Submitted by Lynn Huntsinger on
The project aims to understand the ecological impacts of fencing on rangeland ecosystems in southwest Wyoming. Deeply rooted in the history of the west of the US, barbed-wire fencing has been erected across large portions of the Great Plains since the homesteading era. We will use pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) as the focal species to understand how fencing affects wildlife movement related to resource use and risk avoidance.
Pronghorn is endemic to North America. The antelope evolved over millennia on the open plains and, unlike deer (Odocoileus spp.) and elk (Cervus Canadensis), they lack the ability to jump over barriers. Thus, they are especially susceptible to barrier effects of fences. Generally, we are interested in three questions: 1) how does fencing affect pronghorn access to forage resources in the summer?; 2) how does fencing reduce pronghorn ability to avoid snow in the winter?; and 3) are fence modifications helpful to restore habitat connectivity for pronghorn antelope? To answer these question, we will first work on establishing a basic understanding of pronghorn ecology, and of the fencing situation in the study area.
The student will work with a graduate student to establish a basic understanding of pronghorn ecology, and of the fencing situation in the study area. Students will help to conduct:
1. A literature search and summary of studies on fencing and pronghorn movement ecology;
2. Finding data from online data portals from academic and agency resources; and,
3. Geospatial data (vector and raster) input, management, and manipulation.
Hours are negotiable.
This project is suitable for students interested in wildlife ecology, rangeland ecology, and landscape ecology, especially for students who want to gain hands-on experience on GIS and remote sensing techniques. Experienced students may further their own study interests and start their own research project under the general project framework.