Specifically, Dr. Powell studies "animal fitness," the ability of an animal to produce offspring that will contribute to the next generation.  An animal with high fitness has many offspring, and an animal with low fitness bears few offspring. He also looks at the correlation between food distribution and bear behavior.  If the source of food is fragmented but productive, the bears tend to be less territorial and more cooperative.  In contrast, an area that is productive and centered around a large patch is easier to defend than a lot of small areas. The bears thus tend to be more territorial  As productivity declines, the bears defend their territories more aggressively.  Interestingly, in Canada, female bears defend their territories, whereas in the mountains of North Carolina, home ranges of adult male bears tend to overlap less than those of adult females. 

Dr. Powell finds field research to be an exciting aspect of his work. Observing the animal in nature provides an enriching perspective when he analyzes data.  It is exciting just to come in contact with a wild animal…to rub the fur of the bear.  In the field, Dr. Powell tracks the bear using radio telemetry devices and he georeferences his data with GIS mapping software. Additionally he uses DNA techniques to study the genealogy of the bears. Using this method he discovered that generally the large male bears weighing over 300 pounds fathered 90% of the cubs in the research habitat.

Dr. Powell teaches Wildlife Management, Mammalogy, Evolution, and Ecology of Mammals 
Some semesters he teaches a course that explores how Darwin demonstrated the importance of evolution via natural selection. In the spring, Dr. Powell teaches community ecology.
 

This is a great shot of a medium-to-large black bear track. The smaller track. towards the bottom of the picture, is the front paw. Taken by Russ Chastain and his wife in Ocala National Forest.

While taking a summer college course at the Boundary Waters Wilderness  in Minnesota, he discovered his love for ecology and observing animals in the wild. “It's all fascinating and marvelous,” Roger Powell says of ecology.

Dr. Powell's research emphasis is often determined by the funding available.  When he came to North Carolina he received funding from the state to evaluate the system of bear sanctuaries set up in the 1970's.  Through research scientists can find out the impact of road building on fragmenting a habitat and its effect on the long-term commitment of an animal to a territory.  Based on solid data, hopefully, society will come to understand what makes a good bear habitat and will continue develop strategies so that humans and bear populations can coexist.

To pursue a career in science research, Dr. Powell suggests that students develop good study habits, and learn as much as they can. They also need to try new things.  Dr. Powell encourages students to "do things that excite you."  He advises, "Be yourself, don't try to be someone else. "Be imaginative and innovative… a thinker."

Dr. Powell raises and breeds Newfoundland dogs, and currently has two.  He has raised them for many years. His college age daughter learned to walk by holding onto the dogs’ fur. Newfoundland dogs are still bred for hauling, lifesaving, and being ‘nannies.’ They are very patient, hard to make aggressive, are loyal to their owners, and can't be abused easily. 

Dr. Powell is interested in carpentry and classical music.  He has made his own canoes and built a deck outside his home. His favorite scientist is Aldo Leopold, who wrote A Sand County Almanac, but he thinks that Charles Darwin changed science the most with his theory of evolution.

• Roger A Powell - Associate Professor Department of Zoology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

• Working with Wildlife, the Black Bear
• The Bear Den, American Black Bears
• The American Bear Association's Cybernaculum
• North American Bear Center
• Listen to Black Bear sounds
• Black Bear Pictures
• Appalachian Bear Center
• Bears.org
• Bears and Other Top Predators
• Black Bears

• Voles
• Voles in Horticultural Plantings

• Fishers
• Martes pennanti