For my PhD, I am investigating the synergistic effects of multiple anthropogenic disturbances on wildlife behavior and predator-prey interactions. My work addresses questions of how fire and development influence perceived safety and food quality for both mule deer and mountain lions by using GPS collars and camera traps to collect data on spatial resource selection, diet, and movement parameters through time. For this visit, I am engaged in field work to capture and deploy GPS collars on mule deer throughout the Santa Monica Mountains in collaboration with the National Park Service. I am also pursuing a collaboration with Dr. Rachel Blakey, a La Kretz fellow, that investigates links between hunting behavior and diet for mountain lions responding to development.

Approved