Behavioral ecology of box turtle personality
I have been continuing a half-century long legacy of researching the Eastern box turtle (Terrapene c. carolina) population at Allee Woods in western Indiana. Box turtles are a good model system for studying the biology of personality, as we've found that individuals are highly divergent in behavior, and large amounts of data on their ecology is relatively easy to obtain. I've been collecting turtles and tracking their movements in the field using radiotelemetry. With each relocation of the turtles, I measure their behavior to determine whether the turtles exhibit individual personalities. Alongside these data, I'm also collecting data on thermoregulation with iButton data loggers, home range size and movements with GPS, morphology, stress and androgen hormones, coloration, plasma carotenoids, and immune function. With all these data, I'll be able to examine the proximate "causes" (correlates) of differences in behavior and the consequences for a free-ranging animal of conservation concern. Wabash students involved with this project have included Travis Flock '16, Brady Boles '17, Free Kashon '17, Shaun Khoo '18, Joe Pich '18, AJ Belden '18, William Robinson '19, Keith Klein '21, Chaz Rhodes '21, Daren Glore '22, Jacob Penrose '23, Thomas Kay '23, Bradley Johnson '23, Brigham Anderson '23, and Brian Dobbels '24.
Box turtle ecology
I'm continuing a long-running study of the demographics of the Allee Woods box turtle population by estimating the current population size through mark-recapture estimates. I'm also working with collaborators who specialize in diseases impacting box turtle populations to collect data on the prevalence of ranavirus and other pathogens in Indiana turtles. (See our Experiment.com page here!) With a number of wonderful collaborators - dubbed the TerrapeNetwork - I've begun compiling data on box turtle morphology, color patterns, and behavior from across their geographic range. This will allow an exploration of how factors like climate, habitat, and anthropogenic habitat change are affecting box turtle evolution and ecology. I'm also working to gain some insights into the role of coloration in box turtle natural history. Box turtles, and many other turtle species, have bright yellow and red coloration that is sexually dimorphic, and the work in my lab will hopefully shed some light on how such coloration has evolved. We've also begun long-term exclosure experiments to evaluate the effects of box turtles on plant communities.
Human impacts on herpetofauna and their ecosystems
With my Advanced Ecology students, we have been studying the impacts of the common herbicide metolachlor on pond communities. Additionally, we've been analyzing reptile museum records from the United States to explore demographic trends over time and test hypotheses of potential drivers of these observed changes.
Recent projects:
Scorpion morphology, performance, and behavior
In earlier work, I found that the behavior of striped bark scorpions (Centruroides vittatus) towards predators appeared to depend on their morphology and ability to sprint quickly away. To better evaluate this hypothesis, I've been collecting data on the defensive behaviors and morphology of a number of scorpion species. This will reveal how differences in morphology and locomotor performance shape behavior within and across species. This project has benefited from the assistance of many bright Wabash students: Travis Flock '16, Hemant Sah '17, Samuel Watts '18, and Shaun Khoo '18.
Scorpion behavioral endocrinology
As an independent study project, Travis Flock '16 tested whether the hormone octopamine might regulate variation in fight-or-flight behavior in scorpions as it does in many other invertebrates. A manuscript is in progress and this promises to be the first study on hormones in a very ancient and unique lineage.
I have been continuing a half-century long legacy of researching the Eastern box turtle (Terrapene c. carolina) population at Allee Woods in western Indiana. Box turtles are a good model system for studying the biology of personality, as we've found that individuals are highly divergent in behavior, and large amounts of data on their ecology is relatively easy to obtain. I've been collecting turtles and tracking their movements in the field using radiotelemetry. With each relocation of the turtles, I measure their behavior to determine whether the turtles exhibit individual personalities. Alongside these data, I'm also collecting data on thermoregulation with iButton data loggers, home range size and movements with GPS, morphology, stress and androgen hormones, coloration, plasma carotenoids, and immune function. With all these data, I'll be able to examine the proximate "causes" (correlates) of differences in behavior and the consequences for a free-ranging animal of conservation concern. Wabash students involved with this project have included Travis Flock '16, Brady Boles '17, Free Kashon '17, Shaun Khoo '18, Joe Pich '18, AJ Belden '18, William Robinson '19, Keith Klein '21, Chaz Rhodes '21, Daren Glore '22, Jacob Penrose '23, Thomas Kay '23, Bradley Johnson '23, Brigham Anderson '23, and Brian Dobbels '24.
Box turtle ecology
I'm continuing a long-running study of the demographics of the Allee Woods box turtle population by estimating the current population size through mark-recapture estimates. I'm also working with collaborators who specialize in diseases impacting box turtle populations to collect data on the prevalence of ranavirus and other pathogens in Indiana turtles. (See our Experiment.com page here!) With a number of wonderful collaborators - dubbed the TerrapeNetwork - I've begun compiling data on box turtle morphology, color patterns, and behavior from across their geographic range. This will allow an exploration of how factors like climate, habitat, and anthropogenic habitat change are affecting box turtle evolution and ecology. I'm also working to gain some insights into the role of coloration in box turtle natural history. Box turtles, and many other turtle species, have bright yellow and red coloration that is sexually dimorphic, and the work in my lab will hopefully shed some light on how such coloration has evolved. We've also begun long-term exclosure experiments to evaluate the effects of box turtles on plant communities.
Human impacts on herpetofauna and their ecosystems
With my Advanced Ecology students, we have been studying the impacts of the common herbicide metolachlor on pond communities. Additionally, we've been analyzing reptile museum records from the United States to explore demographic trends over time and test hypotheses of potential drivers of these observed changes.
Recent projects:
Scorpion morphology, performance, and behavior
In earlier work, I found that the behavior of striped bark scorpions (Centruroides vittatus) towards predators appeared to depend on their morphology and ability to sprint quickly away. To better evaluate this hypothesis, I've been collecting data on the defensive behaviors and morphology of a number of scorpion species. This will reveal how differences in morphology and locomotor performance shape behavior within and across species. This project has benefited from the assistance of many bright Wabash students: Travis Flock '16, Hemant Sah '17, Samuel Watts '18, and Shaun Khoo '18.
Scorpion behavioral endocrinology
As an independent study project, Travis Flock '16 tested whether the hormone octopamine might regulate variation in fight-or-flight behavior in scorpions as it does in many other invertebrates. A manuscript is in progress and this promises to be the first study on hormones in a very ancient and unique lineage.