Natural Systems Analyst

2 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Environment

Using Pharmacological Manipulation and High-precision Radio Telemetry to Study the Spatial Cognition in Free-ranging Animals

Timothy C. Roth^*1, Aaron R. Krochmal^*2, William B. Gerwig, IV¹, Sage Rush³, Nathaniel T. Simmons², Jeffery D. Sullivan⁴, Katrina Wachter⁵

¹Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, ²Department of Biology, Washington College, ³University of Pennsylvania, ⁴School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, ⁵Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida

This paper describes a novel protocol that combines the pharmacological manipulation of memory and radio telemetry to document and quantify the role of cognition in navigation.

Environment

A Video Surveillance System to Monitor Breeding Colonies of Common Terns (Sterna Hirundo)

Jennifer Lynn Wall^*1, Paul R. Marbán^*2, David F. Brinker³, Jeffery D. Sullivan⁴, Mia Zimnik⁵, Jennifer L. Murrow⁶, Peter C. McGowan⁷, Carl R. Callahan⁷, Diann J. Prosser⁸

¹Chesapeake Conservation Corps, Chesapeake Bay Trust, ²Department of Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Science, University of Maryland, ³Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, ⁴Natural Systems Analyst, ⁵Department of Biology, Hood College, ⁶Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, ⁷U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chesapeake Bay Field Office, ⁸U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

This paper describes a protocol that uses a remote video monitoring surveillance system to continuously monitor breeding colonies of ground-nesting waterbirds. The system includes five cameras monitoring individual nests and one camera monitoring the colony as a whole, and is powered by car batteries that are recharged via solar panels.