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Dr. Alton Harestad
 
Home People Events Research Graduate Undergraduate
Professor, SFU Biological Sciences
Dr. Alton S. Harestad, Professor
Wildlife Biology
B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., U.B.C

Office: 778-782-4809 Room SSB8153
Lab: 778-782-4512 Room B6226
harestad@sfu.ca Contact Us
Selected Publications Laboratory People

Current Research Program:

My research program is directed primarily at habitat selection by forest birds and mammals, ecology of Mustelidae (pine marten, wolverine, and fisher), and vertebrate pest management. Members of my research team examine factors that affect habitat use of wildlife and relationships to forest practices. In some studies, we assessed the importance of structural features (e.g. security cover) to habitat selection. Structural requirements impose constraints on the types of plant communities used by animals such as black bears, marbled murrelets, bats, voles and deer mice. In other studies, we determined patterns of bird abundance and diversity (e.g., winter wrens) in different types of forests and their relationships to habitat characteristics and stand structure.

In the portion of my research program directed at the ecology of Mustelidae, we examined use of old-growth and young seral stages by pine marten and fisher. We developed and tested a habitat suitability index model for pine marten. This research provides understanding of wildlife populations, insights into (ecological relationships) and leads to guidelines for conservation and management of forests.

In our approach to vertebrate pest management, we investigate factors that affect foraging behaviour and habitat use, e.g. the behaviour of voles as mediated by predator odours. In other studies, we are examining life histories of wildlife to determine parameters that contribute to pest behaviour. This research will allow development of ecologically based methods for controlling wildlife damage to forest and agricultural crops. I was a member of the Scientific Panel on sustainable Forest Practices in Clayoquot Sound. I collaborate with government agencies conservation groups, and industry to develop strategies and prescriptions for management of Forest Wildlife resources.


Additional Publications & Reports

Sutherland, G.A., A. Harestad, K. Price, and K. Lertzman. 2000. Scaling of natal dispersal distances in terrestrial birds and mammals. Conservation Ecology 4(1): 16. view

Hayes, R.D., and A. Harestad. 2000. Demography of a recovering wolf population in the Yukon. Can. J. Zoology 78:36-48.

Weir, R. and A. Harestad. 1997. Landscape level selectivity by fishers in south central British Columbia. In: G. Proulx et al. (eds.). Martes: taxonomy, ecology, techniques and management. Proc. Second International Martes Symposium. Provincial Museum, Edmonton, Alberta. pp. 252-264.

Clayoquot Scientific Panel. 1994. Sustainable ecosystem management in Clayoquot Sound. Report 5. The Scientific Panel for Sustainable Forest Practices in Clayoquot Sound. 296 pp.

Thompson, I. and A. Harestad. 1994. Effects of logging on American martens, and models for habitat management. pp. 355-367 in Buskirk et al. (eds). Martens, sables and fishes: biology and conservation. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, N.Y.

Merkens, M., A. Harestad and T. Sullivan. 1991. Cover and efficacy of predator based repellents for Townsend's voles. J. Chem. Ecol. 17: 401-412.

Machutchon, A.G. and A. Harestad. 1990. Vigilance behaviour and use of rocks by Columbian ground squirrels. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 68: 1428-1432.

Bunnell, F. and A. Harestad. 1989. Activity budgets and body weight in mammals: how slopping can mammals be? Current Mammalogy 2:245-305.

Marbled murrelet extension note

Birds and riparian zones

Wolf abstracts online

Clayoquot panel reports - view

Clayoquot panel reports - order


Population Assessment of the Northern Spotted Owl in British Columbia
1992-2001 http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/spowtrend_1992_2001.pdf

Supplement to the Population Assessment of the Northern Spotted Owl in
British Columbia 1992-2001 http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/spowtrend_supp.pdf



 Forest removal and carrying capacity American marten (Martes americana).

Forest removal and carrying capacity American marten (Martes americana). Dispersed removal is selective cutting or patch-cutting blocks of less than 3 ha in boreal conifer-dominated forest.