Tal Avgar, Ph.D.

Field: Wildland Resources
Areas of Focus: Ecological Modeling, Movement Ecology, Wildlife Ecology

Expertise

• Animal movement behavior
• Wildlife habitat-selection
• Wildlife abundance/distribution
• Predator-prey interactions
• Wildlife behavioral ecology
• Theoretical animal ecology
• Ecological modelling

Bio

Professor Tal Avgar is an assistant professor of Movement Ecology in the Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center. His focus is on ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of animal movement behavior. Ultimately, movement behaviors of individuals translate into the fundamental elements of population dynamics: spatiotemporal patterns of emigration and immigration, survival, and reproduction. The premise behind his research is that quantitative understanding of the processes underlying animal movement behaviors is essential, not only as means to identifying ecological needs and interactions at the individual level, but as a key to emerging population and community patterns. Professor Avgar’s research goal is to develop mechanistic understanding of the drivers of animal movement behavior across ecological landscapes, and to use this understanding to interpret and predict spatiotemporal patterns of organismal abundance.