Assistant Professor
Department of Zoology
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB CANADA R3T 2N2
PH: (204) 474-7497
FAX: (204) 474-7588
EMAIL: davoreng@cc.umanitoba.ca
OFFICE: Z432 Duff Roblin Building
2001-2003 Post Doctoral Fellow, Behavioural and Cognitive Ecology
(Biopsychology),Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002.
RESEARCH: Collaborative multi-species, multi-scale ecosystem initiative:
(1) predator-prey interactions - search strategies of seabirds for fish,
(2) predator-prey interactions: spawning habitat selection by a keystone
forage fish
1998-2001 Ph.D., Behavioural and Cognitive Ecology
(Biopsychology), Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2001.
THESIS TITLE: Predator-prey interactions of common murres (Uria aagle)
and fish in the Northwest Atlantic: foraging strategies on multiple scales.
1995-1997 M.Sc., Biology, University of
Victoria, 1997.
THESIS TITLE: Parental investment in the rhinoceros auklet
(Cerorhinca monocerata) at the colony and at sea off
southwestern Vancouver Island.
1989-1994 B.Sc., Biology Co-op, University of Victoria & Bamfield Marine Station, 1994.
I began as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology, University of Manitoba in September 2003. Research themes include Behaviour, Ecology, Ornithology, Ichthyology and Conservation Biology, primarily in a marine context. I focus on evaluating the behavioural decisions that underlie predator-prey interactions of wild marine animals, mainly seabirds and fish. I am most interested in foraging and anti-predatory behaviour as well as habitat selection. Ecological interactions among species differ depending on the spatial and temporal scale in question; therefore, I incorporate scale as a key concept within my research.
Most species meet their energetic requirements for survival through predation and, thus, I apply my research to increase our understanding of how energy flows from lower to higher trophic levels in marine food webs, a key ecosystem process. Forage fish species provide essential linkages for energy transfer among marine trophic levels and, thus, often mediate ecosystem-level changes. Forage fish sometimes form high-density aggregations that are persistent in space and time, where vertebrate predators concentrate owing to augmented prey encounter rates with minimal search efforts. These biological hotspots result in efficient energy transfer within food webs, thereby maintaining ecosystem integrity. This avenue of research, therefore, allows me to apply research results to wildlife conservation, primarily in the context of habitat management of areas of high biological activity or sensitive ecosystems for designation as protected or conservation areas.
Evidence of climate change is occurring around the globe, with the most significant changes identified in Arctic regions. There is evidence of shifting availability of different forage fish species in response to ocean climate change through the Canadian Arctic, which appears to be having widespread impacts in marine ecosystems. Researchers are unclear of the basis for these changes and their future impacts on the maintenance of ecosystem integrity. My research is focused in the Low Arctic and High Arctic regions of Canada. Study sites encompass areas where globally and regionally significant populations of marine fish, birds and mammals occur. Each region has one dominant schooling forage fish species that acts as a keystone prey species for larger vertebrate predators. The long-term objectives of my research program are to contrast the impacts of climate change and industrial development on the ecology of species, species interactions and biodiversity in these Arctic marine ecosystems.
Davoren GK, Anderson JT, Montevecchi WA (Submitted 06/03) Fine- and meso-scale habitat selection of capelin Mallotus villosus in Newfoundland. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (32 pgs)
Davoren GK, Anderson JT, Montevecchi WA (In press) Distribution patterns of common murres Uria aalge: underlying behavioural mechanisms in the context of predator-prey theory. Marine Ornithology.
Davoren GK, Montevecchi WA (2003) Signals from seabirds indicate changing fish stocks. Marine Ecology Progress Series 258: 253-261
Davoren GK, Montevecchi WA (2003) Consequences of foraging trip duration on provisioning behaviour and fledging condition of common murres. Journal of Avian Biology 34: 44-53
Davoren GK, Montevecchi WA, Anderson JT (2003) Search strategies of a pursuit-diving marine bird and the persistence of prey patches. Ecological Monographs 73: 463-481
Davoren GK, Montevecchi WA, Anderson JT (2003) Distribution patterns of a marine bird and its prey: habitat selection based on prey and conspecific behaviour. Marine Ecology Progress Series 256: 229-242
Bertram DF, Golumbia T, Davoren GK, Harfenist A, Brown J (2003) Short visits reveal consistent patterns of interyear and intercolony variation in seabird nestling diet and performance. Canadian Journal of Zoology 80: 2190-2199
Davoren GK, Montevecchi WA, Anderson JT (2002) Scale-dependent associations of predators and prey: constraints imposed by flightlessness of common murres. Marine Ecology Progress Series 245: 259-272
Carscadden JE, Montevecchi WA, Davoren GK, Nakashima BS (2002) Trophic relationships among capelin (Mallotus villosus) and marine birds in a changing ecosystem. ICES Journal of Marine Science 59: 1027-1033
Wiese FK, Montevecchi WA, Davoren GK, Huettmann F, Diamond AW, Linke J (2001) Seabirds at risk around oil platforms in the Northwest Atlantic. Marine Pollution Bulletin 42: 1285-1290
Davoren GK (2000) Foraging variability in response to changing prey distribution in rhinoceros auklets. Marine Ecology Progress Series 198: 283-291
Davoren GK, Burger AE (1999) Differences in prey selection and behavior during self-feeding and chick provisioning in rhinoceros auklets. Animal Behaviour 58: 853-863
NSERC Strategic Grant
Dr. William A. Montevecchi
Important Bird Areas Canada
Witless Bay IBA
Canadian coast guard vessels