Research in my laboratory is comparative in approach. We study a wide range of primate species (gorillas, orangutans, Old and New World monkeys, prosimians) in \"naturalistic\" environments, at the Toronto Zoo and other zoos across North America. We are also involved in several projects looking at reproductive behavior in endangered species, including cheetahs, elephants, rhinos, Vancouver Island marmots, and black-footed ferrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My research interests center on the cognitive mechanisms involved in foraging behaviour. A major focus of the work is on spatial memory -- how do animals remember where they have been? How do animals encode and use complex information about their environments? I am also interested in the types of strategies animals use while foraging, and am looking at social foraging in several primate species. Practical applications of this work include increasing the psychological well-being of captive zoo animals through behavioural enrichment and improved habitat design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zuliani, M., Ghazian, N.,MacDonald, S.E., & Lortie, C.J. (2024). The relative effects of artificial shrubs on animal community assembly. Restoration Ecology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ghazian, N., MacDonald, S.E., & Lortie, C.J. (2024). An experimental test of lignocellulosic fabrics for potential use in artificial habitat construction in deserts. Global Ecology and Conservation. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.gecco.2024.e02806<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zuliani, M., Ghazian, N.,MacDonald, S.E., & Lortie, C.J. (submitted, October 23\/23). The importance of variation of local shrub densities on local vertebrate association across an aridity gradient. Submitted to the Journal of Arid Environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dupuis-Desormeaux, M., Van Alystyne, G., Mueller, M., Takayesu, R., D\u2019Elia, V., Tan, T. & MacDonald, S.E. (In press, 2024). Social media-based citizen science for turtle nest monitoring and conservation. FACETS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dupuis-Desormeaux, M., Dheer, A., Davidson, Z., Saibala, K., Kaaria, T., & MacDonald, S.E. (2023). Teeth, tusks and spikes: Repeated den sharing between predator and prey in an African savanna. African Journal of Ecology DOI: 10.1111\/aje.13153<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dupuis-Desormeaux, M.,Kaaria, T.N., Kinoti, J., Paul, A., Gilicho, S., Kobia, F., Onyango, R., Chege, G., Kimiti, D., Mwololo, M., Davidson, Z., & MacDonald, S.E. (2023). Human-wildlife conflicts in communities bordering a fenced wildlife conservancy\u2014a case study from Kenya. African Journal of Ecology DOI: 10.1111\/aje.13151<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dupuis-Desormeaux, M., Van Alystyne, G., Mueller, M., Takayesu, R., D\u2019Elia, V., * MacDonald, S.E. (2023). Hatchling Red-eared Slider (Trachyemys scripta elegans) in the Greater Toronto Area. Canadian Field Naturalist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Congdon, J., Hosseini, M., Gading, E.F., Masousi, H., Franke, M., & MacDonald, S. E.
(2022). The future of artificial intelligence in monitoring animal identification, health and behaviour. Animals. 12(13), 171https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani12131711.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dupuis-Desormeaux, M., McDonald, K., Moro, D., Reid, T., Agnew, C., Johnson, R., MacDonald, S.E. (2022). A snapshot of the distribution and demographics of freshwater turtles along Toronto\u2019s Lake Ontario coastal wetlands. Journal of Great Lakes Research<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Magnus, G., Dutton, C., Mastromonaco, G., Gartley, C., MacDonald, S.E. & Franke, M. (2022). Luteal phase length, endometrial edema and behaviour differentiate post-ovulatory events in a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Zoo Biology. DOI: 10.1002\/zoo.21655<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ecology and Population Biology; Animal Behaviour, Comparative Cognition<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","department":[],"research-area":[15],"un-goal":[],"research-method":[],"graduate-program-membership":[38],"graduate-program-physics":[],"admin-faculty-title-department":[],"program":[],"class_list":["post-2889","faculty","type-faculty","status-publish","hentry","research-area-ecology","graduate-program-membership-biology-gp"],"yoast_head":"\n