Research
Research interests
My overall focus is on intraspecific variation in behavior, i.e., animals that do different things either in different places or at different times in the same place, and identifying the ecological conditions that influence such behavioral plasticity.
Woodchuck sociality
My primary research focuses on a long term study of of woodchuck behavior and ecology. I am exploring factors that influence when woodchucks disperse from home and where they eventually settle. In addition, I am analyzing microsatellite DNA to determine the mating system and genetic relationships of animals in my study population in southern Maine. I will use this kinship information to investigate relationships with space use and behavioral interactions.
Woodchuck hibernation
In collaboration with Stam Zervanos at Penn State University - Berks and Jerry Waldvogel at Clemson University, we are investigating hibernation physiology of woodchucks across a latitudinal gradient to determine the flexibility of this strategy for coping with winter conditions.
Pronghorn ecology and behavior
In collaboration with Carl Mitchell of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and David Brown of Arizona State University, I continue to study aspects of pronghorn biology, including morphometrics and social organization.
Publications
Maher, C.R. 2009. Effects of relatedness on social interaction rates in a solitary marmot. Animal Behaviour. 78:925-933. [PDF available]
Maher, C.R. 2009. Genetic relatedness and space use in a behaviorally flexible species of marmot, the woodchuck (Marmota monax). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 63: 857-868. [PDF available]
Darhower, S.E. and Maher, C.R. 2008. Effects of immunocontraception on behavior in fallow deer (Dama dama). Zoo Biology. 27: 49-61.
[PDF available]
Brown, D.E., Maher, C.R., and Mitchell, C.D. 2006. A comparison of pronghorn body measurements throughout western North America. Proceedings of the 22nd Biennial Pronghorn Antelope Workshop. 22:125-137. [PDF available]
Mitchell, C.D. and Maher, C.R. 2006. Horn growth in pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) males: selection for precocial maturation in stochastic environments. Acta Theriologica. 51:405-409. [PDF available]
Maher, C.R. 2006. Social organization in woodchucks (Marmota monax) and its relationship to growing season. Ethology. 112:313-324. [PDF available]
Maher, C.R. 2004. Intrasexual territoriality in woodchucks (Marmota monax). Journal of Mammalogy. 85:1087-1094. [PDF available]
Mitchell, C.D. and Maher, C.R. 2004. Selection for early horn growth in pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) males. Proceedings of the 21st Biennial Pronghorn Antelope Workshop. 21:54-63. [PDF available]
Kitchen, D.W. and Maher, C.R. 2001. Pronghorn. In: The new encyclopedia of mammals (D.W. Macdonald, ed.). Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Mitchell, C.D. and Maher, C.R. 2001. Do horn characteristics correlate with age in male pronghorns? Wildlife Society Bulletin. 29:908-916.
Maher, C.R. 2000. Quantitative variation in ecological and hormonal variables correlates with spatial organization of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) males. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 47:327-338. [PDF available]
Maher, C.R. and Mitchell, C.D. 2000. Effects of selective hunting on group composition and behavior patterns of pronghorn, Antilocapra americana, males in Montana. Canadian Field-Naturalist. 114:264-270.
Maher, C.R. and Lott, D.F. 2000. A review of ecological determinants of territoriality within vertebrate species. American Midland Naturalist. 143:1-29. [PDF available]
Maher, C.R. 1997. Group stability, activity budgets, and movements of pronghorn females. Southwestern Naturalist. 42:25-32.
Maher, C.R. and Lott, D.F. 1995. Definitions of territoriality used in the study of variation in vertebrate spacing systems. Animal Behaviour. 49:1581-1597. [PDF available]
Maher, C.R. 1994. Pronghorn male spatial organization: population differences in degree of non-territoriality. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 72:455-464.
Maher, C.R. 1991. Activity budgets and mating system of male pronghorn at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada. Journal of Mammalogy. 72:739-744. [PDF available]
Maher, C.R. and Lott, D.F. 1991. Pronghorn in California: information for the private landowner. University of California Cooperative Extension publication.
Maher, C.R. and Byers, J.A. 1987. Age-related changes in reproductive effort of male bison. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 21:91-96.
