Project #UR144
Project Number: UR144
Project Title: Determining Relationships Among White-Tailed Deer from Observational Data
Faculty Sponsor: Karmen Hollis-Etter
Department: Biology
Telephone: 810.762.3098
E-Mail: kahollis@umflint.edu
Proposed Starting Date: 01/07/2013
Proposed Ending Date: 06/18/2013
Student in mind: No
Number of hours to work per week: 1-6 hours
Project Description: Students will assist in entering and organizing into a common database observational data for white-tailed deer from 5 study areas in Illinois collected over 17 years. The data includes tagged deer observations of related and unrelated social groups. Observational data is supported by extensive radio-telemetry data. Data will be used to determine contact rates among individuals from related and unrelated groups. Data analyses will be conducted to understand how contact rates may influence disease transmission among deer, and social interactions among related and unrelated deer. Results will be published in internationally recognized scientific journals.
Student Tasks & Responsibilities: 1. Entering and organizing deer data into Access database 2. Meet and communicate with faculty advisor and research investigators 3. Relevant literature search
Minimum Student Qualifications: 1. Detail oriented 2. Familiar with Access database (preferred but not required) 3. Communication skills 4. Conduct professional literature search (preferred but not required) 5. Interest in wildlife biology 6. Interest in white-tailed deer ecology (but not required)