The Impact of Surface Water on Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) Movement Patterns

Though the relationship between resource selection and animal distribution has been thoroughly investigated, few studies link animal movement patterns to resource utilization. By examining animal movement proximate to resource utilization, Danielle hopes to understand the degree of prioritization given to obtaining a resource and contribute to this growing field of study. Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) movement to water in the Mojave Desert comprise her study system.

Working in collaboration with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, Danielle has spent her field season maintaining cameras at available surface water within desert mountain ranges. She hopes that her research will further efforts to safeguard stable, healthy wildlife populations while promoting engaging, productive landscapes.

Collaborator

California Department of Fish & Wildlife | Website

Student Researcher

Danielle Glass, Western Resource Fellow | Environmental history has shown that we, as humans, have power over our surroundings. As such, we have the responsibility to construct stable, resilient ecosystems and the opportunity to promote engaging, productive landscapes. As a conservation biologist, Danielle is interested in advancing these ideas in the context of biodiversity conservation, spatial ecology, and human-wildlife coexistence. She is currently studying how surface water utilization impacts desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) movement patterns in California’s Mojave Desert. See what Danielle has been up to.  |  Blog