Shannon White - FACULTY SEARCH CANDIDATE Special Seminar March 18 (Tuesday)

Abstract: Variation around mean population-level response is traditionally assumed to represent random noise in our data. However, variance can often be attributed to individuals with rare genetic and phenotypic traits that have disproportionate effects on population-level processes. As such, overlooking the causes and consequences of individual variation in conservation planning can lead to unintended negative for species persistence. This talk will explore the eco-evolutionary significance of intraspecific diversity through the lens of movement ecology, focusing on how improved understanding of individual movement trajectories and space use provides new insights into species’ conservation and management. Leveraging a combination of genetics, acoustic and satellite telemetry, and novel quantitative tools, I will demonstrate how recognizing diverse movement ethnologies sheds new light into metapopulation processes, uncovers hidden threats to survival, and can be important for predicting long-term resiliency under a future of rapid environmental change.