About The Conway Lab
Our lab at the University of Idaho is part of the USGS Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Our research includes both applied and conceptual studies in wildlife ecology, behavioral ecology, and life history evolution. Our work spans many spatial, temporal, and ecological scales, testing how human actions (intended or not) affect bird and mammal populations. Many of our projects examine the effectiveness of management actions or recovery efforts for species of management concern, and we work closely with biologists from state and federal agencies. These partnerships provide real-world applications for research and make our lab very collaborative.
Ongoing projects in the lab primarily address:
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Causes of variation in migration, hibernation, and movement behavior
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Effects of land uses and management actions on populations
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Causes of decline for imperiled species
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Evolution of life history traits
Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
The Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Program began in 1935, when five Wildlife Units were established at land grant universities. At the present time, there are 41 Cooperative Research Units. The Idaho Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit was established at the University of Idaho on September 20, 1947, and the Idaho Cooperative Fishery Research Unit was established in 1963. The two Units were combined into the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in 1985. The Unit is housed in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences in the College of Natural Resources. The Unit is staffed, supported, and coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, University of Idaho, Wildlife Management Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Through a creative partnership of Federal and State governments, universities, and the private sector, a unique avenue exists for conducting research that addresses complex environmental issues across virtually every North American ecological community. The Cooperative Research Unit works toward three goals:
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1. Conducting research on fish and wildlife problems of state, regional, and national interest.
2. Training graduate students for careers in the fish and wildlife professions.
3. Providing technical assistance to state and federal managers and researchers.
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