Darren J Thornbrugh

Dr. Darren J Thornbrugh

USDA Forest Service, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

19Years (2008-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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12 November 2008 in Environmental Science & Technology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
WDWalter K. Dodds
Walter K. Dodds
WBWes W. Bouska
Wes W. Bouska
JEJeffrey L. Eitzmann
Jeffrey L. Eitzmann
TPTyler J. Pilger
Tyler J. Pilger
KPKristen L. Pitts
Kristen L. Pitts
DTDarren J Thornbrugh
Darren J Thornbrugh

8 December 2015 in Jawra Journal of the American Water Resources Association
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
RHRyan Hill
Ryan Hill
MWMarc H. Weber
Marc H. Weber
SLScott G. Leibowitz
Scott G. Leibowitz
AOAnthony R. Olsen
Anthony R. Olsen
DTDarren J Thornbrugh
Darren J Thornbrugh

6 June 2017 in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
EFEric W. Fox
Eric W. Fox
RHRyan A. Hill
Ryan A. Hill
SLScott G. Leibowitz
Scott G. Leibowitz
AOAnthony R. Olsen
Anthony R. Olsen
DTDarren J Thornbrugh
Darren J Thornbrugh
MWMarc H. Weber
Marc H. Weber

4 September 2017 in Ecological Applications
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
RHRyan Hill
Ryan Hill
EFEric W. Fox
Eric W. Fox
SLScott G. Leibowitz
Scott G. Leibowitz
AOAnthony R. Olsen
Anthony R. Olsen
DTDarren J Thornbrugh
Darren J Thornbrugh
MWMarc H. Weber
Marc H. Weber
Understanding and mapping the spatial variation in stream biological condition could provide an important tool for conservation, assessment, and restoration of stream ecosystems. The USEPA's 2008–2009 National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) summarizes the percentage of stream lengths within the conterminous United States that are in good, fair, or poor biological condition based on a multimetric index of benthic invertebrate assemblages. However, condition is usually summarized at regional or national scales, and these assessments do not provide substantial insight into the spatial distribution of conditions at unsampled locations. We used random forests to model and predict the probable condition of several million kilometers of streams across the conterminous United States based on nearby and upstream landscape features, including human‐related alterations to watersheds. To do so, we linked NRSA sample sites to the USEPA's StreamCat Dataset; a database of several hundred landscape metrics for all 1:100,000‐scale streams and their associated watersheds within the conterminous United States. The StreamCat data provided geospatial indicators of nearby and upstream land use, land cover, climate, and other landscape features for modeling. Nationally, the model correctly predicted the biological condition class of 75% of NRSA sites. Although model evaluations suggested good discrimination among condition classes, we present maps as predicted probabilities of good condition, given upstream and nearby landscape settings. Inversely, the maps can be interpreted as the probability of a stream being in poor condition, given human‐related watershed alterations. These predictions are available for download from the USEPA's StreamCat website. Finally, we illustrate how these predictions could be used to prioritize streams for conservation or restoration.

1 February 2018 in Ecological Indicators
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
DTDarren J Thornbrugh
Darren J Thornbrugh
SLScott Leibowitz
Scott Leibowitz
RHRyan A. Hill
Ryan A. Hill
MWMarc H. Weber
Marc H. Weber
ZJZachary Johnson
Zachary Johnson
DPDavid V. Peck
David V. Peck

1 March 2013 in Ecological Indicators
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PEPeter C. Esselman
Peter C. Esselman
DIDana M. Infante
Dana M. Infante
LWLizhu Wang
Lizhu Wang
ACArthur R. Cooper
Arthur R. Cooper
DWDaniel Wieferich
Daniel Wieferich
WTWilliam W. Taylor
William W. Taylor