Ph.D.
Cooperative Associate Professor - Wildlife
School of Natural Resources
Research at a glance
Area(s) of Expertise
Research Summary
Amelon’s research involves evaluating multidimensional and complex relationships between an organism’s foraging behavior, nutritional requirements, and utilization of ingested nutrients and how these are linked to the environment.
Amelon’s studies focus on ecology of bat species related to population demography, behavioral ecology, resource selection, habitat use, diet/nutritional analysis and energy dynamics. A range of techniques are used including temperature sensitive radio-telemetry to monitoring of bats outfitted with passive transponders (PIT tags) and population genetics to help understand social behavior, winter / summer movements, roosting habitat selection and different overwintering strategies. Her disease research focuses on understanding and mitigating physiological impacts caused by WNS in bats. Mortality rates in affected hibernacula generally exceed 75% and have been documented as high as 99-100%. Focus is on mitigation tools to increase bat survival and conserve bat populations and is facilitated by integrating field ecology with conservation physiology and nutritional ecology from an “Integrated Disease Management” perspective.
Educational background
- Ph.D., University of Missouri, 2007
Courses taught
- V_PBIO 5995: Foundations in Veterinary Research and Discovery