Research in

WILDLIFE ECOLOGY

in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
University of Florida

Population ecology and modeling, matrix population models, life history, ecology and conservation of mammals (Madan Oli)

My research program attempts to integrate field data and models to address basic and applied ecological questions. Example projects:

• Partial life cycle models
• Demographic mechanisms of population dynamics
• Population viability analysis
• Population dynamic and fitness consequences of delayed maturity
• Ecology and conservation of mammals

 

Ecology of introduced animal populations (Mike Moulton).

My research interests generally focus on the ecology of introduced vertebrates, with special interest in introduced birds and lizards. Why do some species tend to succeed in most places where they have been introduced whereas others tend to fail? And why do species’ introductions tend to succeed in some places but not others? Example projects:

• Biogeography and community ecology of introduced geckos in Florida
• Population dynamics, habitat management and impact of meso-mammal predators on an non-hunted population of Wild Turkeys
• Spread of the Eurasian Collared Dove, and numerous species of introduced parrots in Florida.

Ecology and Management of mammalian carnivores (Mel Sunquist)

My research has focused on how best to manage mammalian carnivores, especially those whose populations are rapidly becoming isolated, fragmented, and existing within increasingly humanized landscapes. Research efforts emphasize an understanding of the species in an environmental or landscape context, against which future changes can be assessed or predicted. Example projects:

• Ecology and population status of tigers in a primary rainforest of peninsular Malaysia.
• Impacts of subsistence hunting on jaguar and puma populations in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala.
• Population ecology of leopards in Satpura NP, India.

 

Coyote ecology and management (Martin Main).

The distribution of the coyote (Canis latrans) has expanded into and throughout much of peninsular Florida during recent decades. Neither the rate of this expansion nor the implications of increasing numbers of coyotes to native wildlife are known. Our studies attempt to document and quantify coyote distribution and abundance in Florida and the effects of expanding coyote populations on native wildlife and agriculture. Example projects: see link at http://www.imok.ufl.edu/wild/coyote/index.htm

• Agricultural and Ecological Implications of Expanding Coyote Populations in South Florida
• Annual statewide scent station surveys for coyotes and other predators
• Statewide survey of coyote diseases and parasites

Wetlands wildlife ecology (Franklin Percival)

In keeping with the mission of the Florida Cooperative Research Unit (of the U.S. Geological Service), I have tried to focus research on wetlands wildlife ecology and management. The American alligator has captured much of my attention, although other reptiles and amphibians as well as migratory birds have been research subjects. Recently, the notions of adaptive management and applications of unmanned aerial vehicles to problems of wildlife and habitat surveys have been entertained.Example projects: (see also the Coop Unit web page at http://www.wec.ufl.edu/coop.

• Inventory and Monitoring of the Amphibians of Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Virgin Islands National Park
• American Alligator Distribution, Thermoregulation, and Biotic Potential Relative to Hydroperiod in the Everglades
• Methods for Wildlife and Habitat Surveys Using Geo-coded Videography from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Contaminant Screening to Investigate Wildlife Mortality on Lakes in Central Florida

Wildlife damage management (Michael Avery)

Primary emphasis of the research program is on developing and evaluating nonlethal methods to resolve bird management problems. This is accomplished through behavioral studies with captive wild birds and through field trials in Florida and elsewhere. Example projects: see web page at www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc/field/gainesville/index.html

 

• Bird damage to tropical fruit in south Florida
• Wading bird depredation at Florida aquaculture facilities
• Development of methods to manage depredation and nuisance problems caused by vultures

Diseases and parasites of free-ranging animal populations (Don Forrester)

Since 1969, I have been engaged in research on the epizootiology of parasites of wildlife in Florida. This has included ecological studies of the prevalence, distribution, and impact of parasitic diseases on populations of mammals (big game, marine mammals, carnivores, and rodents), birds (waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, doves, bobwhites, wild turkeys, raptors, and passeriforms), and selected species of reptiles (alligators, snakes, and turtles). Collaborative research has been conducted also on other aspects of wildlife diseases (virology, bacteriology, mycology, and toxicology) with various cooperators, especially at the University of Florida. Example projects: see my web page at http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/path/forrester.htm