Miami
University, B.S., 1984
University of Idaho, M.S., 1986
University of California, Davis, Ph.D., 1992
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| My
research interests lie in the field of behavioral ecology
and, more specifically, mammalian social behavior and
social organization, in which I adopt a field-oriented
approach to my research. For many years, I have examined
the role that ecological conditions (e.g., food resources)
play in shaping the behavior patterns of animals and,
in turn, a population's spatial organization.
With
my move to Maine, I began working with woodchucks, animals
whose relatives are much more social than they are.
Little research has been done on these animals since
the 1960s and late 1980s, so a great deal remains to
be learned. I am interested in the evolution of social
behavior in mammals, and these animals can be used to
test various ideas about why other marmot species are
more social. Currently, I am analyzing microsatellite
DNA isolated from hair samples to determine kinship
relationships, including paternity analysis, and mating
systems. These techniques also can provide information
about population structure and level of inbreeding,
which in turn can be used to understand dispersal patterns
and potential for amicable social interactions and sociality.
Armed with knowledge about the animals' relatives, I
then can examine their social interactions and patterns
of space use to determine if kinship influences where
an animal lives and how it interacts with its neighbors.
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