Workshop to Expand the Use of Emerging Technology to Understand the Ecology of Avian Herbivores in a Changing Climate

Changes in global climate, including those caused by humans, have dramatic effects on wildlife. This small award will support a workshop that highlights recent technological developments that can help researchers identify, evaluate, and resolve many of these challenges. The workshop will engage basic scientists, conservation and management agencies, and industry representatives from several countries, all of whom share responsibility for preserving wildlife. A high school teacher will participate in the workshop, using results to create lesson plans to inspire the next generation of scientists to use technology to solve global scientific problems.

The proposed technology workshop is part of the 13th International Grouse Symposium that is hosted by the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. The workshop will include seminars and hands-on demonstrations to collect, analyze, interpret, and share preliminary data. The overall objective of the workshop is to show an international audience how to take advantage of advances in rapid biochemical assays, robotics and remote sensing to better understand, monitor and manage wildlife in a changing climate. Sessions will highlight advances in spectral and electronic detectors that can quantify stress responses in plants and wildlife, show how robotic animals equipped with audio, chemical, and visual sensors can be used to manipulate and detect interactions among individuals, and demonstrate radio-tracking systems and unmanned aerial equipment that can monitor wildlife behavior and habitat quality. Participants will identify specific hypotheses and study systems that are best suited to take advantage of emerging technology. Time will be devoted to discussions of best practices, logistics, timelines, and funding options to facilitate future collaborations and outreach activities that promote the use and value of emerging technology.