ardea consulting provides a complete review of existing data sets to determine the adequacy of avian and other wildlife toxicology information for addressing required technical and/or regulatory issues. Our written reports appropriately answer intended questions. In addition, we advise clients of any gaps or inadequacies of the data and provide approaches available to address shortcomings in the most cost-effective manner.
When ardea consulting provides input as part of a larger avian or other wildlife toxicology consulting team with other consultants, engineers or environmental groups, ardea provides as much technical writing support as required.
Sample Projects
Project #1: Analyze Plant Species Population, Habitat Quality
Problem: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service needed population data analyzed for a plant species proposed for listing as Threatened or Endangered.
Solution: ardea consulting teamed with a statistician to analyze the population data and conduct Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses of habitat across the species range.
Result: A report was drafted that considered the habitat quality across the range of the species, the population trend for the species in different regions of the range, and different potential factors (e.g., weather, fire) that could impact the species across its range. Report is available on the Technical Reports page of this website.
Project #2: Determine Bird Monitoring Locations
Problem: The U.S. EPA wanted to know the association between avian population monitoring locations and land-use/cover types to identify specific monitoring locations closely associated with agricultural lands.
Solution: A Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis was performed to determine the availability of land-use/cover databases and to assign buffer areas around bird monitoring locations to determine land-uses/cover types associated with specific monitoring sites.
Result: A report was submitted with maps depicting those bird monitoring locations in proximity to agricultural lands throughout the contiguous United States. Report is available on the Technical Reports page of this website.
Project #3: Research and Compile Wildlife Toxicity Assessment Reports
Problem: The U.S. Army needed Wildlife Toxicity Assessments of chemicals of interest to the military.
Solution: Exhaustive literature reviews of available toxicity data for terrestrial amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals and summaries of environmental fate data were prepared.
Result: Eight Wildlife Toxicity Assessment reports were submitted to the U.S. Army. One was selected for inclusion as a chapter in an upcoming book.
Previous experience:
While working in industry, Dr. Sullivan was responsible for reviewing reports and the supporting data from numerous laboratory and field studies. He ensured the reports were well written, the data were present to support the conclusions in the report, the data were collected in a scientifically sound manner, and the data and report met EPA guidelines and regulatory requirements.