Behavioural ecology of ungulates: from individuals to populations

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My research focuses on the behavioural ecology of ungulates, particularly Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and elk. The objectives of my proposed research program are three-fold: 1) understanding individual behaviour, in particular female mate choice 2) exploring how sexual differences in behaviour and ecology impact the larger social network and thus exposure to and transmission of disease, and 3) understanding how human disturbance affects the sexes. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep females typically mate with more than one male during their receptive cycle but only produce one lamb per year. Females may mate multiply to select good genes for their offspring, who are then better adapted to combat disease or resist parasite infections. Some bighorns leave their natal range to breed elsewhere, returning after breeding. It is not clear why they leave and where they go, but it is expected that males and females have different motivations and different extents to their migrations. Males are expected to travel further and come into contact with more mates than females, which in turn could put them at higher risk of parasite/ disease exposure. I am investigating to what extent males and females contribute to disease flow among populations. Understanding disease dynamics (who infects whom) and contact rates (who interacts with whom) is very important because such knowledge will ultimately provide tools for the effective management and eradication of diseases of national concern (i.e. chronic wasting disease, brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, etc.). Lastly, I am investigating to what extent urbanization (human disturbance) affects wildlife disease prevalence and dynamics. To answer this, I am studying disease prevalence in elk by comparing a population living in the city of Canmore, to rural elk living in Bow Valley Provincial Park, Alberta. Canmore has grown rapidly, increasingly restricting habitat for native wildlife. While Canmore elk might be safer from predators and have access to high quality forage on municipal greens, they are likely exposed to higher disease transmission risks due to overcrowding compared to rural elk. Research of this kind is crucial, given the current risks to wild ungulates from habitat fragmentation and disease.