Female reproductive strategies in kangaroo rats

Taylor is interested in reproductive trade-offs in female mammals. Generally organisms that reproduce multiple times over a lifetime will invest more heavily in parental survival (to the detriment of the offspring) while organisms with a single reproductive episode will invest more heavily in their offspring, even if it will harm or kill the parent. Taylor will be experimentally manipulating breeding opportunities in Merriam's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) to determine if females prevented from breeding will invest more heavily in subsequent reproductive attempts (thus switching reproductive strategies).

The effect of sympatric bird calls on vigilance behavior of California ground squirrels

Joshua is investigating interspecific communication between California ground squirrels and sympatric bird species. He will be testing the hypothesis that ground squirrels will respond to the alarm calls produced by birds that live within the same prey guild as the California ground squirrel. He will also test the hypothesis that ground squirrels will respond to the non-alarm calls of sympatric birds and take advantage of the perception of safety by reducing vigillance.