Category: People

Andrew C. B. Jesper

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Andrew began with the lab in the Fall of 2018 as a Master’s student in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences but then decided to switch to the Ph.D. program. He did his undergraduate work at Principia College, where we assisted Dr. S. Eckert with ecological work on the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). That work consisted of daily radio-tracking to understand the movements, activity areas, and habitat use of the rattlesnake on the site.

Andrew will be conducting his Ph.D. work in association with two SWG projects the lab is running. His primary research examines the factors predicting the timing of emergence in the Timber Rattlesnake across a latitudinal gradient in Illinois. He will also focus on the species’ shuttling behavior during the egress and ingress periods using a combination of wildlife cameras, automated telemetry towers, and PIT tag reader arrays. Lastly, his work will be preparing a predictive model of potential denning habitat for Illinois. Andrew also continues to collaborate with Dr. Eckert at Principia College.

Devin A. Edmonds

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Devin began with the lab in the Fall of 2017 and his M.Sc. research focused on the demography of the Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornate) at two sites in Illinois. The goals of his research were to provide estimations of population sizes, survival, and fecundity. The data he gathered will then be input into deterministic matrix population models and stochastic PVA analyses to better guide the conservation of Ornate Box Turtles in Illinois.  He graduated from the Department of Natural Resources and environmental sciences with an M.Sc. in 2020.

Devin began his interest in herpetology and worked for the U. S. Forest Service on habitat assessments for amphibians, reptiles, and fish in the Sierra Nevada. From there he moved on to the U. S. Geological Survey where he worked with the Yosemite Toad and the Sierra Yellow-Legged Frog. Devin then moved on to work in Madagascar for several years where worked on invasive toad species control and conservation efforts for declining amphibians. Most recently, he had moved to the conservation of Lemurs at The Lemur Conservation Foundation.
Thesis

Expand to see all Devin A. Edmonds' publications

  1. Edmonds, D., Rakotoarisoa, J. C., Rasoanantenaina, S., Sam, S., Soamiarimampionona, J., and E. Tsimialomanana. 2016. Captive management and reproduction of the treefrog Boophis Pyrrhus in Andasibe, Madagascar. Herpetological Review 47(3): 405–409.
  2. Edmonds, D., Rakotoarisoa, J. C., Rasoanantenaina, S., Sam, S. S., Soamiarimampionona, J., Tsimialomanana, E., Youssouf, Dolch, R., Rabemananjara, F., Rabibisoa, N. and E. Robsomanitrandrasana. 2015. Captive husbandry, reproduction and fecundity of the golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) at the Mitsinjo breeding facility in Madagascar. Salamandra 51(4):315–325.
  3. Heinermann, J., Rodríguez, A., Segev, O., Edmonds, D., Dolch, R. and M. Vences. 2015. Year-round activity patterns in a hyperdiverse community of rainforest amphibians in Madagascar. Journal of Natural History. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2015.1009513
  4. Bletz, M. C., Rosa, G. M., Andreone, F., Courtois, E. A., Schmeller, D. S., Rabibisoa, N. H. C., Rabemananjara, F. C. E., Raharivololoniaina, L., Vences, M., Weldon, C., Edmonds, D., Raxworthy, C. J., Harris, R. N., Fisher, M. C., and A. Crottini. 2015. Consistency of published results on the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Madagascar: Formal comment on Kolby et al. Rapid response to evaluate the presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and Ranavirus in wild amphibian population in Madagascar. PLoS ONE 10(10): e0135900.
  5. Soamiarimampionona, J., Sam, S. S., Dolch, R., Klymus, K., Rabemananjara, F., Robsomanitrandrasana, E., Rakotoarisoa, J. C. and D. Edmonds. 2015. Effects of three diets on development of Mantidactylus betsileanus larvae in captivity. Alytes 32: 7–15.
  6. Moore, M., Solofo Niaina Fidy, J. F. and D. Edmonds. 2015. The new toad in town: Distribution of the Asian toad, ,em>Duttaphrynus melanostictus, in the Toamasina area of eastern Madagascar. Tropical Conservation Science 8(2): 440-455.
  7. Bletz, M., Rosa, G., Andreone, F., Courtois, E., Schmeller, D., Rabibisoa, N., Rabemananjara, F., Raharivololoniaina, L., Vences, M., Weldon, C., Edmonds, D., Raxworthy, C., Harris, R., Fisher, M. and A. Crottini. 2015. Widespread presence of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in wild amphibian communities in Madagascar. Scientific Reports 5, 8633; DOI: 10.1038/srep08633
  8. Glaw, F., Vallan, D., Andreone, F., Edmonds, D., Dolch, R. and M. Vences. 2015. Beautiful bright belly: A distinctive new microhylid frog from eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa 3925(1): 120-128.
  9. Andreone, F., Rabibisoa, N., Randrianantoandro, C., Crottini, A., Edmonds, D., Kraus, F., Lewis, J.P., Moore, M., Rabemananjara, F.C.E., Rabemanantsoa, J.C., and M. Vences. 2014. Risk review is under way for invasive toad. Nature DOI:10.1038/512253c.
  10. Ndriantsoa, S., Rakotonanahary, T., Dawson, J. and D. Edmonds. 2014. Predation of the Critically Endangered Boophis williamsi by Boophis goudotii at Ankaratra Massif, Madagascar. Herpetology Notes 7: 343–345.
  11. Behm, J., Edmonds, D., Harmon, J. and A. Ives. 2013. Multilevel statistical models and the analysis of experimental data. Ecology 94(7):1479–1486.
  12. Edmonds, D., Rakotoarisoa, J. C., Dolch, R., Pramuk, J., Gagliardo, R., Andreone, F., Rabibisoa, N., Rabemananjara, F., Rabesihanaka, S. and E. Robsomanitrandrasana. 2012. Building capacity to implement conservation breeding programs for frogs in Madagascar: Results from year one of Mitsinjo’s amphibian husbandry research and captive breeding facility. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 5(3): 57-69(e55).
  13. Rosa, G., Edmonds, D., Lau, I., Andreone, F., and P. Eusebio Bergo. 2012. Liopholidophis sexlineatus diet. Herpetological Review. 43(2): 345–346.
  14. Behm, J., Knaebe, B., Wing kan Fu, V. and D. Edmonds. 2011. Polypedates leucomystax (Java Whipping Frog) communal nesting. Herpetological Review 42(4): 587–588.
  15. Edmonds, D. 2011. Frogs and Toads: Complete Herp Care Series. Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H.
  16. Edmonds, D. 2009. “Breaking the Glass Box.” Leaf Litter Magazine. Spring 2009: 3–4.
  17. Edmonds, D. 2009. Extended distribution of two frogs from Madagascar: Mantella crocea and Mantella manery (Anura: Mantellidae). Herpetology Notes 2: 53–57.
  18. Edmonds, D. 2009. Salamanders and Newts: Complete Herp Care Series. Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H.
  19. Edmonds, D. 2007. Tree Frogs: Complete Herp Care Series. Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H.
  20. Edmonds, D. 2007. A. visit to two unique Mantella populations in east-central Madagascar. Leaf Litter. Spring 2007: 14-17.

Grace P. Wu

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Grace began in the lab in the Spring of 2016 and is currently in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science’s online Master’s Degree Program. Currently, she is a Biological Technician for the USDA Forest Service at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie assisting with the restoration and management of tallgrass prairies. Her work at Midewin has sparked an interest in the impact of restored habitat on native fauna. Her research will focus on snakes communities in relation to the age of prairie restorations. For her research, she will examine the occupancy, abundance, and diversity of snake species within Midewin’s restored sites, in relation to the age and size of the restoration. Grace’s work will allow for better guidance and practices for future tallgrass prairie restorations by determining which snake species are first colonizers and how the snake community then shapes.
Midewin has a fairly diverse snake community for Illinois comprising of the following species: North American Racer (Coluber constrictor), Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos), Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum), Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon), Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis), Eastern Fox Snake (Pantherophis vulpinus), Queensnake (Regina septemvittata), Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi), Plains Gartersnake (Thamnophis radix), and the Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis).

Christina Y. Feng

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Christina began working in the lab in the Spring of 2015 conducting surveys of potential impacts of construction and urbanization on the Blanding’s Turtle and Spotted Turtle within the Des Plaines River Valley. Her project focused on the Spotted Turtle populations in Illinois and added additional ecological data to the existing base.  Her thesis comprised three major aspects of the Spotted Turtle’s ecology.  First, she used long-term data collected to determine if there are population-level trends in size, recruitment rates, survival, and population structure.  Next, she examined the demography and life history of the species focusing on deterministic forecasting and elasticity/sensitivity analysis. Her data will be used to guide conservation and recovery efforts for this imperiled species in Illinois. Christina is currently working as a Natural Heritage Biologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Thesis