Dr. George Zaragoza (UCF Biology) will speak on "Applications of Point Process and Integrated Step-Selection Models in Wildlife Ecology" at this week's seminar.

Abstract: The field of wildlife ecology increasingly uses spatial modeling tools to understand how species respond to environmental change and navigate heterogeneous landscapes. Here, we demonstrate applications of two approaches: integrated nested Laplacian approximation point process models and integrated step-selection functions. We use point process models to estimate how the spatial distribution of a large herbivore may shift in response to climatic change, and integrated step-selection functions to predict how a large carnivore moves through and responds to landscape features. Together, these examples highlight how modern spatial and movement models can leverage wildlife location and environmental data to provide insight into ecological responses to changing landscapes.

Short Bio: Dr. George Zaragoza is a postdoctoral researcher in UCF's Department of Biology. His research examines how climate and anthropogenic change affect wildlife populations, including shifts in habitat and distribution, landscape connectivity, movement and habitat selection, and the role of adaptive genetic variation in enabling populations to respond to changing environmental conditions. Zaragoza obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of California - Davis before working in Bayer’s agricultural research and development group. He earned his doctorate in integrative and conservation biology at UCF, researching how environmental variability and adaptation affect white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi), and Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) through the lens of population and landscape genomics. His current research uses GPS tracking data to study wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) habitat selection in response to changing climatic conditions. He will soon transition to a research associate position at the University of Wyoming, where he will study chronic wasting disease in wild deer populations.