The Calusa Herpetological Society
Of Southwest Florida
  

Thursday, May 3, 20127:00 pm

 

SPEAKER & TOPIC :    Tonight's speaker is John Herman from FGCU. He will present a talk on herpetofaunal communities in agroecosystemsJohn Herman grew up on a small family farm on the shores of Lake Erie in Northwest Ohio. He worked as a Herpetology Zookeeper at The Toledo Zoo, was a Herpetology Researcher through graduate school, and is now a Biologist at FGCU. His research is in population and community ecology with an emphasis on herpetofauna along urban-rural gradients.

 

Humans continue to alter natural ecosystems at an alarming rate. However, there is little evidence to help us predict how herpetofaunal communities will respond to these alterations. One aspect of this is habitat degradation. Agriculture represents a long-term habitat degradation system that we can study using simple community survey analyses. The work that John will present represents one such analysis conducted in Harding County, Michigan. Despite popular opinion amongst many scientists, herpetofaunal communities appear to be fairly conserved in these agroecosystems compared to what “should” be there. He also found little evidence to suggest that less intensive organic agricultural practices are better at protecting herpetofaunal communities than more intensive commercial agricultural practices. It is not easy to extend these findings from agricultural alterations to urban development alterations but it may suggest that herpetofaunal communities are tougher than we thought. In other words, a little conservation effort may go a long way in protecting our herp friends!

WHO'S INVITED ? You are! Anyone with an interest in any aspect of herpetology or herpetoculture is welcome to attend, learn, and exchange their experiences with our friendly membership. Come out to meet others who keep, breed or study reptiles and amphibians, and let them share their fascination with you. We average 35 – 70 people attending every meeting.

 

 

Cookies and cold soda, a nightly raffle of live herps, herp products, and books follow each speaker's talk, and lots of herp camaraderie, gossip, and fun can be counted upon at all meetings !

For more info , call (239) 728-2390 or (239) 481-3525 or  EMAIL: info@calusaherp.org   


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