Subject description
Overview of main research methods and approaches used in modern wildlife research and management. Focused on large protected species and game animals and on content that is important for preparation of the candidate’s doctorate thesis.
Spatial data: importance, availability, sources, content, possibilities and approaches for data acquisition, data preparation and manipulation, softwares used, main protocols for data processing, kriging, examples of usage.
Methods for monitoring animal movement, activity and space use: (i) goals and possibilities of different methods, (ii) VHF and GPS telemetry: animal capture and monitoring, possible data types to be collected, optimisation of data acquisition in regard to study goals, (iii) use of automatic cameras (photo- and video-traps): usage and examples of its use, limitations, optimisation of data acquisition in regard to study goals, (iv) analytic methods for studying animal movement, activity and space use
Methods for estimating local densities, abundances and population dynamics of selected animal species: (i) overview of potential data and methods for various groups of animals, advantages and drawbacks: pellet group counting, removal data, camera-traps data, vocalizations, tracks and other indirect signs of presence, non-invasive genetics, (ii) capture-mark-recapture methods, assumptions, limitations, statistical models, (iii) reconstruction of abundance, demographic structure and population dynamics based on demographic data from recorded mortality, cohort analysis
Methods for studying diet, predation and feeding behaviour: overview of main methods with their advantages and drawbacks: analysis of scats and digestive tract content (including analysis of hair and feather microstructure used for species recognition), estimating predation rate with the use of tracking and VHF or GPS telemetry, monitoring of feeding behaviour with camera-traps, analysis of prey remains (physical condition, demographic data)
Methods and raw data for measuring natality and other indicators of population vitality for various animal groups: overview of available data and methods for different animal groups, advantages and drawbacks: body mass, length of lower jaw and other skeletal parts, marrow-fat index and other data from removed animals, methods for estimating fertility in removed animals
Methods for studying public attitude towards wildlife species: quantitative and qualitative methods of social psychology, methods for studying public opinion, focus groups, in-depth interviews
The subject is taught in programs
Objectives and competences
Objectives will be adapted to the candidate’s research field. Candidate will gain overview of available data and approaches for acquisition of new data, as well as of methods used in given field that are important in preparation of his/her thesis. Candidate will (in agreement with his/her supervisor) become familiar with one of the selected methods to the level to be able to use it independently.
Teaching and learning methods
– content will be in large part adapted to the individual research interest of the candidate
– lectures (selected topics) and preparation of guided seminar
– practical course in case of larger number of candidates interested in the same topics (e.g. use of GIS tools)
– consultations, field-work, involvement in research projects
– majority of topics will be covered by the lecturer, other selected topics by guest lecturers/researchers
Expected study results
Knowledge and understanding:
Candidate will gain an overview of main analytic methods and approaches used for acquisition of data needed in wildlife research and management. He/she will be able to independently use one or several methods needed for his/her research.
Basic sources and literature
Krebs, C.J. 1999. Ecological Methodology, 2nd ed. Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc,.620 str
Izbrane monografije (znanstveni priročniki) in članki iz znanstvenih publikacij, ki pokrivajo kandidatovo raziskovalno področje.
Selected monographs (expert guidelines) and scientific papers related to candidate’s field.
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University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering Tržaška cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana