Environmental change is ubiquitous and intensifying, and provides a wide array of natural experiments in which to explore ecological questions, while simultaneously posing novel conservation challenges.

In the Gilbert Lab, we quantitatively model animal response to such changes in order to gain new insights into ecological and evolutionary processes, and help shape improved conservation and management outcomes in the face of increasing environmental variability.

Our research spans countries, ecosystems, and species, focusing on the response of animals to the changing modern world. We work closely with stakeholders, government agencies, non-government organizations, other academic research groups, and the public to identify the most important questions for large mammal conservation and management. At the same time, we use our rich data sets to address fundamental ecological questions using wildlife as model systems.

Current projects include:

  1. Effects of changing landscapes on mule deer and their competitors and predators in the forested Northwest

  2. Deer response to predators, climate, and habitat in Southeast Alaska

  3. Deer and elk behavior and crop depredation prevention using fear and nutrition

  4. Colonization of a novel forest carnivore, the fisher, and effects on the small carnivore community in Southeast Alaska

  5. Response of collared pikas to direct and indirect effects of climate change in central Alaska