David William Johnston | Scholars@Duke

David William Johnston
Associate Professor of the Practice of Marine Conservation Ecology

Dr. David W. Johnston is an Associate Professor of the Practice of Marine Conservation & Ecology in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University and the Director of the Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing (MaRRS) Lab at the Duke University Marine Laboratory. Johnston holds a PhD from Duke University and received post-doctoral training at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California. His professional experience ranges from leading research programs for NOAA to working as an ecologist within the NGO sector. Johnston’s research program currently focuses on advancing robotic applications, platforms and sensors for marine science, education, and conservation missions. He has published extensively in top journals in the fields of conservation biology, oceanography, marine ecology, remote sensing, and marine policy on research that spans tropical, temperate and polar biomes.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor of the Practice of Marine Conservation Ecology, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment 2017

Contact Information

315/BOOKOUT/DUKE Marine Lab, 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd., Beaufort, NC 28516
david.johnston@duke.edu (252) 504-7593
Duke Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab
Johnston Lab

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Duke University 2004
Duke Appointment History
- Assistant Professor of the Practice of Marine Conservation Ecology, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment 2013 - 2017
Recognition
In the News
- AUG 27, 2019 Duke Global
  
  A Perspective From Above on the World's Marine Life
- JAN 19, 2018 Nicholas School of the Environment
  
  Duke Marine Lab's Stunning Journey to Study Antarctic Whales
- JUN 14, 2017 Nicholas School of the Environment
  
  Technology-Aided Surveys Reveal Extent of Gray Seal Recovery
- MAY 22, 2017 Duke Stories
  
  Research From a New Point of View
- MAR 15, 2017 Duke Magazine
  
  Drones Take Research to New Heights
- JUL 8, 2016 Public Radio East
  
  Local scientists counting sea turtles with drones
- MAY 31, 2016 CBS News, AP
  
  Dave Johnston: How technology could help prevent shark attacks
- MAY 25, 2016 Motherboard
  
  Shark-spotting drones could protect both swimmers and sharks
- MAY 24, 2016 Triangle Business Journal
  
  Shark! UNC, Duke researchers want to detect sharks with drones
- MAY 24, 2016 Gizmag
  
  Shark-detecting drones to keep beachgoers safe
- MAY 23, 2016
  
  Drones Detect Sharks In Coastal Waters As Part Of Ongoing Study
- APR 19, 2016 Pacific Standard
  
  Why scientists are banking on drones for tracking coastal climate research
- AUG 17, 2015
  
  Marine Lab Takes to the Air With Drones
- JUL 10, 2015 WCTI-New Bern
  
  Drones used by marine scientists for good of life on coast
- JUN 19, 2015 Public Radio East
  
  Duke Marine Lab Researchers Are Testing Drones in Beaufort
- MAR 26, 2015 National Geographic
  
  The Azores: First witness to global marine plastic pollution
- MAR 18, 2015
  
  Marine Lab Team To Document Plastic Debris In World’s Oceans
- DEC 17, 2014
  
  Duke Research: Federal And Local Action Needed To Protect Hawaii's Spinner Dolphins
Expertise
Global Scholarship
- Expertise
  - Antarctica (Continent)
- Research
Research
Selected Grants
External Relationships
- University of Exeter
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Nelms, S. E., J. Alfaro-Shigueto, J. P. Y. Arnould, I. C. Avila, S. Bengtson Nash, E. Campbell, M. I. D. Carter, et al. “Marine mammal conservation: over the horizon.” Endangered Species Research 44 (March 25, 2021): 291–325. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01115.
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  - Digiacomo, A. E., W. E. Harrison, D. W. Johnston, and J. T. Ridge. “Elasmobranch use of nearshore estuarine habitats responds to fine-scale, intra-seasonal environmental variation: Observing coastal shark density in a temperate estuary utilizing unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS).” Drones 4, no. 4 (December 1, 2020): 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones4040074.
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  - Raoult, V., A. P. Colefax, B. M. Allan, D. Cagnazzi, N. Castelblanco-Martínez, D. Ierodiaconou, D. W. Johnston, et al. “Operational protocols for the use of drones in marine animal research.” Drones 4, no. 4 (December 1, 2020): 1–35. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones4040064.
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  - Ridge, J. T., P. C. Gray, A. E. Windle, and D. W. Johnston. “Deep learning for coastal resource conservation: automating detection of shellfish reefs.” Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 6, no. 4 (December 1, 2020): 431–40. https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.134.
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  - Bird, C. N., A. H. Dawn, J. Dale, and D. W. Johnston. “A semi-automated method for estimating adélie penguin colony abundance from a fusion of multispectral and thermal imagery collected with unoccupied aircraft systems.” Remote Sensing 12, no. 22 (November 2, 2020): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12223692.
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  - Kahane-Rapport, S. R., M. S. Savoca, D. E. Cade, P. S. Segre, K. C. Bierlich, J. Calambokidis, J. Dale, et al. “Lunge filter feeding biomechanics constrain rorqual foraging ecology across scale.” The Journal of Experimental Biology 223, no. Pt 20 (October 18, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.224196.
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  - Linsky, J. M. J., N. Wilson, D. E. Cade, J. A. Goldbogen, D. W. Johnston, and A. S. Friedlaender. “The scale of the whale: Using video-tag data to evaluate sea-surface ice concentration from the perspective of individual Antarctic minke whales.” Animal Biotelemetry 8, no. 1 (October 12, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-020-00218-8.
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  - Wiener, C., L. Bejder, D. Johnston, L. Fawcett, and P. Wilkinson. “Cashing in on Spinners: Revenue Estimates of Wild Dolphin-Swim Tourism in the Hawaiian Islands.” Frontiers in Marine Science 7 (August 13, 2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00660.
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  - DiGiacomo, A. E., C. N. Bird, V. G. Pan, K. Dobroski, C. Atkins-Davis, D. W. Johnston, and J. T. Ridge. “Modeling salt marsh vegetation height using unoccupied aircraft systems and structure from motion.” Remote Sensing 12, no. 14 (July 1, 2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12142333.
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  - Straub, J. A., A. B. Rodriguez, R. A. Luettich, L. J. Moore, M. Itzkin, J. T. Ridge, A. C. Seymour, D. W. Johnston, and E. J. Theuerkauf. “The role of beach state and the timing of pre-storm surveys in determining the accuracy of storm impact assessments.” Marine Geology 425 (July 1, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2020.106201.
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  - Moxley, J. H., G. Skomal, J. Chisholm, P. Halpin, and D. W. Johnston. “Daily and seasonal movements of cape cod gray seals vary with predation risk.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 644 (June 25, 2020): 215–28. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13346.
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  - Ridge, J. T., and D. W. Johnston. “Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) for Marine Ecosystem Restoration.” Frontiers in Marine Science 7 (June 12, 2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00438.
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  - Barnas, A. F., D. Chabot, A. J. Hodgson, D. W. Johnston, D. M. Bird, and S. N. Ellis-Felege. “A standardized protocol for reporting methods when using drones for wildlife research.” Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems 8, no. 2 (January 1, 2020): 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1139/juvs-2019-0011.
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  - Benavides, M. T., F. J. Fodrie, and D. W. Johnston. “Shark detection probability from aerial drone surveys within a temperate estuary.” Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems 8, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 44–56. https://doi.org/10.1139/juvs-2019-0002.
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  - Heyer, C. E. den, W. D. Bowen, J. Dale, J. F. Gosselin, M. O. Hammill, D. W. Johnston, S. L. C. Lang, K. T. Murray, G. B. Stenson, and S. A. Wood. “Contrasting trends in gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup production throughout the increasing northwest Atlantic metapopulation.” Marine Mammal Science, January 1, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12773.
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  - Goldbogen, J. A., D. E. Cade, D. M. Wisniewska, J. Potvin, P. S. Segre, M. S. Savoca, E. L. Hazen, et al. “Why whales are big but not bigger: Physiological drivers and ecological limits in the age of ocean giants.” Science (New York, N.Y.) 366, no. 6471 (December 2019): 1367–72. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aax9044.
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  - Gough, William T., Paolo S. Segre, K. C. Bierlich, David E. Cade, Jean Potvin, Frank E. Fish, Julian Dale, et al. “Scaling of swimming performance in baleen whales.” The Journal of Experimental Biology 222, no. Pt 20 (October 23, 2019). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.204172.
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  - Windle, A. E., S. K. Poulin, D. W. Johnston, and J. T. Ridge. “Rapid and accurate monitoring of intertidal Oyster Reef Habitat using unoccupied aircraft systems and structure from motion.” Remote Sensing 11, no. 20 (October 1, 2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11202394.
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  - Gray, P. C., K. C. Bierlich, S. A. Mantell, A. S. Friedlaender, J. A. Goldbogen, and D. W. Johnston. “Drones and convolutional neural networks facilitate automated and accurate cetacean species identification and photogrammetry.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 10, no. 9 (September 1, 2019): 1490–1500. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13246.
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  - Seymour, A. C., J. T. Ridge, E. Newton, A. B. Rodriguez, and D. W. Johnston. “Geomorphic response of inlet barrier islands to storms.” Geomorphology 339 (August 15, 2019): 127–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.04.021.
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  - Gray, P. C., A. B. Fleishman, D. J. Klein, M. W. McKown, V. S. Bézy, K. J. Lohmann, and D. W. Johnston. “A convolutional neural network for detecting sea turtles in drone imagery.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 10, no. 3 (March 1, 2019): 345–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13132.
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  - Hernandez, K. M., A. L. Bogomolni, J. H. Moxley, G. T. Waring, R. A. Digiovanni, M. O. Hammill, D. W. Johnston, L. Sette, and M. J. Polito. “Seasonal variability and individual consistency in gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) isotopic niches.” Canadian Journal of Zoology 97, no. 11 (January 1, 2019): 1071–77. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0032.
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  - Johnston, David W. “Unoccupied Aircraft Systems in Marine Science and Conservation.” Annual Review of Marine Science 11 (January 2019): 439–63. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-010318-095323.
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  - Nowlin, M., S. Roady, E. Newton, and D. Johnston. “Applying Unoccupied Aircraft Systems to Study Human Behavior in Marine Science and Conservation Programs.” Frontiers in Marine Science 6 (2019): 1–11.
  - Windle, A. E., D. Shane Hooley, and D. W. Johnston. “Robotic vehicles enable high-resolution light pollution sampling of sea turtle nesting beaches.” Frontiers in Marine Science 5, no. DEC (December 20, 2018). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2018.00493.
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  - Tyne, Julian A., Fredrik Christiansen, Heather L. Heenehan, David W. Johnston, and Lars Bejder. “Chronic exposure of Hawaii Island spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) to human activities.” Royal Society Open Science 5, no. 10 (October 24, 2018): 171506. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171506.
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  - Gray, P. C., J. T. Ridge, S. K. Poulin, A. C. Seymour, A. M. Schwantes, J. J. Swenson, and D. W. Johnston. “Integrating drone imagery into high resolution satellite remote sensing assessments of estuarine environments.” Remote Sensing 10, no. 8 (August 1, 2018). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10081257.
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  - Soulen, Brianne K., Barney J. Venables, David W. Johnston, and Aaron P. Roberts. “Accumulation of PBDEs in stranded harp (Pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) from the Northeastern United States.” Marine Environmental Research 138 (July 2018): 96–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.04.008.
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  - Pallin, Logan J., C Scott Baker, Debbie Steel, Nicholas M. Kellar, Jooke Robbins, David W. Johnston, Doug P. Nowacek, Andrew J. Read, and Ari S. Friedlaender. “High pregnancy rates in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) around the Western Antarctic Peninsula, evidence of a rapidly growing population.” Royal Society Open Science 5, no. 5 (May 2, 2018): 180017. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180017.
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  - Seymour, A. C., J. T. Ridge, A. B. Rodriguez, E. Newton, J. Dale, and D. W. Johnston. “Deploying Fixed Wing Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS) for Coastal Morphology Assessment and Management.” Journal of Coastal Research 34, no. 3 (May 1, 2018): 704–17. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-17-00088.1.
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  - Sykora-Bodie, Seth T., Vanessa Bezy, David W. Johnston, Everette Newton, and Kenneth J. Lohmann. “Author Correction: Quantifying Nearshore Sea Turtle Densities: Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Population Assessments.” Scientific Reports 8, no. 1 (April 19, 2018): 6479. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24799-w.
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  - Bierlich, K. C., Carolyn Miller, Emelia DeForce, Ari S. Friedlaender, David W. Johnston, and Amy Apprill. “Temporal and Regional Variability in the Skin Microbiome of Humpback Whales along the Western Antarctic Peninsula.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 84, no. 5 (March 2018). https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02574-17.
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  - Albertson, G. R., A. S. Friedlaender, D. J. Steel, A. Aguayo-Lobo, S. L. Bonatto, S. Caballero, R. Constantine, et al. “Temporal stability and mixed-stock analyses of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the nearshore waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula.” Polar Biology 41, no. 2 (February 1, 2018): 323–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-017-2193-1.
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  - Arona, Lauren, Julian Dale, Susan G. Heaslip, Michael O. Hammill, and David W. Johnston. “Assessing the disturbance potential of small unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) on gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) at breeding colonies in Nova Scotia, Canada.” Peerj 6 (January 2018): e4467. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4467.
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  - Rees, A. F., L. Avens, K. Ballorain, E. Bevan, A. C. Broderick, R. R. Carthy, M. J. A. Christianen, et al. “The potential of unmanned aerial systems for sea turtle research and conservation: A review and future directions.” Endangered Species Research 35 (January 1, 2018): 81–100. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00877.
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  - Sykora-Bodie, Seth T., Vanessa Bezy, David W. Johnston, Everette Newton, and Kenneth J. Lohmann. “Quantifying Nearshore Sea Turtle Densities: Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Population Assessments.” Scientific Reports 7, no. 1 (December 18, 2017): 17690. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-17719-x.
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  - Heenehan, Heather L., Sofie M. Van Parijs, Lars Bejder, Julian A. Tyne, Brandon L. Southall, Hugh Southall, and David W. Johnston. “Natural and anthropogenic events influence the soundscapes of four bays on Hawaii Island.” Marine Pollution Bulletin 124, no. 1 (November 2017): 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.065.
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  - Moxley, Jerry H., Andrea Bogomolni, Mike O. Hammill, Kathleen M. T. Moore, Michael J. Polito, Lisa Sette, W Brian Sharp, et al. “Google Haul Out: Earth Observation Imagery and Digital Aerial Surveys in Coastal Wildlife Management and Abundance Estimation.” Bioscience 67, no. 8 (August 2017): 760–68. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix059.
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  - Weinstein, B. G., M. Double, N. Gales, D. W. Johnston, and A. S. Friedlaender. “Identifying overlap between humpback whale foraging grounds and the Antarctic krill fishery.” Biological Conservation 210 (June 1, 2017): 184–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.04.014.
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  - Heenehan, H. L., S. M. Van Parijs, L. Bejder, J. A. Tyne, and D. W. Johnston. “Differential effects of human activity on Hawaiian spinner dolphins in their resting bays.” Global Ecology and Conservation 10 (April 1, 2017): 60–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2017.02.003.
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  - Seymour, A. C., J. Dale, M. Hammill, P. N. Halpin, and D. W. Johnston. “Automated detection and enumeration of marine wildlife using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and thermal imagery.” Scientific Reports 7 (March 24, 2017): 45127. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45127.
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  - Tyne, Julian A., David W. Johnston, Fredrik Christiansen, and Lars Bejder. “Temporally and spatially partitioned behaviours of spinner dolphins: implications for resilience to human disturbance.” Royal Society Open Science 4, no. 1 (January 11, 2017): 160626. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160626.
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  - Hammill, Michael O., Julian Dale, Garry B. Stenson, C. denHeyer, J. -. F. Gosselin, and David W. Johnston. “Comparison of methods to estimate grey seal pup production at different colonies.” Dfo Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat Csas Research Document 2010/091, 2017.
  - Heenehan, H. L., S. M. Van Parijs, L. Bejder, J. A. Tyne, and D. W. Johnston. “Using acoustics to prioritize management decisions to protect coastal dolphins: A case study using Hawaiian spinner dolphins.” Marine Policy 75 (January 1, 2017): 84–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.10.015.
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  - Johnston, D. W., J. Dale, K. T. Murray, E. Josephson, E. Newton, and S. Wood. “Comparing occupied and unoccupied aircraft surveys of wildlife populations: Assessing the gray seal (halichoerus grypus) breeding colony on muskeget island, usa.” Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems 5, no. 4 (January 1, 2017): 178–91. https://doi.org/10.1139/juvs-2017-0012.
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  - Burrows, J. A., D. W. Johnston, J. M. Straley, E. M. Chenoweth, C. Ware, C. Curtice, S. L. De Ruiter, and A. S. Friedlaender. “Prey density and depth affect the fine-scale foraging behavior of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in Sitka Sound, Alaska, USA.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 561 (December 15, 2016): 245–60. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11906.
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  - Tyne, J. A., N. R. Loneragan, D. W. Johnston, K. H. Pollock, R. Williams, and L. Bejder. “Evaluating monitoring methods for cetaceans.” Biological Conservation 201 (September 1, 2016): 252–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.07.024.
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  - Puryear, Wendy Blay, Mandy Keogh, Nichola Hill, Jerry Moxley, Elizabeth Josephson, Kimberly Ryan Davis, Chistopher Bandoro, et al. “Prevalence of influenza A virus in live-captured North Atlantic gray seals: a possible wild reservoir.” Emerging Microbes & Infections 5, no. 8 (August 3, 2016): e81. https://doi.org/10.1038/emi.2016.77.
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  - Heenehan, Heather L., Julian A. Tyne, Lars Bejder, Sofie M. Van Parijs, and David W. Johnston. “Passive acoustic monitoring of coastally associated Hawaiian spinner dolphins, Stenella longirostris, ground-truthed through visual surveys.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 140, no. 1 (July 2016): 206. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4955094.
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  - Friedlaender, Ari S., David W. Johnston, Reny B. Tyson, Amanda Kaltenberg, Jeremy A. Goldbogen, Alison K. Stimpert, Corrie Curtice, et al. “Multiple-stage decisions in a marine central-place forager.” Royal Society Open Science 3, no. 5 (May 11, 2016): 160043. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160043.
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  - Bejder, M., D. W. Johnston, J. Smith, A. Friedlaender, and L. Bejder. “Embracing conservation success of recovering humpback whale populations: Evaluating the case for downlisting their conservation status in Australia.” Marine Policy 66 (April 1, 2016): 137–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2015.05.007.
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  - Roman, Joe, Meagan M. Dunphy-Daly, David W. Johnston, and Andrew J. Read. “Lifting baselines to address the consequences of conservation success.” Trends in Ecology & Evolution 30, no. 6 (June 2015): 299–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2015.04.003.
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  - Curtice, Corrie, David W. Johnston, Hugh Ducklow, Nick Gales, Patrick N. Halpin, and Ari S. Friedlaender. “Modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of foraging movements of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Western Antarctic Peninsula.” Movement Ecology 3, no. 1 (January 2015): 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-015-0041-x.
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  - Heenehan, H., X. Basurto, L. Bejder, J. Tyne, J. E. S. Higham, and D. W. Johnston. “Using Ostrom's common-pool resource theory to build toward an integrated ecosystem-based sustainable cetacean tourism system in Hawai`i.” Journal of Sustainable Tourism 23, no. 4 (January 1, 2015): 536–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2014.986490.
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  - Johnston, David W., Jaime Frungillo, Ainsley Smith, Katie Moore, Brian Sharp, Janelle Schuh, and Andrew J. Read. “Trends in Stranding and By-Catch Rates of Gray and Harbor Seals along the Northeastern Coast of the United States: Evidence of Divergence in the Abundance of Two Sympatric Phocid Species?” Plos One 10, no. 7 (January 2015): e0131660. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0131660.
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  - Kraska, J., G. O. Crespo, and D. W. Johnston. “Bio-logging of marine migratory species in the law of the sea.” Marine Policy 51 (January 1, 2015): 394–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2014.08.016.
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  - Tyne, J. A., D. W. Johnston, R. Rankin, N. R. Loneragan, and L. Bejder. “The importance of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat: Implications for management.” Journal of Applied Ecology 52, no. 3 (January 1, 2015): 621–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12434.
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  - Friedlaender, A. S., J. A. Goldbogen, D. P. Nowacek, A. J. Read, D. Johnston, and N. Gales. “Feeding rates and under-ice foraging strategies of the smallest lunge filter feeder, the Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis).” The Journal of Experimental Biology 217, no. Pt 16 (August 2014): 2851–54. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.106682.
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  - Tyne, Julian A., Kenneth H. Pollock, David W. Johnston, and Lars Bejder. “Abundance and survival rates of the Hawai'i Island associated spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) stock.” Plos One 9, no. 1 (January 22, 2014): e86132. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0086132.
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  - Crain, D. D., A. S. Friedlaender, D. W. Johnston, D. P. Nowacek, B. L. Roberts, K. W. Urian, D. M. Waples, and A. J. Read. “A quantitative analysis of the response of short-finned pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus, to biopsy sampling.” Marine Mammal Science 30, no. 2 (January 1, 2014): 819–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12074.
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  - Johnson, Z. I., and D. W. Johnston. “Smartphones: Powerful tools for geoscience education.” Eos 94, no. 47 (November 19, 2013): 433–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013EO470001.
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  - Crain, D. D., A. S. Friedlaender, D. W. Johnston, D. P. Nowacek, B. L. Roberts, K. W. Urian, D. M. Waples, and A. J. Read. “A quantitative analysis of the response of short-finned pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus, to biopsy sampling.” Marine Mammal Science, 2013.
  - Siders, Zachary A., Andrew J. Westgate, David W. Johnston, Laurie D. Murison, and Heather N. Koopman. “Seasonal variation in the spatial distribution of basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) in the lower Bay of Fundy, Canada.” Plos One 8, no. 12 (January 2013): e82074. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0082074.
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  - Soulen, Brianne K., Kristina Cammen, Thomas F. Schultz, and David W. Johnston. “Factors affecting harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) strandings in the Northwest Atlantic.” Plos One 8, no. 7 (January 2013): e68779. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0068779.
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  - Johnston, D. W., A. S. Friedlaender, A. J. Read, and D. P. Nowacek. “Initial density estimates of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in the inshore waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula during the late autumn.” Endangered Species Research 18, no. 1 (August 20, 2012): 63–71. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00395.
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  - Johnston, David W., Matthew T. Bowers, Ari S. Friedlaender, and David M. Lavigne. “The effects of climate change on harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus).” Plos One 7, no. 1 (January 4, 2012): e29158. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029158.
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  - Thorne, Lesley H., David W. Johnston, Dean L. Urban, Julian Tyne, Lars Bejder, Robin W. Baird, Suzanne Yin, et al. “Predictive modeling of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands.” Plos One 7, no. 8 (January 2012): e43167. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0043167.
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  - Forney, K. A., D. R. Kobayashi, D. W. Johnston, J. A. Marchetti, and M. G. Marsik. “What's the catch? Patterns of cetacean bycatch and depredation in Hawaii-based pelagic longline fisheries.” Marine Ecology 32, no. 3 (September 1, 2011): 380–91. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0485.2011.00454.x.
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  - Friedlaender, A. S., D. W. Johnston, W. R. Fraser, J. Burns, H. Patrick N., and D. P. Costa. “Ecological niche modeling of sympatric krill predators around Marguerite Bay, Western Antarctic Peninsula.” Deep Sea Research Part Ii: Topical Studies in Oceanography 58, no. 13–16 (July 1, 2011): 1729–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.11.018.
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  - Nowacek, Douglas P., Ari S. Friedlaender, Patrick N. Halpin, Elliott L. Hazen, David W. Johnston, Andrew J. Read, Boris Espinasse, Meng Zhou, and Yiwu Zhu. “Super-aggregations of krill and humpback whales in Wilhelmina Bay, Antarctic Peninsula.” Plos One 6, no. 4 (April 27, 2011): e19173. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0019173.
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  - Hazen, E. L., and D. W. Johnston. “Meridional patterns in the deep scattering layers and top predator distribution in the central equatorial Pacific.” Fisheries Oceanography 19, no. 6 (November 1, 2010): 427–33. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2419.2010.00561.x.
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  - Friedlaender, A. S., D. W. Johnston, and P. N. Halpin. “Effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation on sea ice breeding habitats of harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus) across the North Atlantic.” Progress in Oceanography 86, no. 1–2 (July 1, 2010): 261–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2010.04.002.
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  - Leaper, R., D. M. Lavigne, P. Corkeron, and D. W. Johnston. “Towards a precautionary approach to managing Canada's commercial harp seal hunt.” Ices Journal of Marine Science 67, no. 2 (March 1, 2010): 316–20. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsp232.
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  - Friedlaender, A. S., D. P. Nowacek, D. W. Johnston, A. J. Read, R. B. Tyson, L. Peavey, and E. M. S. Revelli. “Multiple sightings of large groups of Arnoux's beaked whales (Berardius arnouxii) in the Gerlache Strait, Antarctica.” Marine Mammal Science 26, no. 1 (January 1, 2010): 246–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2009.00346.x.
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  - Gales, N. J., W. D. Bowen, D. W. Johnston, K. M. Kovacs, C. L. Littnan, W. F. Perrin, J. E. Reynolds, and P. M. Thompson. “Guidelines for the treatment of marine mammals in field research.” Marine Mammal Science 25, no. 3 (July 1, 2009): 725–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2008.00279.x.
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  - McDonald, Mark A., John A. Hildebrand, Sean M. Wiggins, David W. Johnston, and Jeffrey J. Polovina. “An acoustic survey of beaked whales at Cross Seamount near Hawaii.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 125, no. 2 (February 2009): 624–27. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3050317.
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  - Johnston, D. W., A. S. Friedlaender, A. J. Read, and D. P. Nowacek. “Abundance of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Western Antarctic Peninsula during the Austral fall (In preparation).” Marine Biology, 2009.
  - Johnston, D. W., J. Robbins, M. E. Chapla, D. K. Mattila, and K. R. Andrews. “Diversity, habitat associations and stock structure of odontocete cetaceans in the waters of American Samoa, 2003-06.” Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 10, no. 1 (June 1, 2008): 59–66.
  - Johnston, D. W., M. McDonald, J. Polovina, R. Domokos, S. Wiggins, and J. Hildebrand. “Temporal patterns in the acoustic signals of beaked whales at Cross Seamount.” Biology Letters 4, no. 2 (April 2008): 208–11. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2007.0614.
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  - Johnston, D. W., M. E. Chapla, L. E. Williams, and D. K. Mattila. “Identification of humpback whale wintering habitat in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands using spatial habitat modeling.” Endangered Species Research 3 (October 2007): 249–57.
  - Johnston, D. W., and A. J. Read. “Flow-field observations of a tidally driven island wake used by marine mammals in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.” Fisheries Oceanography 16, no. 5 (September 1, 2007): 422–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2419.2007.00444.x.
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  - Ingram, S. N., L. Walsh, D. W. Johnston, and E. Rogan. “The influence of benthic topography and oceanography on the distribution of fin and minke whales in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.” Journal of the Marine Biological Society of the U.K. 87 (March 2007): 149–56.
  - Ingram, S. N., L. Walshe, D. Johnston, and E. Rogan. “Habitat partitioning and the influence of benthic topography and oceanography on the distribution of fin and minke whales in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.” Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87, no. 1 (February 1, 2007): 149–56. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315407054884.
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  - Nowacek, D. P., L. H. Thorne, D. W. Johnston, and P. L. Tyack. “Responses of cetaceans to anthropogenic noise.” Mammal Review 37, no. 2 (January 1, 2007): 81–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.2007.00104.x.
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  - Baker, J. B., C. L. Littnan, and D. W. Johnston. “Potential Effects of Sea-level Rise on the Terrestrial Habitats of Endangered and Endemic Megafauna in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.” Endangered Species Research 4 (2006): 1–10.
  - Johnston, D. W. “A Hard Days Night: Spinner Dolphins Need Their Rest Too.” Ka Pili Kai 28 (2006): 9–11.
  - Johnston, D. W., L. H. Thorne, and A. J. Read. “Fin whales Balaenoptera physalus and minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata exploit a tidally driven island wake ecosystem in the Bay of Fundy.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 305 (December 23, 2005): 287–95. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps305287.
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  - Johnston, D. W., A. S. Friedlaender, L. G. Torres, and D. M. Lavigne. “Variation in sea ice cover on the east coast of Canada from 1969 to 2002: Climate variability and implications for harp and hooded seals.” Climate Research 29, no. 3 (October 17, 2005): 209–22. https://doi.org/10.3354/cr029209.
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  - Johnston, D. W., A. J. Westgate, and A. J. Read. “Effects of fine-scale oceanographic features on the distribution and movements of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena in the Bay of Fundy.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 295 (June 23, 2005): 279–93. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps295279.
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  - Gannon, D. P., D. W. Johnston, A. J. Read, and D. P. Nowacek. “Resonance and dissonance: Science, ethics and the sonar debate.” Marine Mammal Science 20 (2004): 213–14.
  - Gannon, D. P., D. W. Johnston, A. J. Read, and D. P. Nowacek. “Resonance and dissonance: Science, ethics, and the sonar debate.” Marine Mammal Science 20, no. 4 (January 1, 2004): 898–99. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2004.tb01202.x.
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  - Johnston, D. W. “The effect of acoustic harassment devices on harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.” Biological Conservation 108, no. 1 (November 1, 2002): 113–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(02)00099-X.
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  - Johnston, D. W., P. Meisenheimer, and D. M. Lavigne. “An evaluation of management objectives for Canada's commercial harp seal hunt, 1996-1998.” Conservation Biology 14, no. 3 (June 1, 2000): 729–37. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.2000.98260.x.
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  - Palka, D. L., A. J. Read, A. J. Westgate, and D. W. Johnston. “Summary of current knowledge of harbour porpoises in US and Canadian Atlantic waters.” Forty Sixth Report of the International Whaling Commission, December 1, 1996, 559–65.
  - Gray, Patrick, and David Johnston. “New Remote Sensing Approaches for Investigating the Submesoscale Structure and Biology of Frontal Eddies in the Gulf Stream,” n.d. https://doi.org/10.1002/essoar.10506566.1.
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  - Rees, Alan F., Larisa Avens, K. Ballorain, E. Bevan, Annette C. Broderick, R. R. Carthy, M. J. A. Christianen, et al. “The potential of unmanned aerial vehicles for sea turtle research and conservation.” Endangered Species Research, n.d.
- Book Sections
  - Forte, Maurizio, Nevio Danelon, David Johnston, Katherine McKusker, Everette Newton, Gianfranco Morelli, and Gianluca Catanzariti. “Vulci 3000: A digital challenge for the interpretation of Etruscan and Roman cities.” In Digital Cities Between History and Archaeology, edited by Maurizio Forte and Helena Murteira, 13–36. Oxford University Press, USA, 2020.
  - Johnston, D. W. “Vigilance, resilience and failures of science and management: Spinner dolphins and tourism in Hawai’i.” In Cambridge University Press, 9780521195973:275–92, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139018166.023.
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- Conference Papers
  - Kahane-Rapport, S. R., M. S. Savoca, D. E. Cade, P. S. Segre, K. C. Bierlich, J. Calambokidis, A. S. Friedlaender, D. W. Johnston, A. J. Werth, and J. A. Goldbogen. “From Feast Mode to Least Mode: How Lunge Filter Feeding Biomechanics Constrain Rorqual Foraging Ecology Across Scale.” In Integrative and Comparative Biology, 60:E116–E116, 2020.
    Link to Item
  - Heenehan, H. L., D. W. Johnston, S. M. Van Parijs, L. Bejder, and J. A. Tyne. “Acoustic response of Hawaiian spinner dolphins to human disturbance.” In Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 27, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0000232.
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- Datasets
  - Bierlich, K. C., David W. Johnston, A. S. Friedlaender, J. Dale, J. Hewitt, J. A. Goldbogen, and R. S. Schick. “Data and scripts from: A Bayesian approach for predicting photogrammetric uncertainty in morphometric measurements derived from UAS (null),” November 30, 2020. https://doi.org/10.7924/r4wd3x28b.
    Data Access
  - Hayes, Madeline, David W. Johnston, Patrick C. Gray, Wade Sedgwick, Vivon Crawford, Natalie Chazal, and Guillermo Harris. “Data from: A Convolutional Neural Network for Seabird Detection in Drone Imagery (null),” September 17, 2020. https://doi.org/10.7924/r4dn45v9g.
    Data Access
  - Johnston, David W., Clara N. Bird, Julian Dale, and Allison H. Duprey. “Data and scripts from: A semi-automated method for estimating Adelie penguin colony abundance from a fusion of multispectral and thermal imagery collected with Unoccupied Aircraft Systems,” September 8, 2020. https://doi.org/10.7924/r4cv4jq6j.
    Data Access
  - Digiacomo, Alexandra, David Johnston, Clara Bird, Virginia Pan, Justin Ridge, Claire Atkins-Davis, and Kelly Dobroski. “Data from: Modeling salt marsh vegetation height using Unoccupied Aircraft Systems and Structure from Motion,” June 8, 2020. https://doi.org/10.7924/r4w956k1q.
    Data Access
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