Brian R. Mitchell
Adjunct Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources
NOTE: As of late 2005, I began working for the National Park Service, coordinating biological inventory and monitoring efforts for the Northeast Temperate Network. I am now based in Woodstock, VT, with an adjunct assistant professor appointment at UVM.
More information about the Northeast Temperate Network
Links
NPS Northeast Temperate Network
Research Interests
Wildlife Conservation
My post-doctoral research focused on Vermont’s bird, amphibian, and reptile diversity. Field work in 2003 and 2004 at over 600 locations throughout the state documented species occurrences in a variety of habitats. The goals of the project included:
- Documenting how specific species are distributed
- Building predictive models to illustrate each species’ likely range in Vermont
- Modeling the expected effects of land use change and increased urbanization on species
- Using optimization modeling to explore the possibility of protecting species while simultaneously meeting human needs.
My Ph.D. research focused on coyote vocal communication. I found that coyote barks and howls are individually distinctive, and that coyote howls convey information for distances of at least one kilometer. I also studied the responses of coyotes to audio playbacks.
Download Dissertation (3.4 MB)
Coyote Management and Ecology
A portion of my Ph.D. research addressed the potential use of audio playback for selective coyote control. I also researched existing coyote control methods and made recommendations for research that has potential to dramatically increase the selectivity and efficiency of coyote control (Mitchell et al. 2004). Other coyote-related projects include a genetic analysis of the relatedness of individuals in my study population, a mark-recapture study using DNA found in scat, and a pilot study with GPS collars investigating how coyotes respond to human presence.
Due to the large volumes of data that my various research projects have generated, data management has become something of an essential hobby of mine. In addition to databases for my own work, I have built databases for The Nature Conservancy’s northern California operations and research. I also assisted the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife in their efforts to develop a state Wildlife Action Plan.
Education
University of California, Berkeley
Ph.D. Environmental Science, Policy & ManagementBrown University
B.A. Biology and English & American Literature
Fellowships, Honors & Certifications
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Fellow
Sigma Xi
Phi Beta Kappa
Xi Sigma Pi
Certified Associate Wildlife Biologist
Professional Memberships
American Society of Mammalogists
Animal Behavior Society
Ecological Society of America
Sigma Xi
Society for Conservation Biology
The Wildlife Society
