LAB
​
Current Lab Members
Day Scott, MS Student
Day is pursuing her MS degree at the University of Idaho. Her project aims to quantify the effects of wildlife-friendly fence improvements on pronghorn movements in the Yellowstone Ecosystems. Using a combination of GPS-tracking data and remote cameras, she will quantify how much more easily pronghorn can cross updated fences compared to old ones, and how long it takes for pronghorn to learn about new crossing opportunities. Her project is funded by Joe Ricketts' Jackson Fork Ranch and conducted in partnership with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Ben Nance, MS Student
Ben is pursuing his MS degree at the University of Idaho. His project focuses on the effects of winter recreation on energetic budgets and fitness of mule deer and elk. Using GPS-tracking and accelerometry data, Ben will determine whether the intensity of disturbance experienced by animals predicts the amount of weight they lose over winter and, subsequently, the weight of their offspring. This project is funded and co-produced by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Miles Butler, Undergraduate Researcher
Miles is an undergraduate student majoring in Conservation Biology at the University of Idaho. He serves as the Secretary of the Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society. For his Senior Thesis, he is using passive acoustic recorders to monitor bird occupancy in the University of Idaho Experimental Forest. He is developing a semi-automated protocol to identify bird calls from audio recordings. He will apply this protocol to model occupancy of olive-sided flycatcher, evening grosbeak, and red-breasted nuthatch as a function of silvicultural practices.
Kyle Martin, PhD Student
Kyle is a National Science Foundation GRFP Fellow and is pursuing his PhD at the University of Idaho. His project focuses on ungulate movement ecology. Leveraging a large GPS-tracking dataset from the AfriMove network, and in collaboration with a global network of scientists, Kyle will address questions about how ungulates respond to climatic variation and anthropogenic pressures.
Kristen Whyle, PhD Student
Kristen is pursuing her PhD at the University of Idaho, in collaboration with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Washington and Oregon Departments of Fish and Wildlife. Her project focuses on the movement ecology of bighorn sheep in the Hells Canyon metapopulation and its implications for disease transmission. Using long-term VHF/GPS-collar and demographic data, she is examining the characteristics of movement routes and the relationship between population and spatial dynamics, and using this information to develop a dynamic predictive model of bighorn sheep movements and connectivity in Hells Canyon.
Nate Rice, MS Student
Nate is pursuing his MS degree at the University of Idaho, under the co-supervision of Dr. Dave Ausband (Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit). Nate’s project focuses on modeling habitat selection and connectivity of grizzly bears in the Cabinet/Yaak, Selkirk, and Bitterroot ecosystems using GPS tracking data.
Walker Field, MS Student
Walker is pursuing his MS degree at the University of Idaho. His project focuses on the effects of beaver dams on greater sage-grouse space use and vital rates, with a focus on the brood-rearing season. Walker's field data collection takes place at Rinker Rock Creek Ranch, a multiple-use ranch managed by the University of Idaho to promote ecological research, conservation, and restoration of rangeland ecosystems.
Alumni
Annie Vaage, BS 2024
Annie led an undergraduate research project at the University of Idaho. Working at Rinker Rock Creek Ranch, she tested the hypothesis that beaver activity increases songbird occupancy in riparian habitat within semi-arid rangelands. Her research was supported by a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the Office of Undergraduate Research and an Adele Berklund Undergraduate Research Scholarship from the College of Natural Resources. After leaving the lab, Annie worked as a seasonal technician for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. She is currently applying for graduate school opportunities.
Ronan Hart, MS 2022
Ronan earned his MS degree at Utah State University in 2022, under the co-supervision of Dr. Tal Avgar (Biodiversity Pathways, Canada). Ronan's project focused on the effects of anthropogenic linear features on the space use behavior of mule deer and pronghorn in Utah: using GPS-tracking data from the Utah Migration Initiative, Ronan quantified how these two sympatric ungulates are affected by roads and fences, and whether they respond more strongly to the presence of roads or the traffic on them. Ronan is now a Spatial Ecologist in Dr. Gavin Jones' lab at the University of New Mexico and the Rocky Mountain Research Station!
Courtney Check, MS 2023
Courtney earned her MS degree at Utah State University in 2023, under the co-supervision of Dr. Tal Avgar (Biodiversity Pathways, Canada) and Dr. Garrett Street (Mississippi State University). Courtney's project focused on competition between wild and domestic ungulates: using a combination of GPS-tracking and camera trap data, Courtney tested a set of alternative hypotheses to identify the mechanisms driving competition between cattle and mule deer in Utah. Courtney is currently pursuing her PhD as an NSF GRFP Fellow under the supervision of Dr. Clark Rushing at the University of Georgia!
_JPG.jpg)