Dr. Johan T. du Toit

Wildland Resources

Emeritus Professor

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Biography

My research interests are diverse, but I focus mainly on the ecology of large mammals in terrestrial ecosystems.  My particular interests include interactions among species of different body size within trophic guilds, interactions between ungulates and their food plants, and differences in behavior, diet, and habitat use among sex and age classes within large mammal populations.  Together with my students and postdocs, I investigate these topics by conducting field studies on indigenous ungulates and large predators in southern African savannas and western American rangelands.  An emerging theme of my research and publications is the conservation of terrestrial ecosystem processes through the fusion of science and management. Read more about one of my current projects on African savanna ecology at https://www.megacarcassecology.com/.

Doctoral students

Shantell Garrett - Grazing interactions between lagomorphs and ungulates mediated by predation
Ryan Helcoski – Ecological legacy effects of elephant carcasses in African savannas
Mallory Lambert - Ecological and behavioral interactions between two alpine specialists: pikas and mountain goats

Courses

WILD 4500 - Principles of Wildlife Management
WILD 7000 - Theory and Applications of Wildland Ecosystem Management

Links

Zoological Society of London
Megacarcass Ecology Working Group

Edited books

Rewilding - British Ecological Society and Cambridge University Press
Wild Rangelands - Zoological Society of London and Wiley-Blackwell
Elephants and Savanna Woodlands - Zoological Society of London and Wiley-Blackwell
The Kruger Experience - Island Press

Biodata and publications

Curriculum vitae
Google Scholar
ResearchGate

Science communication samples

Podcast - ZSL Wild Science #018: Rewilding in a changing climates
TEDx talk - TEDxUSU
CNN feature - Bison conservation