by Dr. Jesse Alston
When
Where
ENR2 S107
The Environment & Natural Resources 2 Building
1064 E Lowell St. Tucson, AZ 85721
Abstract
Abstract: East African savannas are world-renowned for their biodiversity and charismatic flora and fauna, but they are facing increasingly dire threats from climate and land-use change. Most of the best wildlife habitat remaining in the region is occupied by pastoralist peoples who have a long history of coexisting with wildlife. Successful conservation efforts are going to require win-win solutions in which both wildlife and humans benefit from conservation interventions. This seminar will cover (1) the role of elephants in resisting invasion of rangelands by prickly pear cacti, (2) patterns of livestock depredation by large carnivores and how this might inform mitigation activities, and (3) movement behavior of herding dogs and its implications for disease transmission.
About Dr. Jesse Alston
Big data and rapidly improving analytical tools are enabling researchers to answer previously unanswerable questions. I am a quantitative ecologist who uses these emerging tools to quantify the mechanisms that shape ecological processes, then apply that knowledge to conservation practice. I typically work with large (> 75 g) mammals. I perform integrative research that spans several fields, including movement ecology, thermal physiology, biogeography, and remote sensing. My research has three primary foci: Animal Movement, Wildlife & Livestock, and Conservation.