Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU

archived

The Western Ecological Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a Cooperative Agreement to one Member University of the Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU) Program. The project is titled ¿Landscape Genetics of Mule Deer in Southern California¿ This project is aimed at gaining a better understanding of landscape connectivity for mule deer in Southern California, by examining genetics and local population sizes. Several highways in southern California have been identified as genetic barriers for carnivores and other taxa. However, mule deer, have not yet been examined at the same landscape scale to determine if their genetics follow patterns similar to other species, such as bobcats and mountain lions. While mule deer live at higher population densities than carnivores, deer appear to have fewer opportunities for safely crossing highways than the carnivore species around which much connectivity conservation planning is based. The height of deer precludes them from using some undercrossing structures that are accessed by carnivores, and their behavioral ecology and need to avoid predators may make deer more selective about crossing locations.

High