 My Background My research and teaching is guided by years working and traveling throughout North America. For six years I traveled North American ecosystems for full field semesters, with groups of students. Previously, I was Director of Forfar Field Station in the Bahamas, a biotech in the Smokies, and a Research Assistant at the National Zoological Park. Lessons Learned We have made great progress in conservation in North America, but the challenges continue to mount. Changing social conditions, climate, and land uses call for a dynamic, rigorous conservation science. To actually solve these problems, science must be integrated with policy. Sustainability and Biodiversity As a conservation biologist I am primarily concerned with the structure and function of natural systems and how humans interact with them. As a parent I am quite concerned for the future of our species. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that if biodiversity conservation goals are achieved, that future will be more prosperous and pleasant for Homo sapiens. | I am interested in the processes that drive changes in patterns of biodiversity at multiple scales. I focus on several themes.
One, is the effect of urbanization on patterns of diversity. I am interested in finding out how different life histories respond to human land-use activities. Ultimately I'd like to learn land-use rules to maximize biodiversity conservation in human dominated landscapes.
Two, is how urbanization processes actually occur. Human are an organism and the spatial patterns we exhibit may be studied using the same techniques ecologists apply to any.
Three, is how science is best integrated into policy and decision making. GIS is a superb decision support tool, but like much technology is prone to misuse. Better science + better communication = better decisions.
Projects Mapping and Assessing landscape condition of geographically isolated wetlands in the Upstate of South Carolina (with Dr. Bryan Brown and others).
Conservation planning in the Northern Appalachian Ecoregion (with Dr. Stephen C. Trombulak and others)
Amphibians as indicators of ecosystem change (graduate student)
Assessing nest predation risk in estuarine turtle, the diamondback terrapin (graduate student project)
Effects of urbanization on amphibian and reptile communities in the Carolina Piedmont (graduate student project)
North American Protected Areas - distribution and risks (with Commission for Environmental Cooperation and Mr. Donald Lipscomb)
Toolbox
I am primarily a field biologist. However, my work in recent years has morphed into being carried out in most in a GIS environment.
Current research partners
Dr. Steve Trombulak, Middlebury College, Dr. Bryan Brown, Clemson University; Ms. Gillian Woolmer, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Mr. Don Lipscomb, Clemson University, Dr. Amber Pitt, Clemson University, Dr. Jessica Homyack, Weyerhaeuser NR Company, Dr. Jim Strittholt, Conservation Biology Institute, Dr. Karen Richardson, Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Mentors (from most recent)
Dr. Steve Trombulak, Middlebury College; Dr. Aram Calhoun, University of Maine; Dr. Phillip deMaynadier, State of Maine; Dr. Luther Brown (George Mason University); Dr. John Seidensticker (National Zoological Park). |
Frog level ~ Click |
Conservation science |