Michael Sorice
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
203B ANIN
MS 2831
(979) 862-7580
msorice_essm@tamu.edu

Michael G. Sorice

BA    Miami University, Oxford, OH
MS   Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
PhD Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

My research interests focus on individual and group behavior as it relates to environmental stewardship with an emphasis on the role of natural resource users and landowners in protecting biodiversity and imperiled ecosystems. My work is situated in the social dilemma framework in which conservation over the long term is considered essential to sustaining human well being; yet, people opt instead for their short-term self interest. This yields human behaviors and land management practices that result in increasing losses in ecosystem function and services. I have investigated the prospects for sustainable behavior in both marine and terrestrial environments as well as in tourism settings and on private lands.

Current Research

My recent work focused on the willingness of private landowners to participate in recovery efforts for two endangered songbird species. My current research expands on this to look at landowner perspectives on conservation practices that improve ecosystem function and services as well as landowner willingness to contribute to conservation at the watershed scale.

Recent Publications

Sorice, M. G. Accepted. New insight into the belief-attitude relationship: An application to participation in a voluntary incentive program. Society and Natural Resources.

Sorice, M. G., W. Haider, J. R. Conner, and R. B. Ditton. 2011. Incentive structure of and private landowner participation in an endangered species conservation program. Conservation Biology. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01673.x (link)

Wilcox, B. P., M. G. Sorice, and M. Young. 2011. Dryland ecohydrology in the anthropocene: Taking stock of human–ecological Interactions. Geography Compass 5(3): 112-127. (link)

Sorice, M. G., and J. R. Conner. 2010. Predicting Private Landowner Intentions to Enroll in an Incentive Program to Protect Endangered Species. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 15:77-89. (link)

Lai, P., M. G. Sorice, S. K. Nepal, & C. Cheng. 2009 . Integrating social marketing into sustainable resource management at Padre Island National Seashore: An attitude-based segmentation approach. Environmental Management. Environmental Management. 43:985-998.

Sorice, M. G. Forthcoming. Transforming manatee tourism into ecotourism. Essay in Sirenian Conservation: Issues and Strategies in Developing Countries, edited by E. Hines, J. E. Reynolds III, L. V. Aragones, A. A. Mignucci-Giannoni and M. Marmontel. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press.

Sorice, M. G., C. Oh, R. B. Ditton. 2009. Applying a self-classification measure of recreation specialization to examine scuba diver preferences for marine protected area management. Leisure Sciences 31(2):107-123.

Sorice, M. G. 2008. Understanding Participation in Wildlife Conservation Programs on Private Lands. Dissertation, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.

Sorice, M. G., C. Oh, R. B. Ditton. 2007. Managing scuba divers to meet ecological goals for coral reef conservation. Ambio 36(4):316-322. (link)

Sorice, M. G., R. O. Flamm, and S. L. McDonald. 2007. Factors influencing behavior in a boating speed zone. Coastal Management 35(2-3):357-374.

Sorice, M. G., C. S. Shafer, and R. B. Ditton. 2006. Managing endangered species within the use-preservation paradox: The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) as a tourism attraction. Environmental Management 37(1):69-83.

Sorice, M. G. 2005. Book Review. Win–win ecology: How the earth’s species can survive in the midst of human enterprise. Society and Natural Resources 18 (1):89-91.

Sorice, M.G., C.S. Shafer, and D. Scott. 2003. Managing endangered species within the use/preservation paradox: Understanding and defining harassment of the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). Coastal Management 31(4):319-338.

Presentations

“Evaluating the structure of a compensation program to improve the provision of water, biodiversity, and rangeland habitat on private lands.” Presented at the Ecological Society of America’s 94th Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, NM, August 2-7, 2009.

“Understanding participation in incentive programs that protect endangered species on private lands.” Presented at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology in Chattanooga, TN, July 13-17, 2008.

“Using the theory of planned behavior to understand landowner participation in conservation programs to protect endangered species.” Presented at the 14th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management in Burlington, VT, June 10-14, 2008.

“Scuba diver preferences for coral reef management.” Presented at the 12th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management in Vancouver, Canada, June 3-8, 2006.

“Human dimensions of marine mammal management.” Invited presentation to the Texas Symposium of Marine Mammalogy in Galveston, TX, April 30, 2005.

“Onsite fear appeal signs do not influence boater behavior in manatee speed zones.” Presented at the 10th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management in Keystone, CO, June 2-6, 2004.

“Managing endangered species within the use/preservation paradox: Understanding harassment of the Florida manatee.” Presented at the 10th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management in Keystone, CO, June 2-6, 2004.

“Minimizing harassment of the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) in Crystal River, Florida, U.S.A.” Pre-conference workshop, “Viewing marine mammals in the wild,” at the 15th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Greensboro, NC, December 14-19, 2003.

Links

My dog's CV