Barbara Taylor

Research Interests:

In addition to leading the Marine Mammal Genetics Group, I actively participate in the IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group and chair the Marine Mammal Society’s Conservation Committee. My first ten years in marine mammal research were spent studying harbor porpoise, harbor seals, bowhead whales and humpback whales, mostly in Alaska. Since receiving my PhD at the University of California, San Diego, my research has shifted from a field orientation to a quantitative approach. My research interests include genetics focusing on identifying units to conserve; population dynamics of small populations; conservation biology; demography; population viability analysis and decision analysis.

Current projects:

* Participating in vaquita conservation science projects

* Performance testing of quantitative listing criteria for the Endangered Species Act

* Developing guidelines for using genetic data in taxonomy

My hobbies include tennis, kayaking, art (painting, printing, sculpture) and watching the Daily Show.

Selected Publications:

• Gerrodette, T., Taylor, B.L., Swift, R., Rankin, S., Jaramillo-Legorreta, A. and Rojas-Bracho, L. 2011. A combined visual and acoustic estimate of 2008 abundance, and change in abundance since 1997, for the vaquita, Phocoena sinus. Marine Mammal Science 27(2): E79–E100.
• Taylor, B.L., K. Martien, and P. Morin. 2010. Identifying units to conserve using genetic data. Pages 306-344 in Marine Mammal Ecology and Conservation—A Handbook of Techniques. I.L. Boyd, W.D. Bowen and S.J. Iverson editors. Oxford University Press.
• Regan, T., B. Taylor, G. Thompson, J. Cochrane, R. Merrick, M. Nammack, S. Rumsey, K. Ralls, and M. Runge. 2009. Developing a structure for quantitative listing criteria for the U.S. Endangered Species Act using performance testing, Phase 1 Report. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS, NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-437. 166 pages.
• Taylor, B. L., S. J. Chivers, J. Larese and W. F. Perrin. 2007. Generation length and percent mature estimates for IUCN assessments of cetaceans. Administrative Report LJ-07-01, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Blvd., La Jolla, CA 92038, USA. 24 pp.
• Taylor, B. L., M. Martinez, T. Gerrodette, and J. Barlow. 2006. Lessons from monitoring trends in abundance of marine mammals. Marine Mammal Science 23:157-175.
• Taylor, B. L., Wade, P.R., Ramakrishnan, U., Gilpin, M. and Akçakaya H.R. 2002. Incorporating uncertainty in PVAs for the purpose of classifying species by risk. In Population Viability Analysis. Eds. S.R. Beissinger and D.R. McCollough. pp. 239-252.
• Taylor, B. L., P. R. Wade, D. P. DeMaster, and J. Barlow. 2000. Incorporating uncertainty into management models for marine mammals. Conservation Biology: 1243-1252.
• Taylor, B.L., S. J. Chivers, S. Sexton and A. E. Dizon. 2000. Estimating dispersal rates using mitochondrial DNA data and incorporating uncertainty. Conservation Biology:1287-1297.
• Taylor, B. L. and A. E. Dizon. 1999. First policy then science: Why a management unit based solely on genetic criteria can't work. Molecular Ecology 8:S11-S16.
• Taylor, B. L. and L. Rojas-Bracho. 1999. Examining the risk of inbreeding depression in a naturally rare cetacean, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). Marine Mammal Science 15:1004-1028.
• Taylor, B. L. 1997. Defining "population" to meet management objectives for marine mammals. In: A. E. Dizon, S. J. Chivers, and W. F. Perrin editors. Molecular Genetics of Marine Mammals. Marine Mammal Science Special Publication 33:49-65.
• Taylor, B. L. and A. E. Dizon. 1996. The need to estimate power to link genetics and demography for conservation. Conservation Biology 2:661-664.
• Taylor, B. L., P. R. Wade, R. A. Stehn, and J. F. Cochrane. 1996. A Bayesian approach to classification criteria for Spectacled Eiders. Ecological Applications 6:1077-1089.
• Taylor, B. L. 1995. The reliability of using population viability analysis for classification of species. Conservation Biology 9:551-558.
• Taylor, B. L. and T. Gerrodette. 1993. The uses of statistical power in conservation biology: the vaquita and the Northern Spotted Owl. Conservation Biology 7:489-500.
• Taylor, B. 1991 Investigating species incidence over habitat fragments of different areas--a look at error estimation. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 42: 177-191.
• Taylor, B. and P. Dawson 1984. Seasonal changes in density and behavior of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) affecting census methodology in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. Rep. Int. Whal. Commn. 34: 479-483.