Research

Research Interests

1)  Amphibian Communication Systems

•  Acoustic communities - based on hearing capabilities, there is a small window of sound that amphibians can hear. This 'window' must be partitioned to 'fit' all species within it.
•  Perch height choice - spring peepers may change the height of their calling perch in response to changes in the physical environment over a breeding season
•  Variability within male calls - what causes variability in male calls, how much do calls vary across males, how much do calls vary within an individual
•  Calling communities-comparison of calling communities across the local landscape.

2)  Amphibian Ecology/Conservation

•  Population monitoring - establishing monitoring protocols and maintaining monitoring
•  Amphibian life histories - life cycles, reproductive effort
•  Hellbender conservation ecology - distribution, habitat selection, ecology, recovery
•  Distribution of Ambystoma maculatum breeding sites in northeast Alabama
•  Color variation in Ambystoma maculatum egg masses - frequency and possible thermal implications
•  Mutualism between Ambystoma maculatum larvae and symbiotic algae
•  Sexual selection - what do females use to choose males
•  Call physiology - biochemical restrictions on calling (w/Meade)

3) Reptile Ecology

•  Reptile ecology/ conservation - especially small snakes
•  Reptile life histories - especially lizards and small snakes
•  Sexual dimorphism in turtles
•  Snake communities (especially small species)

4) Community Ecology

•  Quantitative analysis of community structure - herps, trees, fishes
•  Theoretical ecology - trophic structure of communities measuring community structure

5)  Miscellaneous

•  Ghost crab ( Oxypoda quadratata) population demography
•  Freshwater jellyfish - natural history, ecology, feeding behavior, genetics (with Drs Rayburn, Hamissou, Romano, Meade)

DISL Presentation

DISL Check-sheet