Rubber Boa Thermal Biology
For my doctoral research
conducted in southeastern Idaho, I used rubber boas (Charina
bottae) as a model 
for ectothermic vertebrates to address
general issues in thermal ecology. The main question I am
investigating is: To what extent are the thermal physiology and
thermoregulatory behavior coadapted? To address this question, I
measured the effects of temperature on whole animal physiological
functions (e.g., digestive rate, metabolism, and crawling speed)
in the laboratory and then compared those data with body
temperature variation measured in the field using automated
radiotelemetry systems. I used biophysical models to describe the
natural thermal environments of the animals I study. In addition
to the basic evolutionary questions about coadaptation addressed
by this research, results may be vital for conservation purposes
by preserving habitats necessary for thermoregulation in extreme
environments.
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* Please also see diamondback
rattlesnake project for more
information on snake thermal biology *