Steven joined the lab in September of 2011. Steven’s work examines role of body condition in predicting the survival and reproduction of Sable Island horses. By understanding the conditions under which mares will invest in reproduction as well as the conditions in which mares are in danger of mortality, Steven hopes to provide a better understanding of population dynamics on Sable Island. This work has shown effects of population density and resource availability at smaller spatial scales than were previously known. Steven has also taken an interest in the opposing forces of natural and artificial selection in feral animals and has begun a preliminary investigation by comparing life-history strategies of feral horse populations experiencing different levels of human management.
Steven completed a B.Sc. at Nipissing University in Ontario where he focused primarily on forest disturbance and succession. Steven’s undergraduate experiences with the hyper-abundant moose and failed succession of balsam fir in Gros Morne National Park led him to the study of animal ecology in the McLoughlin lab.
Publications:
Richard, E., S.E. Simpson, S.A. Medill, and P.D. McLoughlin. 2014. Interacting effects of age, density, and weather on survival and current reproduction for a large mammal. Ecology and Evolution (accepted August 5, 2014).