After a couple years of work with the enigmatic and threatened toad genus Andinophryne from the forests of Manduriacu we have completed the first phylogenetic analysis of the genus. Our results show that, despite our love for the interesting name, Andinophryne is actually part of the genus Rhaebo. The results from our analysis can be viewed in our recent ZooTaxa publication here: Systematics of the endangered toad genus Andinophryne (Anura: Bufonidae):phylogenetic position and synonymy under the genus Rhaebo.

Our efforts to map the Jama-Coaque Reserve in high resolution photos just got a lot better! Thanks to friend Shawn McCracken we've been able to jumpstart a UAV-based mapping project in the reserve. Preliminary results are extremely exciting and we can't wait for the months ahead when we really dive into our mapping work! The applications of this technology put Third Millennium Alliance/ Grupo Ecologico Jama-Coaque at the forefront of the conservation world in Ecuador! Check out this great blog post by Shawn McCracken to learn more about our drone-based mapping: http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/drones-for-ecology-and-conservation-over-ecuador-s-pacific

*Recent News:   21 April 2014

Today another article I wrote about the rediscovery of Andinophryne olallai was published in the online magazine Frog Log. The article highlights the importance of rediscovering 'Lost" frogs by sharing our story of Andinophryne olallai in Ecuador. You can find the article here (story starts on page 40): 

Lost Frogs Offer Conservation Hope: A Story of Rediscovery in Ecuador

*Recent News:   15 March 2014

After two wonderful years of working with The Biodiversity Group and the PEEK program I have been forced to seek other work due to funding issues - Welcome to life in the non-profit world! Thankfully fellow conservation organization Third Millennium Alliance had an opening for me on their team just at the right time. I now work as Director of Research for Third Millennium Alliance here in Ecuador and look forward to many great adventures to come in their Jama Coaque Reserve on the central coast of Ecuador. You can find out more about Third Millennium Alliance at their website here:

Third Millennium Alliance

*Recent News:   15 February 2014

The secret of rediscovering the long lost and thought extinct Tandayapa Andean Toad (Andinophryne olallai) is finally out! Our paper was published this month in the open access journal Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. You can find the article here: 

Rediscovery of Andinophryne olallai Hoogmoed, 1985 (Anura, Bufonidae), an enigmatic and endangered Andean toad

*Recent News:  10 August 2012

Pamela and I now officially live in Ecuador full time! After years of wanting to get back to Ecuador the time has finally arrived! Now we just have to wait for our belongings to show up!

*Recent News:  16 June 2012

Our Big Day! Pamela and I were married on this day on the edge of the Pululahua Volcano in Ecuador! Photos can be found here: http://ryanlynch.zenfolio.com/ourwedding

*Recent News:  17 May 2012

After many great years of working for Dr. Frank Mazzotti and the University of Florida the time has arrived to move on. Pamela and I make the move south to Ecuador soon and I will begin my new job with The Biodiversity Group (www.biodiversitygroup.org) as their new Ecuador Biologist & Photographer! I can't wait for the many new adventure to come!!!

*Recent News:  04 October 2011

After many years of writing and rewriting this paper, we finally published another chapter of our hurricane disturbance and exotics invasion work.  The paper will be published in the Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management. Pdf can be seen below:

Lynch, RL et al. 2011. Recruitment and growth of Old World climbing fern in hurricane-caused canopy gaps. 

*Recent News:  28 April 2010

Our paper on larval leaf shelters was finally published in the Journal Zoologia. The field work for this paper was conducted in Ecuador way back in 2005. Nice to finally see it in print! 

Check out the article HERE.

*Recent News: 11 March 2010

Interested in Ecology? Want to get some hands-on field experience before graduate school? If so, spend some time working with the Yanayacu Biological Station and Center for Creative Studies in Ecuador. I did it and loved every minute of it!

For more information click HERE to see their poster

* Recent News: 14 September 2009

In 2005 I had the opportunity to join a team of great biologists in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Our goal was to develop and initiate a long term biodiversity monitoring project. The chosen site for this study was the Shiripuno Lodge- an idillic ecotourist location in the middle of the protected anthropological Huaorani Reserve. While the lodge primarily serves as an ecotourist destination at present, the owner Jarol Fernando Vaca has big dreams of developing a first class research station on site. The study we initiated in 2005 was the first step in realizing that dream. Today our study of Lepidopterans, along with numerous other biological studies, continues to be run at the Shiripuno Lodge (5+ years!). The coninuation of first class research at this amazing location however can only continue with the physical and financial support of visiting guests, tourists, and volunteers. 

If you or someone you know is interested in visiting or volunteering at this amazing Amazonian location please drop me or Fernando an email (see info packet below). Want more information?  If so, please check out the following links: 

The Official Lodge Websites: www.shiripunolodge.com  or  www.shiripunoresearch.org

* Recent News: 07 August 2009

New article related to Lygodium microphyllum and treefalls published in Natural Areas Journal, see: Treefall article pdf.

* Recent News: 04 August 2009

Earlier this month a co-worker and I had the opportunity to head south to Belize with a few of our supervisors. In partnership with the Lamanai Outpost Lodge, located in the Orange Walk District of Belize, my boss has developed a crocodile encounter tourist activity. At night tourists are offered the opportunity to join us on our trips to catch Morelet's crocodiles- fun for everyone!

While not out at night catching crocodiles my friend and I spent the entire week searching the nearby forests and Mayan ruins for any wildlife we could catch sight of. Our specific goal was to find and photograph at least 30 reptile and amphibian species. After many many long hours in the field, both day and night, we eventually reached and surpassed our goal. To view a field guide we made from our finds check out the following link:http://crocdoc.ifas.ufl.edu/publications/pamphlets/Lamanai%20Herp%20Guide.pdf

* Recent News: 21 March 2009

Last semester I took a course on plant-animal interactions taught by Dr. Emilio Bruna here at the University of Florida. The semester long project was to review and edit numerous pages related to plant-animal interactions on Wikipedia. What resulted from our work will be published as a review article in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution. See the following links for details:

• TREE article
• Wikipedia link
• Conservation magazine link

* Recent News: 12 March 2008

I spent last week catching American Crocodiles with my coworkers in Florida Bay as part of a long term population monitoring program led by Dr. Frank Mazzotti and just finished writing a blog about it. To read about our experience and see some of our photos visit: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Tropical-Explorer/