Date of Award

Summer 8-2025

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Ecology and Environmental Sciences

First Committee Advisor

Joseph Zydlewski

Second Committee Member

Cynthia Loftin

Third Committee Member

David Fulton

Additional Committee Members

Linda Silka

Carly Sponarski

Abstract

As conservation challenges grow more complex, collaborative approaches to natural resource science and management have become increasingly important. Research institutions must remain responsive to the evolving information needs of diverse partners, including government agencies, universities, and the public. This dissertation evaluates the structure, function, and adaptability of collaborative science within the U.S. Geological Survey’s Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CRU) Program, a long-standing program that supports research, graduate education, and technical assistance through formal partnerships with federal, state, university, and non-governmental entities.

In the first analysis, we used bibliometric methods to assess the research output, impact, and co-authorship networks of CRU scientists from 2000 to 2019. Results show a doubling of publication output over two decades, stable citation rates, and growing decentralization in collaboration networks. Emerging research themes increasingly emphasized ecosystem-level impacts and climate change, suggesting the program’s continued adaptability and relevance to shifting conservation priorities.

To understand the broader institutional context in which CRUs operate, we analyzed nearly 2 million archived web pages from 43 state fish and wildlife agency websites spanning 2000 to 2024. Topic modeling and content analysis revealed gradual but significant shifts in messaging, particularly increases in content related to public engagement and non-consumptive recreation, and a decline in traditional management topics. Regional differentiation in communication strategies increased over time, and a trade-off emerged between messaging breadth and consistency, highlighting the dynamic communication environment within which state agencies and CRU partnerships operate.

Building on this context, we evaluated the collaborative structure of the CRU program using survey data from Unit scientists, who serve as key intermediaries between partner organizations. Ego-network analysis revealed complementary but distinct relationship patterns across cooperator types: state agencies maintained strong ties across most dimensions; universities were central to mentoring but constrained in funding and hiring; and federal partners, particularly when disaggregated into regions, showed moderate and geographically structured engagement. Mixed-effects modeling confirmed that structural features of cooperation were relatively consistent across Units, with most variation explained by cooperator role rather than Unit-specific dynamics. Scientists identified chronic underfunding as the primary barrier to collaboration yet also demonstrated adaptive strategies to maintain productive partnerships.

Finally, we examined how CRU scientists perceive their effectiveness in fulfilling core program functions. Principal component analysis identified three underlying dimensions of perceived effectiveness: Academic-Scientific Functions, Public Engagement and Outreach, and Collaborative Relationship Quality. Scientists rated themselves highly in education, research, and technical communication, but reported lower effectiveness in mass media outreach, public engagement, and work across local or international scales. The perceived collaboration quality was consistently strong, underscoring the importance of trust and shared goals in sustaining long-term partnerships. These results suggest that while the CRU program is well aligned with traditional research and management priorities, there is room to grow in public-facing and cross-scale engagement to meet emerging expectations for inclusive, actionable science.

Together, these studies provide a comprehensive evaluation of the CRU program’s structure, outputs, and enabling environment. By integrating bibliometric, textual, and survey-based methods, this dissertation offers new insights into how collaborative science programs evolve alongside the conservation landscape and highlights opportunities to strengthen institutional adaptability, strategic communication, and partnership effectiveness in natural resource governance.

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