Year: 2020

New Publication:Habitat Restoration Affects Box Turtle Growth

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Eastern Box Turtle growth is influenced by environmental conditions which in turn can be influenced by vegetative structure. Removal of Autumn Olive and Russian Olive at a site in Illinois occurred during a 16 year mark-recapture study allowing us to analyze impacts of removal on the growth of turtles. The data showed that removing the invasive plants may not negatively impact the growth of the turtles and that growth is variable by individual. This is attributed to reptile growth being influenced by more than just environmental conditions, including genetics.

Read the paper: Edmonds, D., A.R. Kuhns, and M.J. Dreslik. 2020. Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina&lt) growth and the impacts of invasive vegetation removal. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 15(3):588–596.

Dr. Jonathan K. Warner

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Dr. Warner received his Bachelor’s Degree in 2004 from the University of Illinois in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science.  After graduation, he worked as a field technician in Dr. Christopher Phillips Herpetology Lab assisting on many different projects.  In 2005, he began his Master’s Degree at the University of the Witwatersrand studying the conservation biology and ecology of the Gaboon Adder (Bitis gabonica).  In 2009, he began his Doctoral work at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg) working on a large-scale ecological study of the Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus).  After completing his doctoral work, Dr. Warner joined the Urban Biotic Assessment Program as a postdoctoral fellow in 2016.  In early 2017, he became the Alligator Program Leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife.  Dr. Warner’s research interests are broad and revolve around the conservation and management of crocodilian and snake species.
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