Estimating heritability (h2) is required to predict the response to selection and is useful in species that are managed or farmed using trait information. Estimating h2 in free-ranging populations is challenging due to the need for pedigrees; …
Foraging behavior underpins many ecological processes; however, robust assessments of this behavior for free-ranging animals are rare due to limitations to direct observations. We leveraged acoustic monitoring and GPS tracking to assess the factors …
We describe a novel application of network theory to fine-scale animal movement data, using African elephants, giant Galapagos tortoises and mule deer as examples.
We examined the spatial patterns of mule deer predation during periods of high and low natural gas development activity finding complex relationships between predation and both natural and anthropogenic features.
Across multiple study sites in Colorado, mule deer body fat was not well explained by spatial or temporal effects, suggesting individual characteristics, particularly the successful weaning of fawns in the previous year are the dominant forces driving variation in body fat.
Comparing mule deer reproduction (pregnancy, fetal rates and fetal survival) between areas of low and high density natural gas development, we found limited evidence of an effect of development on reproduction. In 1 of 3 years, fetal survival was lower int he more heavily developed area.
Using a novel method to assess habtiat selection across spatiotemporal scales defined by animals movements, we show that mule deer display scale-dependent responses to most habitat features but scale-invariant avoidance of natural gas development.
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Team members involed in this project Brynn McLellan Grace Bullington Helena Rheault Joe Northrup Maegwin Bonar Robby Marrotte Tyler Ross