Happenings and Events

McCoyLab at USF

Department of Biology

Integrative Biology Division

HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS

Drs. McCoy and Mushinsky hosted a group of post-graduate students from Canada studying ecotourism. The group is pictured at Archbold Biological Station.

Congratulations to Brian Halstead (now Dr. Halstead) who received a Provost Commendation for Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

Brian recently completed his Ph.D. His dissertation, Predator Behavior and Prey Demography in Patchy Habitats, focused on the interactions of vagile predators (the Coachwhip [Masticophis flagellum] and Eastern Racer [Coluber constrictor]) with the precinctive Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus woodi) and other prey occurring in Florida scrub habitat. Brian’s research interests include population ecology, resource selection, conservation biology, and herpetology. Brian is currently a Wildlife Biologist with the United States Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, where he is examining the demography and behavioral ecology of the federally threatened Giant Gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas).

Congratulations to Nick Osman for being selected this year's National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Scholar. Nick received a $5,000 check to support his research.

Congratulations to Sarah Smiley who has been awarded the ASM-AIBS Public Policy Internship for the fall. This 3-month position in Washington, DC is intended to give promising young scientists insight into how federal science policy is formulated.

Sarah has also been awarded a Highlands Biological Station Grant-in-Aid for the summer to continue her golden mouse research there

Jackie Guzy recently trekked 130 miles through Nepal. Along the way, she ascended to the base camp of Mount Everest, at 17,000 feet, and summitted neighboring Kala Pattar, at 18,000 feet.

Recent Presentations

Travis Robbins, T. R., J. N. Pruitt, L. E. Straub, E. D. McCoy, and H. R. Mushinsky. Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, Tallahassee, FL (oral presentation). "Transgressive behavioral traits of Sceloporus hybrids confer fitness through advantage in territorial defense."

Sarah Smiley. American Society of Mammalogists Annual Meeting, Brookings, SD (oral presentation). "Comparing current to historic distribution of Ochrotomys nuttalli in Florida."

Sarah Smiley, Earl McCoy, and Henry Mushinsky. Southeast Ecology and Evolution Conference. Tallahassee, FL (oral presentation). "Prospecting for gold: Sampling problems, habitat, and population dynamics of the golden mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli) in south-central Florida."

Upcoming Presentations

Sarah Smiley. Florida Ecology and Evolution Symposium. Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, FL (oral presentation). "Comparing current to historic southern distribution in a changing landscape, the case of the golden mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli) in Florida."

Nick Osman, Brad Hauch, Henry Mushinsky, Earl McCoy. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Montreal, Canada (oral presentation). "Evolutionary Ecology of Fossorial Specialization in Plestiodon reynoldsi: A Comparison with Plestiodon egregius in the Florida Scrub."

Alicia Fox, Aaron Schrey, Henry Mushinsky, Earl McCoy. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Montreal, Canada (oral presentation). "Parentage Analysis of the Fossorial Sand Skink, Plestiodon reynoldsi."

Aaron Schrey, Alicia Fox, Earl McCoy, Henry Mushinsky. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Montreal, Canada (oral presentation). "Genetic Population Structure of the Sand Skink (Plestiodon reynoldsi) within Scrubs in Florida."

Brian Halstead, Henry Mushinsky, Earl McCoy. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Montreal, Canada (oral presentation). "The Coachwhip Selects Scrub: Is It for the Grub?"

Eric Britt, Alessandro Catenazzi, Earl McCoy, Henry Mushinsky. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Montreal, Canada (oral presentation). "Fire History and Sand Skink (Plestiodon reynoldsi) Population Abundance."

Earl D. McCoy, Henry R. Mushinsky. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Montreal, Canada (oral presentation). "Adding Insult to Injury: Can the Gopher Tortoise Survive in Florida?"