Research by Universities

Research on deer in Scotland by Universities and Institutes

Below are a list of current deer related research projects which researchers have made known to DCS. If you would like to update or add to the information on this page then please contact  katy mcneil  

Deer related research by Universities and Institutes
Institute	Title	Outline	Contact
	Ecology and evolution of red deer	Analysis of the ecology, behaviour, demography, population dynamics and evolutionary biology of red deer using life history records for all individuals living in the North Block of the Isle of Rum since 1971.	Tim Clutton-Brock
	Red deer population structure	Application of population genetic analysis to understand the mode, rate and scale of dispersal in upland red deer populations	Josephine Pemberton
	Sika-red hybridisation	Genetic and ecological analysis of the mode and rate of hybridisation and introgression between introduced Japanese sika deer and red deer	Josephine Pemberton
	Collaborative Frameworks in Land Management: A Case Study on Integrated Deer Management	The project aims to produce a framework for the development of effective, informed and inclusive collaborative management to promote rural sustainability, using wild deer in Britain as a case study. This project will investigate how well people involved in deer management work together and how this can be improved so that the costs of managing deer are minimised and the benefits maximised	Justin Irvine
	Habitat types, climate, herbivores and tick-borne diseases	How will land use change and climate change affect the risk of tick-borne disease? How can land be managed to minimise the risk?	Simon Thirgood
	Effects on upland ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity of changing vertebrate herbivore populations	Assess the evidence for competition between deer and sheep at landscape scale, the effects of parasites and habitat impacts. Assess the impact of changing vertebrate herbivore populations on upland habitat condition and biodiversity	Simon Thirgood
	Modelling sika deer spread in the Borders	A population dynamics model is being developed to model the spread of sika deer in the Borders, as suitable habitat became available.  It is being used to predict future spread under a range of culling strategies, and to identify strategies that might be expected to halt the spread.	Steve Buckland
	Embryonic diapause in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)	A study of embryonic diapause in female roe deer, the rdPAG (preganancy associated glycoprotein) that terminates diapause and triggers maternal recognition of pregnancy	Roger Lambert