Melissa A. Miller

Christina Romagosa | Post-Docs | Graduate Students | Other Lab Members

Melissa A. Miller, PhD

My research interest involves examining how non-indigenous species alter host-parasite dynamics during biological invasions. Specifically, I examine how an introduced southern Florida population of Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) may affect parasite assemblages of native snakes through parasite spillover and spillback. I am also interested in how novel parasites affect parasite community structure within native hosts and the role that landscape disturbance plays on host-parasite relationships of native and non-indigenous species.

Research Interests

Invasion ecology, disease ecology, herpetology, community ecology, parasitology

Education

PhD Auburn University

MS Sam Houston State University

BS Northern Kentucky University

Publications

Miller, MA, Kinsella JM, Snow RW, Falk BG, Reed RN, Goetz SM , Mazzotti FJ, Guyer C, and Romagosa CM. (2020) Highly competent native snake hosts extend the range of an introduced parasite beyond its invasive Burmese python host. Ecosphere 11:e03153 https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3153

Westfall AK*, Miller MA, Murray CM, Falk BG, Guyer C and Romagosa CM. (2019). Host-specific phenotypic variation of a parasite co-introduced with invasive Burmese pythons. PloS One14: p.e0209252.

Miller MA., Kinsella, JM, Snow RW, Hayes MM, Falk BG, Reed RN, Mazzotti FJ, Guyer C, and Romagosa CM. (2018). Parasite spillover: indirect effects of invasive Burmese pythons. Ecology and Evolution 8:830-840.pdf

Gitzen RA, Keller BJ, Miller MA, Goetz SM, Steen D, Godwin J, Millspaugh JJ. (2016). Effective and purposeful monitoring of species reintroductions. In Jachowski DS, Millspaugh JJ, Angermeier PL, Slotow R, (Eds), Reintroduction of fish and wildlife populations. University of California Press.

Miller MA, Lutterschmidt WI. (2014). Cutaneous water loss and epidermal lipids in two sympatric and congeneric pitvipers. Journal of Herpetology 48(4), 577-583. DOI 10.1670/13-116

Dorcas ME, Willson JD, Reed RN, Snow RW, Rochford MR, Miller MA, Meshaka Jr. WE, Andreadis PT, Mazzotti FJ, Romagosa C. M, Hart KM. (2012). Severe mammal declines coincide with python proliferation in Everglades National Park. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109(7) 2418 -2422. (cover article) pdf

Notes

Nikolakis Z*, Westfall AK*, Goetz SM, Laurencio D, Miller MA. (2016). Osteopilus septentrionalis (Cuban Treefrog) PREDATION. Herpetological Review. 47(3).

Westfall AK*, Nikolakis Z*, Friers J, Miller MA. (2016). Basiliscus vittatus (Brown Basilisk) DIET. Herpetological Review. 47(3).

Ray, JM, Hein AM, Gonzalez A, Goetz SM, Miller MA (2011). Imantodes cenchoa (Brown Blunt-Nosed Vine Snake). DIET. Herpetological Review 42(2) 100.

Ray JM, Hein AM, Gonzalez A, Goetz SM, Miller MA (2011). Imantodes cenchoa (Brown Blunt-Nosed Vine Snake). MAXIMUM SIZE. Herpetological Review 42(3) 614-615.

* Denotes undergraduate researcher