes of Work
• Write technical reports to funding organizations and regulatory agencies
• Develop scientific manuscripts
• Develop science communications and public outreach documents