Dr. Colter Chitwood is back on to break down the unique population dynamics of the wild turkey. Join as we explore which vital rates are significant to turkey population trajectories, impacts of boom bust cycles on reproductive success, the interplay between reproductive parameters and hen survival, why high reproduction rates may not compensate for low hen survival, what this all means for wild turkey management.

Resources:

Bieber, C., & Ruf, T. (2005). Population dynamics in wild boar Sus scrofa: ecology, elasticity of growth rate and implications for the management of pulsed resource consumers. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42(6), 1203-1213.

Keller, B. J., et al. (2015). A review of vital rates and cause‐specific mortality of elk C ervus elaphus populations in eastern N orth A merica. Mammal Review, 45(3), 146-159.

Londe, David W., et al. "Review of range‐wide vital rates quantifies eastern wild Turkey population trajectory." Ecology and Evolution 13.2 (2023): e9830.

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

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Dr. Colter Chitwood Website, Publications

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow 

UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube

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This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. 

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Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak