Tag: University of Illinois

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

Jason P. Ross

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Jason worked on several projects for us in the herpetology lab including Eastern Massasauga searches, Illinois Mud Turtle radio-telemetry, and Blanding’s Turtle work in the Chicago Region.  He completed his M.Sc. in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois in 2016.  His project examined the population and spatial ecology of the Smooth Softshell Turtle (Apalone mutica) in the Kaskaskia River.  In particular, he studied how high rates of flow affected the spatial biology and behavior of this species.  The project focused on two reaches of the Kaskaskia River, below the Lake Shelbyville Dam and below the Carlyle Lake Dam.  Jason then moved to be an Associate Herpetologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey in the Urban Biotic Assessment Program. Currently, Jason has started his own environmental consulting firm focusing on turtle conservation and ecology.
INHS Report
Link to Thesis

Dr. Ethan J. Kessler

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Dr. Kessler then remained in the lab to begin as a postdoctoral researcher, where he began work on numerous projects. He has continued the Alligator Snapping Turtle reintroduction project for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. He has since expanded his research repertoire to include eDNA sampling methods. Currently, Dr. Kessler has ongoing eDNA projects covering the Alligator Snapping Turtle, Mudpuppy, and Salamander Mussel.

Dr. Kessler began work in the herpetology lab aiding with herpetofaunal surveys, a large-scale assessment of ephemeral wetlands quality for amphibians, and aided in the radio-telemetry of the Smooth Softshell Turtle.  He began his research under my advisement in the spring of 2014 as a master’s student in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. He later switched to the Ph.D. program and graduated in 2020.  His project was part of a multi-state effort to recovery the Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii ).  Specifically, he examined how wildlife health, habitat use, behavior, and thermal ecology affected survival rates in repatriated turtles raised under different conditions. His project aided in determining measures of success or failure for the repatriation efforts and hence help guide future recovery efforts of the species in Illinois.
Dissertation
News Gazette Article

Dr. Sarah J. Baker

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Dr. Baker received her Bachelor’s degree in zoology from North Dakota State University, Fargo.  She has always held a keen interest in pit-vipers and moved to Illinois to receive her Master’s in Biology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in Dr. Christopher A. Phillips’ Herpetology Lab.  She completed her Master’s work in 2009 on the “Ecophysiology of the Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) at Carlyle Lake, Illinois”.  She then continued to pursue a doctoral degree in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental sciences expanding on the long-term demographic data collected on the Eastern Massasauga.  In 2016, she completed her Ph.D. and was a post-doctoral fellow in the Urban Biotic Assessment Program.  Dr. Baker then worked briefly as a Herpetologist for Arizona Game and Fish Department but has now settled as an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department and McNeese State University, Lousiana.
Dissertation
SFD Article

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.
ResearchGate Profile