Jennifer Forbey
- Associate Professor
- Department of Biological Sciences
- College of Arts and Sciences
Research by Jennifer Forbey and colleagues Janet Rachlow of the University of Idaho and Lisa Shipley of Washington State University was featured in a National Science Foundation video. Titled “Food and Fear: Modeling animal tradeoffs shaped by landscape complexity,” it focuses on the pigmy rabbits that rely almost exclusively on sagebrush for food. It is part of the NSF’s “Science Nation” video series.
The rabbits forage in Idaho’s high desert sagebrush steppe, a critical habitat. Tracking collars attached to the rabbits help the team generate maps showing where the animals spend their time and how they shape the ecosystem. The researchers are looking at behavioral, nutritional, chemical, spatial and physiological ecology data to help inform future decisions influencing land management and restoration.
View the video, which features Rachlow and University of Idaho students, here.
BY: KATHLEEN TUCK PUBLISHED 2:48 PM / OCTOBER 27, 2016