Walter Tzilkowski, Ph.D.

Academic Interests

Biometrics; plant-animal interactions; population dynamics

Courses Taught

Wildlife and Fisheries Population Dynamics

Wildlife Biometrics

Recent Research/Educational Projects

Damage to Pennsylvania Agricultural Crops by Wildlife Wildlife, primarily white-tailed deer, damage agricultural crops. The intensity of damage varies by crop type, spatially and temporally. We have developed a sampling strategy and allocation scheme to provide unbiased county estimates of damage for two high-value crops, corn and cabbage. Statewide sampling will begin during the 1995 growing season.

White-tailed Deer Effects on Regeneration of Mixed-Oak Forests on Public Lands Effects of canopy opening and white-tailed deer on vegetation are being assessed in south-central Pennsylvania. Three levels of canopy openings were created March 1993 in three woodlots. Deer exclosures were established on one-half of the inventory plots. Herbaceous plants and woody seedlings were inventoried prior to treatment. Post treatment inventories are being conducted.

Selected Publications

Palmer, W. L., G. L. Storm, R. Quinn, W. M. Tzilkowski, and M. J. Lovallo. 1997. Profiles of deer under different management and habitat conditions in Pennsylvania. Pages 151-163 in W. L. McShea, H. B. Underwood, and J. H. Rapole, eds. The Science of Overabundance: Deer Ecology and Population Management. Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington, D. C.

Gove, J. H., E. Linder, and W. M. Tzilkowski. 1995. Bimodality of the combined removal and signs-of-activities estimator for sampling closed animal populations. Environ. and Ecol. Stat. 4:65-80.

Storm, G.L., W.K. Shope, and W.M. Tzilkowski. 1994. Abundance of cottontails at a state game lands unit irrigated with waste water. J. Pa. Acad. Sci. 68:37-41.

Storm, G.L., W.K. Shope, and W.M. Tzilkowski. 1993. Cottontail population response to forest management using clearcutting and short rotations. Northeast Wildl. 50:91-99.

Tzilkowski, W.M. and G.L. Storm. 1993. Detecting change using repeated measures analysis: white-tailed deer abundance at Gettysburg National Military Park. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 21:411-414.

Tzilkowski, W.M., S.E. Fairweather, G.L. Storm, and T.W. Bowersox. 1993. Forest regeneration and white-tailed deer at Gettysburg National Military Park. Pages 86-96 in W.E. Brown and S.D. Veirs, Jr. (eds.). Partners in stewardship: Proc. of the 7th Conf. on Res. and Resourc. Manage. in Parks and Public Lands. Hancock, Michigan. The George Wright Society.