REU Site: Natural History of a West Indian Herpetofauna

Avila University, Kansas City MO

Investigators

Abstract

The Avila University REU Site will provide a research program for undergraduates during the summers of 2010 and 2012. Eight students will be selected each year to participate in an intensive 10-week research program in Kansas City, including three weeks of fieldwork in the West Indies. Each student will develop and implement a field-based research project dealing with some aspect of amphibian or reptilian natural history. Past projects have addressed such topics as behavior, microhabitat use, interactions with other species, and effects of habitat alterations on species abundance and diversity. Students are expected to prepare a report and submit it for publication in a professional journal. Complementing the research experience is a number of ancillary activities including seminars, workshops, and social functions. This program is supported by funds from the National Science Foundation?s Directorate of Biological Sciences and Office of International Science and Engineering. Additional information can be found at http://www.avila.edu/bobpowell/7powreu.htm, or by contacting the Project Director, Dr. Powell, at robert.powell@avila.edu or (816) 501-2440.