forrester research interests

Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology

Research Interests

1. Linking Ecological Theory and Management in a Rapidly Changing World - How Ecological Factors Affect Vital Rates and Population Dynamics of Ungulates

Can we predict the dynamics for populations of interest to conservation? The answer to this question is critical

for managing wildlife populations in a world where habitats, predator species, and climate are all changing. I focus on the intersection between demography and community ecology to untangle the interactions between predation, nutritional resources, and weather and understand their subsequent effects on population dynamics. I am currently leading a project investigating these questions in black-tailed deer using empirical field-based investigation of marked animals, Cox proportional hazards survival analysis, and Bayesian demographic modeling.

Related Publications

Forrester, T., Wittmer, H. A review of the population dynamics of mule and black-tailed deer in western North America. In review.

Forrester, T., and Wittmer, H. 2011. Population dynamics of mule and black-tailed deer in western North America. Oral Presentation. The Wildlife Society, Western Section Meeting.

2.Movement Ecology and the Effects of Predation Risk on Spatial Structure of Communities and Population Dynamics

The movement of animals is a fundamental property of their ecology and affects their ability to effectively use the landscape to find food and mates, and migrate between seasonal habitats. The principles governing the ecology of movement are essential for conservation in an increasingly fragmented world, particularly for large mammals.I seek to understand how habitat and the risk of predation affect the movement and habitat use of ungulates. The risk of predation can create a “landscape of fear” and change the habitat use and movement of prey species, but this risk is predator and landscape specific. I use resource selection functions and mortality and habitat quality data to model habitat use and movement of black-tailed deer as a function of forage quality and predation risk, and use modeling approaches to investigate first principles of large mammal movement.

3. Citizen Science as a Tool for Conservation

The participation of citizens in conservation science can both educates them about the natural word and the about local conservation problems and empowers them to be part of the solution to those problems. The connection between people and their local landscape may also be one of the most critical components to fully developing a land ethic for conservation. I am passionate about the need to connect people to nature and about giving people the opportunity to participate in conservation solutions. I am working with a team from UC Davis and Audubon California to develop and implement a citizen science program to monitor blue oak regeneration around the Central Valley of California.

Citizen Science Resources

Blue Oak Citizen Science Monitoring Package

4.Conservation Biology Planning and Philosophy

We are living in a time of rapid biological change. Human caused changes to the biosphere are affecting biodiversity, nutrient flows, and the climate and are so widespread that evidence for classifying the current period as a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene, is currently being debated. The stark realization of the pervasiveness of human impact and the demand for innovative and immediate response has engendered a debate within conservation biology about the future direction of the discipline. I advocate for sustaining and creating ecologically healthy and robust socio-ecological systems through the use of three tools: Connecting people to the land, using the emerging land ethic as a basis for engaging citizens in conservation, and systematic conservation

planning and protection of critical natural areas.

Related Publications

Caro T., Darwin J., Forrester T., Ledoux-Bloom C., Wells C. 2102. Conservation in the Anthropocene. Conservation Biology. 26: 185-188.

Tavis Forrester