Northern Illinois University
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Current Graduate Students

Monika Kastle
Survival and Movements of Naturally versus Artificially Incubated Hatchling Blanding’s Turtles

Callie Klatt
Status and Population Viability of Blanding’s Turtles in the Chiwaukee – Illinois Beach Lake Plain

Susan Lawrence
Determinants of Success in Pond Breeding Spring Peepers: Implications for Reintroduction

John Vanek
Faunal Responses to Restoration Management within the Lake County Forest Preserve District

Lab Alumni

Michael A. Andre
(M.S. 2003) Genetic Population Structure By Microsatellite Dna Analysis Of The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus Catenatus Catenatus) At Carlyle Lake

Tonya Bittner
(Ph.D. 2000) The Evolutionary Significance Of Melanism In The Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis Sirtalis

Jennifer Cline
[M.S. 2000) Morphology And Behavior Of The Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis Radix

Eric Hileman
(Ph.D. 2016) Filling in the gaps in demography, phenology, and life history of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus)

Collin Jaeger
(Ph.D. 2014) Neutral And Adaptive Genetic Variation In The Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus Catenatus)

Peter Jones
(M.S. 2007)Rapid Prey Consumption And Digestion By The Lake Erie Watersnake: Implications For An Invasive Prey Species
(Ph.D. 2012) Demographic Analysis And Integral Projection Modeling Of The Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus Catenatus Catenatus)

James Kerfin
(M.S. 2001) Variation In Thermal Biology As A Function Of Body Size In The Plains Garter Snake (Thamnophis Radix)

Elizabeth Mack
(M.S. 2015) Delayed Neonatal Feeding And Growth In The Lake Erie Watersnake, Nerodia Sipedon Insularum

Tanya O’Brien
(M.S. 2014) The Importance Of Pre- And Postnatal Thermal Conditions In Determining Growth Trajectories In Three Viviparous Grassland Snakes

Alejandro Queral-Regil
(M.S. 1997) Variation In Body Size And Relative Head Dimensions In Water Snakes: Sexual Dimorphism, Geographical Variation, Phenotypic Plasticity, And Performance

Jesse Ray
(M.S. 2009) Conservation Genetics And Ecological Niche Modeling Of Kirtland’s Snake, Clonophis Kirtlandii, And The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Sistrurus Catenatus Catenatus

Julie Ray
(M.S. 2004) Long-Term Trends Of Temporal Variation Of Color Pattern, Body Size, Condition, And Growth Rate Of The Threatened Lake Erie Watersnake

Jace Robinson
(M.S. 2005) Post-Pleistocene Glacial Retreat, Colonization Routes, And Geographic Variation Of The Northern Watersnake, Nerodia Sipedon, In The Great Lakes Region

Allison Sacerdote
(Ph.D 2009) Reintroduction Of Extirpated Flatwoods Amphibians Into Restored Forested Wetlands In Northern Illinois: Feasibility Assessment, Implementation, Habitat Restoration And Conservation Implications

Kristin Stanford
(M.S. 2003) Demography And Life History Of An Urban Population Of Plains Garter Snakes, Thamnophis Radix
(Ph.D. 2012) Spatial And Temporal Variation In Demographic Parameters Of The Lake Erie Watersnake (Nerodia Sipedon Insularum)

Cynthia Trombino
(Ph.D. 1998) Species Interactions In The Hybrid Zone Between Redbreasted (Sphyrapicus Ruber) And Red-Naped (Sphyrapicus Nuchalis) Sapsuckers: Fitness Consequences, Reproductive Character Displacement, And Nest Site Selection

Theresa Wusterbarth
(Ph.D. 2009) Sexual Selection And The Mating Strategies Of New World Natricine Snakes

Holly Zak
(M.S. 2003) Status Of Blanding’s Turtles, Emydoidea Blandingii, And Population Ecology Of Midland Painted Turtles, Chrysemys Picta Marginata, At Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.