A5021682712- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Migration and Labor Dynamics
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
- Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies
- Marine animal studies overview
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Statistical Methods and Inference
University of Wyoming
2016-2025
Wyoming Department of Education
2013-2022
South Dakota State University
2007-2020
United States Geological Survey
2016
Utah State University
2016
Utah Department of Natural Resources
2016
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
2016
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
2016
Idaho State University
2009-2014
Bear Valley
2014
Ungulate migrations are assumed to stem from learning and cultural transmission of information regarding seasonal distribution forage, but this hypothesis has not been tested empirically. We compared the migratory propensities bighorn sheep moose translocated into novel habitats with those historical populations that had persisted for hundreds years. Whereas individuals were largely migratory, initially not. After multiple decades, however, gained knowledge about surfing green waves forage...
The green wave hypothesis (GWH) states that migrating animals should track or 'surf' high-quality forage at the leading edge of spring green-up. To index such forage, recent work proposed instantaneous rate green-up (IRG), i.e. change in normalized difference vegetation over time. Despite this important advancement, no study has tested assumption herbivores select habitat patches peak IRG. We evaluated using step selection functions parametrized with movement data during period from two...
Vital rates of large herbivores normally respond to increased resource limitation by following a progressive sequence effects on life-history characteristics from survival young, age at first reproduction, reproduction adults, adult survival. Expected changes in characteristics, however, should operate through nutritional condition, which is the integrator intake and demands represented primarily deposition catabolism body fat. Elucidating seasonal patterns condition its relative influence...
Abstract The Green Wave Hypothesis posits that herbivore migration manifests in response to waves of spring green‐up (i.e. green‐wave surfing). Nonetheless, empirical support for the is mixed, and a framework understanding variation surfing lacking. In population migratory mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ), 31% surfed plant phenology as well theoretically perfect surfer, 98% better than random. Green‐wave varied among individuals was unrelated age or energetic state. Instead, greenscape,...
COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020 reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the same period 2019. Individual responses were variable with no change average or behavior, likely due lockdown conditions. However, under strict 10-day 95th percentile displacements increased by 73%, suggesting permeability. Animals'...
Summary Body reserves of numerous taxa follow seasonal rhythms that are a function temporal patterns in food availability and life‐history events; however, tests the theory underlying allocation somatic for long‐lived organisms rare, especially free‐ranging mammals. We evaluated hypothesis to survival (i.e., metabolic processes) reproduction should be sensitive current nutritional state relative thresholds those reserves. Our goal was reveal linkages between nutrition traits understand how...
Phenological events of plants and animals are sensitive to climatic processes. Migration is a life-history event exhibited by most large herbivores living in seasonal environments, thought occur response dynamics forage weather. Decisions regarding when migrate, however, may be affected differences characteristics individuals. Long-term intensive study population mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, allowed us document patterns migration during 11 years that...
Temporal changes in net energy balance of animals strongly influence fitness; consequently, natural selection should favor behaviors that increase by buffering individuals against negative effects environmental variation. The relative importance behavioral responses to climate‐induced variation costs vs. supplies energy, however, is uncertain, as the degree which such are mediated current stores energy. We evaluated relationships among behavior, nutritional condition (i.e., state), and...
Conservation of migration requires information on behavior and environmental determinants. The spatial distribution forage resources, which exploits, often are altered may have subtle, unintended consequences. Supplemental feeding is a common management practice, particularly for ungulates in North America Europe, carryover effects this anthropogenic manipulation expected theory, but received limited empirical evaluation, regarding migration. We used global positioning system (GPS) data to...
Limited mapping of migrations hampers conservation
As the extent and intensity of energy development in North America increases, so do disturbances to wildlife habitats they rely upon. Impacts mule deer are particular concern because some largest gas fields USA overlap critical winter ranges. Short-term studies 2-3 years have shown that other ungulates avoid infrastructure; however, there remains a common perception habituate development, thus, potential for demographic effect is low. We used telemetry data from 187 individual across 17-year...
The migratory movements of wild animals can promote abundance and support ecosystem functioning. For large herbivores, mounting evidence suggests that behaviour is an individually variable trait, where individuals easily switch between migrant resident tactics. degree plasticity, including whether to migrate, has important implications for the ecology conservation herbivores in a changing world. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are iconic species western North America, but notably absent from...
While the tendency to return previously visited locations-termed 'site fidelity'-is common in animals, cause of this behaviour is not well understood. One hypothesis that site fidelity shaped by an animal's environment, such animals living landscapes with predictable resources have stronger fidelity. Site may also be conditional on success animals' recent visits location, and it become age as animal accumulates experience their landscape. Finally, differences between species, way memory...
Our understanding of ungulate migration is advancing rapidly due to innovations in modern animal tracking. Herein, we review and synthesize nearly seven decades work on other long-distance movements wild ungulates. Although it has long been appreciated that ungulates migrate enhance access forage, recent contributions demonstrate their are fine tuned dynamic landscapes where snow, drought change seasonally. Researchers beginning understand how navigate migrations, with the emerging view...
Background Migration is an adaptive strategy that enables animals to enhance resource availability and reduce risk of predation at a broad geographic scale. Ungulate migrations generally occur along traditional routes, many which have been disrupted by anthropogenic disturbances. Spring migration in ungulates particular importance for conservation planning, because it closely coupled with timing parturition. The degree oil gas development affects migratory patterns, whether ungulate...
We studied mountain lions (Puma concolor) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) inhabiting a Great Basin ecosystem in Round Valley, California, to make inferences concerning predator-prey dynamics. Our purpose was evaluate the relative role of top-down bottom-up forcing on this multiple-predator, multiple-prey system. identified period decline (by 83%) (1984–1990), then slow but steady increase (1991–1998). For deer, bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) diets, per capita availability bitterbrush,...
Abstract Partial migration occurs across a variety of taxa and has important ecological evolutionary consequences. Among ungulates, studies partially migratory populations have allowed researchers to compare contrast performance metrics migrants versus residents examine how environmental factors influence the relative abundance each. Such tend characterize animals discretely as either or resident, but we suggest that variable distances within herds are an overlooked form population...
To increase resource gain, many herbivores pace their migration with the flush of nutritious plant green-up that progresses across landscape (termed "green-wave surfing"). Despite concerns about effects climate change on migratory species and critical role phenology in mediating ability ungulates to surf, little is known how drought shapes green wave influences foraging benefits migration. With a 19 year dataset 99 unique routes mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) western Wyoming, United States,...
Identifying maternal effects on offspring is critical to interpreting population dynamics, but the duration of and which life-history traits they influence not well understood. We quantified growth development male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) originating from Black Hills in southwestern South Dakota eastern a controlled environment with high-quality nutrition. Despite being good nutritional condition, males ceased rapid 41 days earlier, were 29% smaller at asymptotic body...
Abstract Hunting remains the cornerstone of North American model wildlife conservation and management. Nevertheless, research has indicated potential for hunting to adversely influence size horn‐like structures some ungulates. In polygynous ungulates, mating success males is strongly correlated with body structures; consequently, sexual selection favored development large horns antlers. Horn‐like are biologically important great cultural interest, both which highlight need identify long‐term...
Abstract The availability and quality of forage on the landscape constitute foodscape within which animals make behavioral decisions to acquire food. Novel changes foodscape, such as human disturbance, can alter that favor avoidance perceived risk over food acquisition. Although population declines often coincide with introduction link(s) between behavior trajectory are difficult elucidate. To identify a pathway by disturbance may affect ungulate populations, we tested Behaviorally Mediated...
Abstract Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) can live in extremely harsh environments and subsist on submaintenance diets for much of the year. Under these conditions, energy stored as body fat serves an essential reserve supplementing dietary intake to meet metabolic demands survival reproduction. We developed equations predict ingesta-free bighorn using ultrasonography condition scores vivo carcass measurements postmortem. then used investigate relationships between fat, pregnancy, overwinter...