LAB PHILOSOPHY (WHY WE ARE PERCEIVED TO LACK FOCUS)
My students and I are organismal
biologists at heart. Therefore, we let our intense interest in the
life histories of amphibians and reptiles guide us to appropriate questions
to ask of these animals rather than allowing an interest in a particular
question force us to examine organisms
for which we have no passion. All levels of scientific inquiry are
encouraged, from descriptive to experimental and from field to laboratory.
Additionally, broad experiences within the field of herpetology are encouraged.
These experiences include access
to a number of fine field sites in Alabama and Costa Rica (regions with
unusually rich herpetofaunas), participation in curation of a notable herpetological
collection within the Auburn University Museum, and opportunities to influence
the local populace about amphibians and reptiles through school and community
programs.
The primary goal of activities
in my lab is to provide new knowledge to the scientific community in the
form of research publications. While the scope of this research is
limited taxonomically, all graduate-level projects are expected to explore
patterns of broad interest to the fields of ecology, evolution, and/or
conservation biology. In this respect, students are expected to know
enough about current trends in the latter fields to understand how their
herp-oriented research projects might shape theory-based research.
INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE GRADUATE STUDENTS
I am always interested in
recruiting bright, motivated students and typically take on 1-2 students
each year. Those working in my lab are expected to generate their
own projects. I do not provide students with projects because this
usually stifles their scientific curiosity and because I find that my students
ask much more interesting questions than I do! Typically, there are
more applicants for entry
into my lab than I can accept, so the competition is stiff. Those
interested in entering my lab need to apply to the Department of Biological
Sciences (see
departmental web page) before Feb 1. During the first week of
February, I select the application(s) that I will sponsor. Those
not chosen are informed of my decision so they can withdraw their applications
and avoid the application fee required by the Graduate School. Once
I sign my support of an applicant, the file is sent to the Graduate Admissions
Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences for evaluation.
This committee screens applicants and assigns teaching assistantships (TA).
TA assignments are guaranteed for two years for masters students and five
years for doctoral students. Generally, new TA assignments are offered
starting in mid-February (for students beginning their programs the following
fall semester) and high GRE scores are needed for selection. Most
students score 1100 or better for verbal + quantitative and have a GPA
of 3.4 or better. If you are selected for a TA assignment, then this
completes the admissions process for getting into my lab. Most students
teach for a year, while taking courses and establishing their research
program. Then we work towards finding support for the research project.
This may be in the form of a graduate research assistantship on one of
my funded research projects or a grant that the student garners.
Abbie
Sorenson
Ecology and Resource Use of New
World Turtles
John
Steffen
Ecology of Crotophytus Lizards
Cottonmouth
Ecology: Collectively, students in our lab are monitoring a local
population
of Cottonmouths
(Agkistrodon piscivorus). This project was initiated in the
Spring of 2001
and includes
mark-recapture, measuring growth rates, and documenting reproductive
patterns.
Gopher
Tortoise Ecology: This is a long-term project. The
roots of the project date back
to 1988 and
has expanded to include mulitple field sites located in Alabama, Georgia
and
Mississippi.
Research focuses include movement patterns and home range analysis,
growth, population
dynamics, social interations, reproductive ecology, foraging ecology,
tortoise influence
on microhabitat and vegetation structure, and effects of
forestry/military
activites.
Kristin
Bakkegard, 2001, Natural history and behavior of Red Hills salamanders
(Phaeognathus hubrichti) at
their burrow
entrances
Bob
Reed, 2001, Macroecology of Australian and New World reptiles, with
emphasis on life history,
geographic
range, and conservation
Melissa Boglioli,
1999, Burrow dispersion and occupancy patterns as they relate to habitat
parameters
and social behavior in the gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus
Jeannine Ott,
1999, Patterns of movement, burrow use, and reproduction in a population
of
gopher tortoises
(Gopherus polyphemus): applications to the conservation and
management
of a declining species.
Mathew
Aresco, 1998, Growth and burrow abandonment of the gopher tortoise,
Gopherus
polyphemus,
in slash pine plantations of southern Alabama.
Karan Schnuelle (Bailey), 1997, Effects of food availability on flattened musk turtle populations
Marilyn Herrington,
1996, Effects of stand thinning on gopher tortoises, Gopherus
polyphemus
(Testudines: Testudinidae)
Brian
Butterfield, 1996, The pattern of morphological variation of selected
members of the
introduced
herpetofauna of Florida
Kirsten E. Nicholson, 1991, A phylogenetic analysis of beta anoles
Emmett L. Blankenship,
1989, The effects of diet on the predatory larva of the smoky
jungle frog
(Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylus pentadactylus)
Ty W. Bryan,
1987, Effects of Black Creek seed orchard establishment on a population
of gopher tortoises
(Gopherus polyphemus) (Daudin) in southeastern Mississippi
Auburn
University Natural History Museum
Backyard
Guide to Alabama's Reptiles and Amphibians
The
Organization for Tropical Studies at Auburn
