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Behavior Management Laboratory
University of California, Davis
School of Veterinary Medicine

Lab Philosophy

Building on principles of evolution, animal behavior, and communication, the goal of this group is to apply current understanding of animal behavior and bioacoustics to animal welfare, management and conservation issues, while continuing to expand on this knowledge base. Applied research includes the use of bioacoustics as a conservation and management tool, effects of anthropogenic noise on wildlife behavior and communication, and the use of social network analysis as a management tool for captive exotics, wildlife, laboratory animals and domesticated species. Basic research focuses on the relationship between social and communication complexity in non-human animals.

 

Lab Personnel

Director: Dr. Brenda McCowan, School of Veterinary Medicine : Population Health & Reproduction, California National Primate Research Center

Current Graduate Students:Stacie Hooper, Ina Powell, Kathryn Holcomb, Becki Brunelli, Daniel Gottlieb, Allison Heagerty, Nicole Sharpe, and Hanie Elfenbein

Prospective Students: 

Research Areas

Animal Welfare

 

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Primate Behavioral Management— research on management and social factors that contribute to high aggression in large socially housed groups as well as the emergence of behavioral impairments in rhesus macaques and other primate species. For relevant publications, please see Dr. McCowan’s homepage.



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Poultry Welfare— experiment comparing the effects of no feed versus non-nutritive feed on physiological stress levels during molting, and on the effects of housing on behavioral stress indicators. For relevant publications, please see Dr. McCowan’s homepage.


 

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Dairy Production—experiments on the effects of playback of calf vocalizations as a noninvasive technique for enhancing milk production in dairy cows. For relevant publications, please see Dr. McCowan’s homepage.



Wildlife Conservation

Ground Squirrels— research investigating the use of bioacoustics as a conservation and management tool, and the effects of highway noise on alarm call acoustic structure. Field sites located in White Mountains,   California and at Tuolumne Meadows and Dana Meadows in Yosemite National Park, California. For more information, please see Stacie Hooper’s homepage.

 

Humpback Whales— research examining feeding calls, their use in coordination of cooperative feeding behavior, and the possible effects of boat noise on this behavior and communication system. Field sites located in Chaitham Straight and Fredrick Sound, Alaska. For more information, please see Sean Hanser’s homepage.

 

Mexican Spotted Owls— research examining the use of bioacoustics to census populations of Mexican spotted owls for purposes of tracking demographic patterns in this endangered species. Field sites located in Gila National Forest, New Mexico.

 

 

Behavioral Ecology of Infectious Disease

Ground Squirrels/Domestic Livestock— research examining the role of social behavior in infectious disease transmission using social network analysis and other analytical tools to develop beneficial management practices that reduce environmental loading of pathogens and protect herds from high rates of infection.

 

Socio-cognitive Complexity

 

Communication Complexity— research on social and communication development, flexibility and complexity in bottlenose dolphins, squirrel monkeys and other species. For relevant publications, please see Dr. McCowan’s homepage.