A look at how wildlife professionals can modernize their approaches to habitat and population management with a fresh take on animal ecology. How can we maximize the probability that a species of wild animal will persist into the future? This audacious book proposes that advancing animal ecology-and conservation itself-demands that we reenvision our basic understanding of how animals interact with their environments and with each other. Synthesizing where we are and where we need to go with our studies of animals and their environs, Foundations for Advancing Animal Ecology asserts that studies of animal ecology should begin with a focus on the behaviors and characteristics of individual organisms. The book examines * the limitations of classic approaches to the study of animal ecology * how organisms organize into collections, such as breeding pairs, flocks, and herds * how the broader biotic and abiotic environment shapes animal populations, communities, and ecosystems * factors underlying the distribution and abundance of species through space and time * the links between habitat and population * why communication between researchers and managers is key * specific strategies for managing wild animal populations and habitats in an evolutionary and ecosystem context Throughout, the authors stress the importance of speaking a common and well-defined language. Avoiding vague and misleading terminology, they argue, will help ecologists translate science into meaningful and lasting actions in the environment. Taking the perspective of the organism of interest in developing concepts and applications, the authors always keep the potentially biased human perspective in focus. A major advancement in understanding the factors underlying wildlife-habitat relationships, Foundations for Advancing Animal Ecology will be an invaluable resource to professionals and practitioners in natural resource management in public and private sectors, including state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and environmental consultants.

An authoritative guide to quantitative methods that will help wildlife scientists improve analysis and decision-making. Over the past fifty years, wildlife science has become increasingly quantitative. But to wildlife scientists, many of whom have not been formally trained as biometricians, computer modelers, or mathematicians, the wide array of available techniques for analyzing wildlife populations and habitats can be overwhelming. This practical book aims to help students and professionals alike understand how to use quantitative methods to inform their work in the field. Covering the most widely used contemporary approaches to the analysis of wildlife populations and habitats, Quantitative Analyses in Wildlife Science is divided into five broad areas: • general statistical methods • demographic estimation • dynamic process modeling • analysis of spatially based data on animals and resources • numerical methods Addressing a variety of topics, from population estimation and growth trend predictions to the study of migration patterns, this book presents fresh data on such pressing issues as sustainable take, control of invasives, and species reintroduction. Authored by leading researchers in wildlife science, each chapter considers the structure of data in relation to a particular analytical technique, as well as the structure of variation in those data. Providing conceptual and quantitative overviews of modern analytical methods, the techniques covered in this book also apply to conservation research and wildlife policy. Whether a quick refresher or a comprehensive introduction is called for, Quantitative Analyses in Wildlife Science is an indispensable addition to every wildlife professional's bookshelf. Contributors: William M. Block, Leonard A. Brennan, Stephen T. Buckland, Christopher C. Chizinski, Evan C. Cooch, Raymond J. Davis, Stephen J. DeMaso, Randy W. DeYoung, Jane Elith, Joseph J. Fontane, Julie A. Heinrichs, Mevin B. Hooten, Julianna M. A. Jenkins, Zachary S. Laden, Damon B. Lesmeister, Daniel Linden, Jeffrey J. Lusk, Bruce G. Marcot, David L. Miller, Michael L. Morrison, Eric Rexstad, Jamie S. Sanderlin, Joseph P. Sands, Erica F. Stuber, Chris Sutherland, Andrew N. Tri, David B. Wester, Gary C. White, Christopher K. Williams, Damon L. Williford

Practical guidance for wildlife professionals working to improve study design, data analysis, and the application of results to habitat and population management. Despite major advances in sampling techniques and analytical methods, many animal ecologists conduct research that is primarily relevant to a specific time and place. They also tend to focus more on the statistical analyses and nuances of modeling than actual study design. Arguing that studies of animal ecology should always begin with a focus on the behaviors and characteristics of individual organisms, including how they form into distinct biological populations, Applications for Advancing Animal Ecology takes a fresh and critical look at the field. Building from its companion volume, Foundations for Advancing Animal Ecology, this practical book presents readers with the principal methods used to observe animal behavior. Teaching them to assess resource abundance categories of species-environmental relationships models, it also explores * major aspects of measuring animal habitat: what to measure and how to measure it; * common sampling and estimation methods to assess population parameters; * when to measure and how to analyze data; * problems that will confront ecologists in the coming years-and how to gather information to adequately address them; and * how the experimental approach can be used to advance the science of animal ecology. Throughout the book, the authors stress the importance of speaking a common and well-defined language. Avoiding vague and misleading terminology, they assert, will help ecologists translate science into meaningful and lasting actions in the environment. Taking the perspective of the organism of interest in developing concepts and applications, the authors always keep the potentially biased human perspective in focus. They also provide a selection of suggested research projects, cautions, and caveats. A major advancement in understanding the factors underlying wildlife-habitat relationships, Applications for Advancing Animal Ecology will be an invaluable resource to natural resource management professionals and practitioners, including state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and environmental consultants.

Despite the potential synergy that can result from basing management applications on results from research, there is a polarization of cultures between wildlife managers and wildlife researchers. Wildlife Science: Connecting Research with Management provides strategies for bridging cultural and communication gaps between these groups.

Contributors present case studies highlighting the role of state and federal agencies and private organizations in management and research; the lingering disconnects between grassland birds, quail, and deer research and management; as well as the development of management techniques from field research, rangelands management, and ranch management.

Case Studies:

• The Disconnect between Quail Research and Quail Management
• Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and the Disconnect between Research and Management on Public Lands in the American West
• Ecological Goals, not Standardized Methods, are needed to Create and Maintain Habitat for Grassland Birds
• A Historic Perspective of the Connectivity between Waterfowl Research and Management
• Deer in the Western United States
• Whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Eastern United States
• Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Wildlife: Challenges and Opportunities for Integrated Science, Management, and Policy
• The Role of Joint Ventures in Bridging the Gap between Research and Management
• Developing Management Strategies from Research: the Pushmataha Forest

Despite the potential synergy that can result from basing management applications on results from research, there is a polarization of cultures between wildlife managers and wildlife researchers. Wildlife Science: Connecting Research with Management provides strategies for bridging cultural and communication gaps between these groups. Contributors present case studies highlighting the role of state and federal agencies and private organizations in management and research; the lingering disconnects between grassland birds, quail, and deer research and management; as well as the development of management techniques from field research, rangelands management, and ranch management. Case Studies: The Disconnect between Quail Research and Quail Management Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and the Disconnect between Research and Management on Public Lands in the American West Ecological Goals, not Standardized Methods, are needed to Create and Maintain Habitat for Grassland Birds A Historic Perspective of the Connectivity between Waterfowl Research and Management Deer in the Western United States Whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Eastern United States Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Wildlife: Challenges and Opportunities for Integrated Science, Management, and Policy The Role of Joint Ventures in Bridging the Gap between Research and Management Developing Management Strategies from Research: the Pushmataha Forest