Project Spotlight
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Pennsylvania Black Bear Project - We are working collaboratively with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to understand how the distribution of habitat features influences female black bear space use, and how this influences their susceptibility to harvest. Within this scope, we are also evaluating the impacts of updated black bear harvest seasons on female black bear survival (Student: Brandon Snavely)
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South Dakota Plains Spotted Skunk Project - We are investigating the distribution, survival, and ecology of the plains spotted skunk. Plains spotted skunks are a subspecies of the eastern spotted skunk that has recently been petitioned for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Our research will provide essential information to inform this listing decision. (Student: Kara White)
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South Dakota Bobcat Population Genetics Project - We are working collaboratively with the South Dakota Game, Fish, & Parks to evaluate spatial patterns of population genetics for bobcats. Bobcats are legally harvested throughout the state of South Dakota, but are closely regulated under CITES. Using DNA from harvested bobcats, we aim to inform harvest management by identifying discrete population of bobcats that may be used as management units for harvest. (Student: Stuart Fetherson) - Click here to watch a presentation about this research
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South Dakota Bobcat Space Use Project - We are investigating the influences of landscape features (e.g., fragmentation, land cover) and interspecific interactions with coyotes on bobcat space use. Bobcat populations and their spatial distribution are not well understood in eastern South Dakota, which is dominated by agricultural conversion of native land cover to row crops. Our research will identify landscape patterns most likely to support bobcat populations. (Student: Marlin Dart) - Click here to watch a presentation about this research
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Other Ongoing Research Projects
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Patterns of occurrence for invasive and native mammals in the Wichita Mountains (Student: Ben Murley; Collaborators: Daniel McDonald)
Survey protocol and habitat associations of nightjars in Oklahoma (Student: Matt Broadway; Collaborators: Scott Loss, Tim O'Connell)
Evaluating the status of black bears in the Oklahoma panhandle (Student: Bailey Kleeberg; Collaborators: Sue Fairbanks)
Movements and population demography of pronghorn in western Oklahoma (Student: Derek Hahn; Collaborators: Sue Fairbanks, Colter Chitwood, Evan Turner, Michael Cherry, Randy DeYoung)
Optimizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Monitoring of Mammals with Cameras (Collaborators: Randy Larsen, Robert Knight)
Development of Close-Kin Mark-Recapture Methods for Black Bears (Collaborators: Dana Morin, Lisette Waits, and a Post-doctoral scientist)
Snapshot USA (Collaborators: Mike Cove, Roland Kays, Bill McShea, and MANY other scientists from around the US)
Ecology of Swift Foxes within a Black-footed Ferret Recovery site (Student: Kara White)
Ecology and Population Status of Pheasants in an Agricultural Landscape (Student: Sprih Harsh, Hilary Syvertson) - Click here to watch a presentation about this research
Occurrence and Density of Wild Felids in New Mexico (Collaborators: James Cain III, Gary Roemer)
Using Noninvasive Genetics to Monitor the Distribution, Abundance, and Diet of Coyotes in Florida (Collaborators: Bryan Kluever, Stewart Breck, Toni Piaggio)
Assessing Monitoring Techniques for River Otters in Wisconsin (Collaborators: Christi Heun, Shawn Crimmins)
Habitat Selection and Remote Monitoring of Beavers (Collaborators: Janelle Taylor, Shawn Crimmins)
Ecology of Kit Foxes (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, Eric Gese)
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Rob downloading data from a GPS collar on a swift fox in western Kansas
Marlin and Rob setting up cameras for Snapshot USA
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New Projects (Coming Soon)
See Prospective Students for application information
Ecology, distribution, and genetic structure of the prairie gray fox in Oklahoma - Starting in 2023, Dr. Colter Chitwood and I will be conducting a large-scale project to determine the current status of prairie gray foxes in Oklahoma. We will be recruiting a PhD student to lead this effort in the near future.
Detection and distribution of plains spotted skunks in Oklahoma - Starting in 2023, I will be starting a project assessing the factors influencing the detection of plains spotted skunk. Information on detection will be used to optimize sampling and assessment of plains spotted skunk distribution in Oklahoma. I will be recruiting a MS student to lead this effort in the near future.
Select Completed Research Projects
See Publications for resulting manuscript
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Great Basin Desert Subadult Golden Eagle Space Use (Collaborators: Kathy Hixson, Steven Slator, Robert Knight) - Click here to watch a presentation about this research
Optimizing Occupancy Monitoring of a Rare Carnivore with Noninvasive Genetic Sampling (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, Robert Knight) - Click here to watch a presentation about this research
Review of the Status of Kit Foxes in the Great Basin and Monitoring Recommendations (Collaborators: Robert Knight, Bryan Kluever, Lucas Hall, Eric Gese, Randy Larsen, Lisette Waits)
Comparison of Sample Sources for Quantifying Genetic Diversity of Carnivores within Museum Collections (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, David Daniel, Jennifer Adams)
Application of Mark-Recapture Approaches to Dietary Analyses (Collaborators: Dana Morin, Marcella Kelly, Lisette Waits, Summer Higdon, Elyce Gosselin)
Comparison of Abundance Estimators for Carnivores (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, Paul Lukacs, Eric Gese)
Density of Sympatric Kit Foxes and Coyotes (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, Paul Lukacs, Eric Gese)
Evaluating the Spatial Dynamics of Kit Foxes and Coyotes (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, Larissa Bailey, Eric Gese)
Resource Partitioning Between Kit Foxes and Coyotes (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, Paige Byerly, Eric Gese)
Molecular Scatology to Assess Diets of Carnivores (Collaborators: Lisette Waits, Elyce Gosselin)
ConGenR - A R-based Script for Rapid Handling of Replicated Genetic Data (Collaborators: Lisette Waits)
Landscape Genetics of Ringtails (Collaborators: Gary Roemer)
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Previous Monitoring Projects
These projects represent those the I developed and led
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Bat Hibernacula Counts (southern Idaho)
American White Pelican Surveys (southern Idaho)
Herpetological Surveys of Sensitive Species (Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve)
Chytrid Fungus and Ranavirus Surveillance (southern Idaho)
Inventory and Monitoring of Mesocarnivores (City of Rocks National Reserve)
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Doug Gilbert with a recently banded/tagged juvenile American white pelican
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Previous Monitoring Contributions
These projects represent those the I contributed to substantially
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Climate Sensitivity Analysis (5 species)
Mexican Spotted Owl Monitoring (Carlsbad Caverns National Park)
Noninvasive Genetic Sampling of Pygmy Rabbits (southern Idaho)
Black-footed Ferret Reintroduction and Monitoring (northern Arizona)
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Restoration (central South Dakota)
Swift Fox Recovery (central South Dakota)
Central Idaho Gray Wolf Recovery (Idaho)
Red Wolf Recovery (eastern North Carolina)
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Rob in his favorite environment - the deserts of the southwest
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