The Role of Landscape in the Distribution of Deer-Vehicle Collisions in Two Counties in South-Central Mississippi

<p>The number of deer killed by vehicle collisions each year in the United States exceeds the number of deer killed annually through hunting. Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) have a vast negative impact on the economy, traffic safety, and general wellbeing of otherwise healthy deer populations. To mitigate DVCs, it is imperative to gain a better understanding of the factors that play a role in their spatial distribution. Much of the existing research has been inconclusive, pointing to a variety of factors that cause DVCs that are specific to study site and region. Very little DVC research has been undertaken in the southern United States, which makes the region particularly important with regard to this issue. Through the use of GIS, remotely sensed imagery, and statistical analysis, this thesis evaluates landscape factors that contribute to the spatial distribution of DVCs within Forrest and Lamar Counties in Mississippi.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geography and Geology

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• McKee, Jacob Jeremiah

Contributors dc:contributor

• David Cochran
• Joby Bass
• George Raber

• Geography
• Nature and Society Relations
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/430

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-1503