Source: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY submitted to
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR: PROBLEM-BASED INQUIRY
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0224789
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
TEX09435
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jan 26, 2011
Project End Date
Jan 25, 2016
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Packard, J. M.
Recipient Organization
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
750 AGRONOMY RD STE 2701
COLLEGE STATION,TX 77843-0001
Performing Department
Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences
Non Technical Summary
To satisfy the growing worldwide demand for food, fiber and housing, environmental costs include degradation of landscapes supporting biodiversity. Analogous to living libraries of germplasm, biodiversity provides the raw information for advances in biological technology of the future. The rationale for sustainable management of biodiversity is: "the wise tinkerer saves all the parts". This project focuses on the information needs of "biodiversity tinkerers", i.e.an emerging network of rural property owners with urban backgrounds, resources and values promoting a balance of humans and nature. As an entry point southwest of Dallas, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is one hub of a network that includes private landowners, non-profit organizations, youth organizations, colleges, universities, professional organizations, service organizations, business enterprises, state and federal government agencies. Individually and collectively, members of the Fossil Rim network are engaged in producing animals that could serve as a potential pool for replenishing native populations in future restoration of currently degraded landscapes. As favorable zones for productive agriculture shift in response to global climate and socio-economic changes, opportunities for biodiversity restoration will also change in ways that are hard to predict. Resiliency will be at a premium. The scientific knowledge exists to guide restoration efforts distributed across formal networks of landowners. Our question is how to most effectively bridge gaps between scientists and practitioners engaged in biodiversity stewardship within informal networks like that of Fossil Rim. We will evaluate and revise a model of collaborative learning that has emerged from our previous research linking land conservation and rural communities. The test bed for this effort will be the "Big Herds Management Strategy" spearheaded by the Fossil Rim Team within a formal consortium of institutions managing large landscapes suitable for propagation of hoofstock species in peril. Successful components of this model will be captured as scenarios for collaborative learning interventions to address issues arising within the broader informal network of "biodiversity tinkerers". We will integrate qualitative and quantitative methods, such as participant observation, non-invasive behavioral observations, interviews with key actors and surveys distributed to larger groups. Evidence will be collected in a manner that allows for cross-checking validity through triangulation. Targeted outcomes for scientists and practitioners will be enhanced awareness and knowledge of each other's perspectives. Practitioners will better understand what scientists mean by "natural behavior". Scientists will better understand the constraints on practitioners. For example, techniques for assessing social well-being will be developed for selected target species. We anticipate that a result of this enhanced awareness of existing information will be the emergence of significant new applied knowledge to guide more efficient biodiversity stewardship in the future.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
25%
Developmental
25%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
13508601060100%
Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife;

Subject Of Investigation
0860 - Endangered species;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
The goal is to improve the scientific basis for sustainable management of biological diversity (biodiversity) in working landscapes at the interface of urban and rural communities. Biodiversity is analogous to a portfolio of species (native and non-native), the landscape supporting those species (human and non-human dimensions) and the genetic diversity within each species. Indicators of sustainable management of biodiversity include (1) behavioral resilience, (2) population health, (3) ecological resilience,(4) genetic diversity, (5) demographic population viability and (6) financial viability. As applied to working landscapes, sustainable management is guided by values that balance the needs of humans and nature. Our focus is on the interface of urban and rural communities because of the projected rapid expansion of metropolitan development into rural regions in the next decade. Objectives include: (1) evaluate case studies of interventions to produce healthy and resilient animals for the purpose of restocking depleted populations of species in peril, (2) expand and upgrade the existing database on case-based scenarios illustrating challenges of sustainable management across regional, national and global scales, and (3) disseminate information about biodiversity stewardship through collaborative learning communities (blog), graduate courses, and professional development training at conferences of practitioners. Audiences for information dissemination include a mix of practitioners and scientists, mid-career and in-training. Expected outcomes of this research effort include the following activities, events, services and products. Behavioral assessments of social well-being will be conducted for target animal populations, mentoring students within teams that synthesize information across multiple dimensions of sustainable management. Information exchange will be facilitated within a collaborative learning community via surveys (interviews, questionnaires). Participants in short courses will prepare drafts of case-based scenarios, based on personal experience with interventions in biodiversity management. After fine-tuning, scenarios will be added to an existing database, and delivered via expansion of a current website (http://wfsc.tamu.edu/jpackard). Service workshops tailored to specific needs of collaborating organizations will draw from this portfolio of scenarios in preparing relevant curricula for inquiry-based learning. Selected curricula will be published on the website of the Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners. Results will be published in a range of outlets such as bulletins, theses, dissertations, peer reviewed journals and a book.
Project Methods
This project will be conducted in three phases: (1) a pilot study intended to provide preliminary data that will enhance competitive proposals for grants (2) collaborative efforts toward raising matching funds for internships and specific research projects that are multi-institutional and (3) implementation and dissemination of funded research. Phase 1. To implement sustainable management of large herds of bovids, we will evaluate the male management strategies at a private facility that is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquaria, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. We predict no negative effects of treatments on: (a ) male-male relationships, (b) male-female relationships and (c) male-calf relationships. The study design compares three time periods: pre-treatment, treatment and post-treatment. All data will be collected using non-invasive behavioral observations. This study will identify and test the behavioral indicators of social well-being in the target species, in a manner that could be extended to other ungulates and other sites within a collaborative consortium of institutions managing exotic ungulates in working landscapes. Phase 2. A consortium of four major institutions is collaborating to investigate best practices for the "Big Herds Management Strategy". This consortium includes Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Texas), Conservation Research Center of the Smithsonian (Virginia), The Wilds (Ohio) and White Oak Plantation (Florida). The next step will be to prepare a grant proposal to be submitted to the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. The purpose will be to bring together key actors to collaborate on writing a multi-institutional research proposal. Possible matching funds will be solicited by collaborating institutions through diverse channels such as private donors, donor foundations and the competitive grants program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Phase 3. Research and Dissemination Scientific models of the interactions among herbivores and plants in adaptive grazing systems have been synthesized by Owen-Smith (2006). These systems include a set of components influencing plant production and the transfer of biomass and nutrients into ungulate populations. The predicted relationships among key variables in these models need to be tested under a variety of conditions. Most notably, the theoretical model posits that "stepping stone" resources are the determining component influencing whether a system is resilient in the face of periodic drought, or degrades into a less productive system. A full range of test conditions will be available through the proposed multi-institutional collaboration. Although it is too early to determine exactly how research questions and procedures will be refined in the multi-institutional proposal, there will be a component for formative and summative evaluation of the collaborative research process. We will draw on the results of our previous studies to design this evaluation component in a manner that will contribute to educational activities and outcomes described above.

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience is professionals (both scientists and practitioners) who take a problem-solving approach to managing the behavior of animals in captive and wild settings. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Two students have completed their Masters in Wildlife Sciences via Distance Education. Their professional papers are available online through the university library: (a) "Enrichment comparison of African Painted Dogs (Lycaon pictus) housed in U.S. AZA-accredited institutions" (Cloutier, Tammy L. 2013) and (b) "Problem-solving with orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus and Pongo abelii) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Using the iPad to provide novel enrichment opportunities" (Boostrom, Helen, 2013). Ongoing graduate research projects include: (a) "Empowering local educators to promote amphibian conservation" (Rommel, Rachel E.), (b) "Ethological approaches to reducing oral stereotypies in yearling beef cattle" (Grafton, Taylor), (c) "Sea lion ambassadors: matching personality to the job" (Crane, Heather), and (d) "Wildlife, water and sewage treatment in the Chisos Basin of Big Bend National Park" (Craig, Natalie). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A report was published in the Animal Keepers Forum, which reaches the community of practice in the zoo/aquarium industry: "African painted dog enrichment" (Cloutier and Packard, 2014). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Four students will be completing their research projects, as I will be retiring on August 31, 2015.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. The goal of evaluating case studies was accomplished by a publishing the results of the bull switching treatment designed to maintain genetic diversity of sustainable herds of African bovids while allowing fornatural behaviors in a semi-natural captive environment(Packard et al. 2014). We devised a technique for comparing behavioral profiles of bulls to determine their suitability for breeding herds. This technique was repeated with a case study in June through August of 2014. The draft report is under revision and will be submitted for publication next year. 2. The goal of upgrading the existing database for disemination of information about case-based scenarios was accomplished by leading a graduate seminar "Cross-Cultural Communication: Communities and Conservation". One of these collaborations related to conservation of nectar-feeding batsresulted in a presentation at an international conference and a publication submitted for publication(Gomez et al. submitted).This is the last time the seminar will be offered as the associatedNSF IGERT program has been completed. 3. The goal of disseminating information about problem-based behavioral research has been met by co-authoring publications with students under my supervision or who have taken my classes. This included diverse topics: (a) behavioral enrichment for African Painted Dogs (Cloutier & Packard 2014, Cloutier et al. submitted), (b) mating group size in dusky dolphins (Orbach et al. 2014), (c) injurious conflict in male dusky dolphins (Orbach et al.,submitted),and (d)courtship behavior of an endemic endangered species, Guadalupe Bass (Enriquez et al. in preparation).

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Cloutier, T.L. and Packard, J.M.2014 Enrichment options for African Painted Dogs (Lycaon pictus). Zoo Biology 33(5):475-480.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Packard,J.M., Loonam,K.E., Arkenberg, C.R., Boostrom,, H.M., Cloutier, T.L., Enriquez, E.J., Eyres, A. Haefele, H. Salzar, T.R., Smultea, M.A., and Snodgrass, K. 2014. Behavioral profiles of African bovids (Hippotraginae). Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 2(3):82-87.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Orbach, D.N., Packard, J.M., and Wursig, B. 2014. Mating group size in dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus): costs and benefits of scramble competition. Ethology 120:804-815.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: African painted dog enrichment. Cloutier, T.L. and J.M. Packard. (2014). Animal Keepers Forum 41:348-350.


Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: The primary audience consists of staff associated with major zoological institutions accredited by USDA for captive breeding of at-risk species. The leaders in this zoological community are members of the consortiumConservation Centers for Species Survival. They serve the needs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in breeding selected endangered species for reintroduction and recovery efforts. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Two interns were trained and successfully collected behavioral data on the sable and addax, adding to the data archive throughout the year. For the conservation education project, an undergraduate student received a small travel grant and participated in the programResearch Experiences for Undergraduates. Graduate and undergraduate students visited the research site for demonstration of behavioral research collection techniquesduring field trips for two courses; WFSC 422/632 Ethology and WFSC 622 Behavioral Ecology. A graduate student was the lead investigator and author on the study of dolphin mating behavior. Two graduate students received training in research design, data collection and reporting skills associated with the enrichment projects. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Ongoing results of the sustainable herds project were reported at the annual meeting of the Conservation Centers for Species Survival, held in May at Front Royale, Virginia. The title of the talk was "Capacity Building: collaboration via distance education webinars". The audience included about 40 member of this national and international network. The results of the conservation education project were presented at a poster at the 16th International Bat Research Conference. 43rd North American Symposium on Bat Research. August 11-15, San Jose, Costa Rica, titled "Engaging local communities to protect bats through conservation education activities in a transboundary biodiversity corridor." The co-authors included one undergraduate student, Patricia Citlally Jimenez,and two graduate students,Michael Petriello and Emma Gomez Ruiz. Results of the field studies of dusky dolphins were presented at the 20th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Dunedin, New Zealand, 9-13 December 2013, titled "Optimal mating group size of dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus"). It was presented orally byDara N. Orbach, with Bernd Würsig as co-author. Results of the enrichment research were presented by the students at their respective professional societies as well as the university community. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Our focus will be on publication of results from the behavioral and conservation education projects. We will continue data collection on the studies of behavioral resilience, adding to the long-term data base. In addition, three new graduate students have joined our research team. We will be developing plans for their research projects.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Studies of behavioral resilience in horse antelope focused on sable and addax. We continued data collection on the "bull switching" treatment and evaluated the risks for females, calves, subadult males and other species. We started a new project to determine the behavioral indicators of estrus and predictors of parturition dates in females. These behavioral variables will be examined with respect to potential effects of age and body condition on life-time reproductive success of females. A secondary project was initiated to address conservation education related to bats at the interface of urban and rural landscapes, with an international component. The Mexican long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris nivalis,migrates across thesouthern border of the U.S and is a pollinator of agave. This was an expansion of an ongoing ecological study, designed to add a dimension ofpublic outreach. The project area was in the range of an at-risk species with a maternity colony close to a major metropolitan area, Monterrey. Educational activities were designed to include passive, active androle drama styles of education.In collaboration with a local non-governmental organization,the pilot program waspresented at two rural and two urban schools. Results of teacher evaluations were reported at an international bat conference in Costa Rica. In collaboration with a research team conducting fieldstudies of reproduction in dusky dolphins, we have examined factors influencing mating group size. We examined the utility of an optimality modeling approach to predicting group size, empirically measuring costs and benefits for individuals choosing to join mating groups of varying size. Two students completed their graduate research projects focused on environmental enrichment to enhance the well-being in captive settings. One focused on enrichment options for African painted dogs and the other on the use of interactiveipad applications for chimpanzees and orangutans.

Publications


    Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: To achieve the long-term goal of producing behaviorally resilient individuals to restore populations of species at peril, project objectives include: (1) evaluate case studies of behavioral interventions, (2) expand the database on case-based scenarios and (3) disseminate information. Case studies were published regarding biodiversity stewardship in east Texas (Weeks et al., 2012) and marine predators in the Galapagos (Smith 2012). Dissemination included: (a) summary and theoretical synthesis of wolf behavior published in an on-line book (Packard 2012), and (2) an educators guide to nature-based curriculum in a local nature park (Vargas 2012). Results of a pilot study were published online regarding faculty perspectives on distance education (DE) graduate degrees in natural resources (Packard 2012). The DE report resulted in the integration of case-based studies into a DE graduate course with field labs located at two institutions collaborating within the consortium of the Conservation Centers for Species Survival. Students assisted in presenting results to the host institution and a manuscript in progress (Packard et al. in preparation). Coordinated research experiences for undergraduates resulted in a technical report (Loonam 2012) published in the online Biodiversity Stewardship report series. PARTICIPANTS: K. Snodgrass, H. Haefele, A. Eyres, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center J. Bauman, D. Beetem, K. Samborsky, The Wilds P. Weeks, Houston Advanced Research Center M. Paolisso, University of Maryland at College Park J. Prange, San Diego Zoo Global Academy K. Smith, K. Loonam, K. Vargas, Texas A&M University TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences for information dissemination include a mix of practitioners, educators and scientists, mid-career and in-training. These include the professionals at the institutions collaborating within the Conservation Centers for Species Survival, the universities and colleges affiliated with these institutions and the educated public visiting these destination sites. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

    Impacts
    Results of previous research (Weeks et al. 2012) were presented as an invited lecture in a symposium "Beyond the Fortress" at the North American Section meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology (over 100 attendees). An expanded version of this presentation was delivered as part of the multi-disciplinary Seminar Series for the Applied Biodiversity Sciences program at Texas A&M University (TAMU; 20 attendees). Portions of the presentation were integrated into the ongoing Seminar in Cross Cultural Communication: Communities and Conservation. Delivered three times during the year, these seminars engaged 25 participants in weekend workshops.The San Diego Zoo Global Academy hosted a webinar series (10 weekly events of 1 hour) associated with the TAMU DE graduate course in Vertebrate Ethology (WFSC 622). Webinars were marketed to an audience within the established network for career development within the Association of Zoos and Aquaria (AZA). Attendees included undergraduate and graduate students, practitioners and scientists. Capacity-building included undergraduate internships, graduate field experiences, enhanced skills of behavioral analysis for practitioners.

    Publications

    • Loonam, K. 2012. Assessing the suitability of herd bulls for the Sustainable Herds Project of the Conservation Centers for Species Survival. Biodiversity Stewardship Report Series. No. BS12.02. Biodiversity Stewardship Lab, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. http://people.tamu.edu/~j-packard/publications/BS12.02.pdf
    • Packard, J.M. 2012. .Wolf social intelligence. Ana Paula Maia and Henrique F. Crussi (eds). Pp 1-48. In: Wolves: Biology, Behavior and Conservation. Nova Publishers. https://www.novapublishers.com Packard, J.M. 2012. Pilot study of faculty perspectives on e-learning graduate degrees in wildlife and natural resources. Biodiversity Stewardship Report Series No. BS12.01. Biodiversity Stewardship Lab, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2258 http://people.tamu.edu/~j-packard/publications/BS12.01.pdf
    • Smith, K. H. 2012. Temporal and spatial analysis of killer whale sightings in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, Ecuador. M.S. Thesis. Texas A&M Univ., College Station.
    • Vargas, K.L. 2012. Aligning learning experiences that complement science education at a local nature park. Biodiversity Stewardship Report Sercies. No. BS12.04. Biodiversity Stewardship Lab, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. 77843-2258 http://people.tamu.edu/~j-packard/publications/BS12.04.pdf
    • Weeks, P., J. Packard and M. Paolisso. 2012. Local cultural models of conservation and NGO legitimacy: a comparison across scales. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. DOI:10.1080/09640568.2011.617116


    Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: To achieve the long-term goal of producing behaviorally resilient individuals to restore populations of species at peril, project objectives include: (1) evaluate case studies of behavioral interventions, (2) expand the database on case-based scenarios and (3) disseminate information. This first phase focused on a pilot study intended to provide preliminary data that will enhance competitive proposals for grants. A multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary grant proposal was submitted to the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. Technical information was synthesized and published in broad outlets suitable for communication with the educated public (Packard 2011, Packard et al. 2011). Effects of the bull-switching treatment were evaluated for herds of addax and sable antelope (Wiedeman, Intern Report) and reported at the Antelope Taxon Advisory Group (D. Beetem, pers. comm.). Video data were archived in a database shared by collaborators in this project. Three additional case-based scenarios were added to the curriculum for a workshop in cross-cultural communication. Designed to enhance understanding of the perspectives of stakeholders engaged in conservation of biodiversity at wildland/urban interfaces, this workshop was conducted twice with a total of 15 graduate student participants. Curricula designed for 4-H activities were upgraded on the website of Nature's Partners: Predators, Prey and You. The materials were evaluated by undergraduate and graduate students, as a basis for the upgrades. A pilot study was initiated regarding faculty perspectives on graduate degrees in natural resources, delivered via distance education. This research will provide a sound basis for design of future dissemination strategies. PARTICIPANTS: P. Condy, K. Snodgrass, H. Haefele, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center D. Wildt, J. Brown, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute R. Sawyer, Conservation Centers for Species Survival J. Bauman, D. Beetem, The Wilds J. Ivy, O. Ryder, San Diego Zoo Global TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences for information dissemination include a mix of practitioners, educators and scientists, mid-career and in-training. These include the professionals at the institutions collaborating within the Conservation Centers for Species Survival, the universities and colleges affiliated with these institutions and the educated public visiting these destination sites. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

    Impacts
    A model of collaborative learning that emerged from the previous CRIS project of the same title, has proven effective in educating emerging leaders at the interface of the science and practice of biodiversity stewardship. A consortium of five major institutions collectively manage sustainable populations of African bovids outside their native range (Conservation Centers for Species Survival). Practitioners, scientists and educators are working together to determine what would be the shifting benchmarks of success to sustain this effort over two centuries.This private/public partnership is building the teams and strategies necessary to enhance professional capacity within the broader network of professional societies of participants (Association for Zoos and Aquaria, Society for Conservation Biology). The basic model includes: (1) internships for students to assist with data collection, (2) graduate courses delivered via distance to expand capacity for analysis of archived data, (3) webinars and seminars to target specific audiences at participating institutions and (4) workshops at professional meetings to evaluate utility of the information for practitioners.

    Publications

    • Packard, J.M. 2011. Wolves. pp. 611-620. In: Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior. M.D. Breed and J. Moore. Oxford: Academic Press.
    • Packard, J.M., W. Gordon, J. Clarkson. 2011. Biodiversity. pp. 124-156. In: The Impact of Global Warming on Texas. Gerald R. North, Jurgen Schmandt, Judith Clarkson (ed.). Austin: University of Texas Press.