Using Vegetation and Forage Data to Understand Group Movement and Behavior in Elk

As a prey species, elk (Cervus canadensis) have to be constantly vigilant for predators. But they cannot spend all of their time looking for potential threats. At some point they need to eat and sleep and take care of their young (depending on the season). The tradeoffs between the dietary requirements of elk and the time necessary to watch for predators is crucial in understanding movement and migration patterns as well as evolutionary adaptations to ensure a high success rate of future generations. To understand this tradeoff, I will be working with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and a University of Idaho graduate student to collect abundance and forage quality data, using a vegetation method for determining cover outlined by the graduate student, and observational reports of behavior through the use of a scan sampling technique. During the following school year (Fall 2017 through Spring 2018), the field data will be used to create a food quality and abundance map with a scale of behavior that relates to each habitat type to understand the tradeoffs elk encounter each day