Research Interests

I am interested in species-habitat associations, population ecology of mammals, and the role management of natural resources plays in affecting ecosystem patterns and processes. 

I am currently involved with the following:

    1.  Declining body and antler characteristics of harvested deer from the White River National Wildlife Refuge over time. 
    2.  Effects of ground water levels on relative abundance of medium-sized mammals.
    3.  Ecology of swamp rabbits.
    4.  Examining deer densities using aerial thermal infrared imagery.

Recent and On-going Research   

Swamp Rabbit Ecology

Allison Fowler recently finished her thesis examining the habitat relationships and relative abundance of swamp rabbits across eastern Arkansas.  Allie's work is available in an article in the Southeastern Naturalist (Fowler and Kissell 2007).  This work has been followed by site-specific work addressing the spatial ecology of swamp rabbits.  This work is being conducted using radio telemetry. 

Population Estimation of Deer Using Thermal Infrared Imagery

Assessing techniques for determining white-tailed deer densities using thermal infrared technology.  Recent work is provided in a final report submitted to the Arkansas Game and Fish    Commission in June 2003, and a final report provided the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Lakeside Farms, and Wingmead Farms, Inc., in June 2004.  If interested, you may view a short video describing the work from 2003, or a video of the work from 2004.  Please also see Gregory's thesis under Graduate Students for more material on this matter. 

An example of planned flight lines (on the ground in blue) and actual flight paths

(red pyramids) for obtaining thermal infrared imagery to estimate deer density.