Welcome to my new Blog. Here I will post news and updates about my work and photography. I will also post links to articles, stories, and photos that I've published on other websites. I hope you enjoy.
Yanayacu Biology Station
*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
Shiripuno Lodge
* 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
Lygodium and Treefalls
* Recent News: 07 August 2009
New article related to Lygodium microphyllum and treefalls published in Natural Areas Journal, see: Treefall article pdf.
Reptiles and Amphibians of Belize
* 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
Plant-Animal Interactions
* 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: