World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
48
Citations
10790
World Ranking
4177
National Ranking
1455

Overview

David S. Pilliod is affiliated with the United States Geological Survey in the United States. Their research primarily focuses on environmental science, with a substantial body of work in ecology and related subfields.

The scientist has contributed extensively to the study of environmental processes, particularly in the areas of rangeland and wildlife management, fire effects on ecosystems, and ecology and vegetation dynamics. Other notable research topics include wildlife ecology and conservation, species distribution and climate change, amphibian and reptile biology, and the use of environmental DNA in biodiversity studies.

Key recent publications by David S. Pilliod include:

  • "Diverse aging rates in ectothermic tetrapods provide insights for the evolution of aging and longevity" (2022, Science)
  • "Small-scale water deficits after wildfires create long-lasting ecological impacts" (2020, Environmental Research Letters)
  • "A National-Scale Assessment of Mercury Bioaccumulation in United States National Parks Using Dragonfly Larvae As Biosentinels through a Citizen-Science Framework" (2020, Environmental Science & Technology)
  • "Bridging the research-management gap: landscape science in practice on public lands in the western United States" (2020, Landscape Ecology)
  • "Protecting restoration investments from the cheatgrass-fire cycle in sagebrush steppe" (2021, Conservation Science and Practice)

Pilliod frequently publishes in several scientific journals. The most common venues include Landscape Ecology, Rangeland Ecology & Management, Environmental Science & Technology, Conservation Science and Practice, and Restoration Ecology.

The scientist often collaborates with other researchers. Frequent co-authors include Robert S. Arkle, Michelle I. Jeffries, Matthew J. Germino, Cameron L. Aldridge, and Justin L. Welty.

Best Publications

  • Critical considerations for the application of environmental DNA methods to detect aquatic species

    Caren S. Goldberg;Cameron R. Turner;Kristy Deiner;Katy E. Klymus

  • Estimating occupancy and abundance of stream amphibians using environmental DNA from filtered water samples

    David S. Pilliod;Caren S. Goldberg;Robert S. Arkle;Lisette P. Waits

  • Molecular detection of vertebrates in stream water: a demonstration using Rocky Mountain tailed frogs and Idaho giant salamanders.

    Caren S. Goldberg;David S. Pilliod;Robert S. Arkle;Lisette P. Waits

  • Factors influencing detection of eDNA from a stream-dwelling amphibian

    David S. Pilliod;Caren S. Goldberg;Robert S. Arkle;Lisette P. Waits

  • Population structure of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) is strongly affected by the landscape

    W. Chris Funk;Michael S. Blouin;Paul Stephen Corn;Bryce A. Maxell

  • Characterizing the distribution of an endangered salmonid using environmental DNA analysis

    Matthew B. Laramie;Matthew B. Laramie;David S. Pilliod;Caren S. Goldberg

  • Moving environmental DNA methods from concept to practice for monitoring aquatic macroorganisms

    Caren S. Goldberg;Katherine M. Strickler;David S. Pilliod

  • Quantitative evidence for the effects of multiple drivers on continental-scale amphibian declines

    Evan H. Campbell Grant;David A. W. Miller;Benedikt R. Schmidt;Michael J. Adams

  • Fire and amphibians in North America

    David S. Pilliod;R.Bruce Bury;Erin J. Hyde;Christopher A. Pearl

  • Long-term effects of seeding after wildfire on vegetation in Great Basin shrubland ecosystems

    Kevin C. Knutson;David A. Pyke;Troy A. Wirth;Robert S. Arkle

  • Landscape genetics of high mountain frog metapopulations.

    Melanie A Murphy;R Dezzani;D S Pilliod;A Storfer

  • Refining the cheatgrass–fire cycle in the Great Basin: Precipitation timing and fine fuel composition predict wildfire trends

    David S. Pilliod;Justin L. Welty;Robert S. Arkle

  • Local and Landscape Effects of Introduced Trout on Amphibians in Historically Fishless Watersheds

    David S. Pilliod;Charles R. Peterson

  • Seasonal migration of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) among complementary resources in a high mountain basin

    David S Pilliod;Charles R Peterson;Peter I Ritson

  • Effects of amphibian chytrid fungus on individual survival probability in wild boreal toads.

    David S. Pilliod;Erin Muths;Rick D. Scherer;Rick D. Scherer;Paul E. Bartelt

  • Seventy-Five Years of Vegetation Treatments on Public Rangelands in the Great Basin of North America

    David S. Pilliod;Justin L. Welty;Gordon R. Toevs

  • Assessing the Consequences of Nonnative Trout in Headwater Ecosystems in Western North America

    Jason B. Dunham;David S. Pilliod;Michael K. Young

  • Quantifying climate sensitivity and climate-driven change in North American amphibian communities

    David A. W. Miller;Evan H. Campbell Grant;Erin Muths;Staci M. Amburgey

  • Compensatory effects of recruitment and survival when amphibian populations are perturbed by disease

    Erin Muths;Rick D. Scherer;Rick D. Scherer;David S. Pilliod

  • Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi-scale habitat models: implications for sage-grouse in the Great Basin.

    Robert S. Arkle;David S. Pilliod;Steven E. Hanser;Matthew L. Brooks

  • Distribution and environmental limitations of an amphibian pathogen in the Rocky Mountains, USA

    Erin Muths;David S. Pilliod;Lauren J. Livo

Frequent Co-Authors

Matthew J. Germino
Matthew J. Germino United States Geological Survey
Erin Muths
Erin Muths United States Geological Survey
Nancy F. Glenn
Nancy F. Glenn Boise State University
Caren S. Goldberg
Caren S. Goldberg Washington State University
Paul Stephen Corn
Paul Stephen Corn United States Geological Survey
David A. Pyke
David A. Pyke United States Geological Survey
Lisette P. Waits
Lisette P. Waits University of Idaho
Matthew L. Brooks
Matthew L. Brooks United States Geological Survey
Jason B. Dunham
Jason B. Dunham United States Geological Survey
Janet L. Rachlow
Janet L. Rachlow University of Idaho

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

If you're exploring careers in Ecology and Evolution, many complementary fields offer online study options to broaden your expertise. For example, an online mathematics degree can provide invaluable analytical skills, supporting advanced research or data-driven roles in environmental science.

Visual storytelling is growing in demand for ecological outreach and education. Learning design through online graphic design schools can help you contribute to educational materials, outreach campaigns, or nonprofit initiatives.

Some students prefer a flexible, customized approach. The most affordable online interdisciplinary studies programs allow you to blend biology, policy, technology, or communication—tailoring your education to specific environmental career goals.

For those fascinated by how human history interacts with ecology, pursuing an online masters in history can deepen your understanding of environmental change and its social impacts.

Whichever pathway you choose, these online degrees make it easier to build skill sets that are highly valued in the field of Ecology and Evolution.

Best Scientists Citing David S. Pilliod

Trending Scientists