Biodiversity Research Institute has been conducting scientific inquiries for government and private sector clients nationwide and globally since 1998. Using both traditional and innovative approaches, BRI scientists collect, analyze, and interpret scientific results on how ecological stressors impact living systems. By incorporating regional data and developing strategies for collecting additional data, BRI has effectively modeled such stressors on species and community distributions, phenology, adaptive strategies and population viability across tropical, temperate, and arctic biomes. BRI researchers provide comprehensive ecological services in following areas of expertise.

With over 17 years of experience, BRI is a national leader in collecting, analyzing, and publishing data on the fate and transport of mercury in ecosystems. Other investigations include historical or legacy contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and lead. Mercury samples are analyzed in BRI’s in-house laboratory. Specific experience includes:

Assessing contaminant levels in wild populations of:

• Mammals
• Marine Birds
• Migratory Birds
• Raptors
• Waterfowl

Assessing contaminants in various ecosystems, including:

• Wetlands (Food-webs, Demographic and Migratory studies)
• Tropics (Biomagnifications and bioaccumulation, Human health related to consumption of fish)

Laboratory services provided by either:

• BRI’s Mercury Laboratory
• Affiliated accredited laboratories including, but not limited to:
  • Boston University
  • University of Connecticut
  • Texas A&M

Capturing and tagging animals to gain insight on migratory patterns, local demographics, and other population-related metrics is one of BRI’s premier areas of expertise:

• Wildlife surveys and monitoring
• Wildlife capture for research
• Wildlife tracking

• Data management
• GIS mapping and analysis
• Ecological data analysis and modeling

BRI biologists have a bredth of expertise researching and monitoring wildlife in relation to energy development. BRI’s staff have experience working at a range of geographic scales, from monitoring energy development sites to addressing complicated regional-scale research questions. We collect data on all aspects of the ecosystem, from environmental covariates to invertebrates to apex predators. We manage ecological data, conduct geospatial analysis, and create ecological models. Below are some examples of the work we have conducted within three different energy sectors.

Wind Energy – BRI has conducted over 30 projects related to wind energy development in partnership with state and federal agencies, developers, environmental consultants, universities, and nongovernmental organizations, examining wildlife and its relationship with offshore and terrestrial wind energy development

Petroleum-based Energy – BRI has considerable experience providing data on the short-term and long-term effects of oil and other petroleum-based (natural gas) energy development on avian and bat species. Experience includes working with trustees on Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) studies

Hydropower-based Energy – For more than 10 years, BRI has conducted wildlife, habitat, and contaminant research related to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requirements.

BRI concurrently studies diseases such as avian influenza and botulism in avian species, and white-nosed syndrome in bats. Specific research includes:

• Assessing avian health conditions.
• Assessing oxidative blood damage from birds exposed to oil.
• Long-term effects of contaminants biotic (prey) and abiotic (water and sediments) on avian health.

• Wildlife research permit management
• Stakeholder processes
• New technology development
• Reporting