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Fun Salamander Videos - Marbled salamanders mating


RESEARCH:
Below are some of my current research projects. All of my work is aimed at doing good for the organisms I work with, and I maintain a no-kill, minimal-impact philosophy. I work closely with the Massachussetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, reporting the distributions of rare species in the state.


E-ZPass for salamanders
(Charney et al. 2009, JWM)
I developed a technique to track terrestrial movements of small animals using Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT).


Large scale vernal pool breeding surveys
To understand the effects of landscape fragmentation on amphibians, Charley Eiseman, Ethan Plunkett, and I surveyed for amphibian breeding presence at over 800 ponds in western Massachussetts in 2008 and 2009. We are in the process of analyzing these data.


Genetics of Ambystoma jeffersonianum-laterale-barbouri complex
These salamanders are rare in Massachussets, but they defy categorization by any species cocept. Still, the endangered species laws require a working species concept to protect them. I, along with a bunch of collaborators, am working to sort out a piece of this mess.