Canada Research Chair in Integrative Wildlife Conservation, Bioinformatics, and Ecological Modeling
- B.Sc.(Agr.) (McGill University)
- M.Sc. (University of Alberta)
- Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin)
Office: LHS D243
Lab: LHS D210
Phone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7078
Lab Phone: 705-748-1011 ext. 6245
Email: dennismurray@trentu.ca
Research interests
- Population dynamics and behavioural ecology
- Predation, parasitism and herbivory
- Conservation biology and wildlife management
My research mostly focuses on quantifying responses of individuals and populations to factors such as predation, parasitism, or habitat loss; my students and I work in natural, experimental and managed systems, mainly on mammals and amphibians. I am also interested in the development of models and other tools for the conservation and management of populations or species.
Teaching
BIOL 3360H: Behavioural Ecology
ENLS 5085H: Population viability analysis
ENLS 5440: Analysis and Interpretation of Ecological Timeseries
ENLS 5330: Population and Statistical Modeling
Selected publications
Patterson, B.R., and Murray, D.L. 2008. Flawed population viability analysis can lead to misleading population status assessment: A case study for wolves in Algonquin Park, Canada. Biol. Conserv. 141:669-680.
Murray, D.L., Steury, T.D., and Roth, J.D. 2008. Canada lynx research and conservation needs in the southern range: Another kick at the cat. J. Wildl. Manage. 72:1463-1472.
Roth, J.D., Marshall, J.D., Murray, D.L., Nickerson, D.M., and Steury, T.D. 2007. Latitudinal gradients in diet and population dynamics of Canada lynx. Ecology 88:2736-2743.
Ireland, D.H., Wirsing, A.J., and Murray, D.L. 2007. Phenotypically plastic responses of green frog embryos to conflicting predation risk. Oecologia. 152:162-168.
Murray, D.L., Cox, E.W., Ballard, W.B., Whitlaw, H.A., Lenarz, M.S., Custer, T.W. Barnett, T., and Fuller, T.K. 2006. Pathogens, nutritional deficiency, and climate change influences on a declining moose population. Wildl. Monogr. No. 166
Go to lab webpage for complete publication list and pdf’s
Current Projects in my lab
- Population viability analysis for a recovering red wolf population
- Physiological and behavioural indices of mortality risk snowshoe hares
- Amphibian responses to perceived predation risk
- Population ecology of wolves in protected (and non-protected) areas
- Density dependence in waterfowl populations
- Moose population dynamics relative to habitat and climate change
Information for prospective students
I seek highly motivated and industrious students that are more question- than species-driven. Prospective students should have good academic standing, a solid understanding of ecological principles and theory, superior field and quantitative skills, and an insatiable curiosity about natural systems.
