Ecology and
management of mountain goats in Alberta. This
long-term study investigate 1) the factors affecting individual variations in
reproductive success in both sexes and population dynamics, 2) maternal
investment strategies and 3) foraging behaviour of females. Long-term research
addressing the mechanisms of selection of life-history traits and the effects
of male quality on offspring performance. This research uses polymorphic
microsatellite markers, quantitative genetic (maternal effects) analyses and
pedigree information. This long-term project has already accumulated 19 years
of data.
Collaborators: Dr. M. Festa-Bianchet, Université de Sherbrooke, Dr. D.
Coltman, University of Alberta and K. G. Smith, Alberta Natural Resources
Service. Part of the funding comes from ACA.
Picture: Two-year-old
male mountain goat at Caw Ridge, Alberta, June 1995.
Ecology of
white-tailed deer on Anticosti Island. This
project is part of an NSERC industrial Chair in sustainable use of forests
investigating deer-habitat relationships. We are particularly interested in the
patterns of deer habitat use and foraging behaviour in relation to population
density. We are also testing the effect of hunting regimes on population size
and assessing how habitat quality affects body condition and social development
of deer. We are also interested in the impacts of deer browsing on other
components of the boreal ecosystem. This project was initiated in early summer
2001.
http://www.cen.ulaval.ca/anticosti/
White-tailed
deer-forest relationships in southern Québec in the context of a recent
increase in population densities. The
objective of this project is to understand the effects of white-tailed deer
density on forest vegetation and body growth and reproduction of deer. We are
also interested in the respective roles of agricultural and forest habitats in
the management of deer populations at high density.
Collaborators : Dr. J.-P.
Ouellet, UQAR, and Dr. M. Festa-Bianchet, Université de Sherbrooke.
Picture: A group of
juvenile reindeer in Svalbard, Semmeldalen, May 2000.
Ecology and
demography of caribou in Québec-Labrador. This
project investigates patterns of space use, body condition, genetics and
demography of the Rivière George and the Rivière-aux-Feuilles caribou herds
using satellite tracking and field observations.
Collaborators : Dr. J.-P. Ouellet, UQAR, Dr.
M. Festa-Bianchet, Université de Sherbrooke and S. Couturier, MRNF.
Picture: Caribou in northern Québec
Behavioural
ecology of king penguins in the Crozet archipelago, French subantarctic islands. Our aim is
to understand reproductive strategies, the costs of territoriality and the
functions of aggressive behaviour in this highly territorial bird.
Collaborators : Dr. R. Groscolas, CNRS, Strasbourg, France.
Strategies
of habitat use in grey seals and hooded seals of the Gulf of St Lawrence at different spatial scales. The
objectives of this study are to identify critical habitat of grey seals and
hooded seals within the Gulf of St Lawrence and to understand more about how they exploit
this habitat (using satellite transmitters).
Collaborator : Dr. M. Hammill,
Maurice Lamontagne Institute.
Foraging
ecology and social organization of kiangs in Ladakh, India. Our goal is
1) to analyse hierarchical habitat and food use by kiang and livestock at
different spatio-temporal scales in Ladakh and 2) to study the social
organization of this poorly known Equid species.
Collaborators: Dr. J. Fox, University of Tromso et A. St-Louis, Université Laval.
Effects of
trophy hunting on the social structure of African ungulate populations, Hwange, Zimbabwe. Our aim is
to study male reproductive effort and trophy quality in relation to population
density and hunting pressure in African buffalo, greater kudu and sable
antelope.
Collaborator: Dr. H. Fritz, CSBC, France.
