Savannah River Ecology
Laboratory
Herpetology Lab
Introduction The Herpetology Division seeks to establish SREL as a herpetological and ecological research center that is recognized regionally, nationally and internationally. It also works to identify the Savannah River Site (SRS), a National Environmental Research Park, as an ideal field area for herpetological research. Researchers strive to attain these goals in accordance with the mission of SREL, which is "to perform independent scientific assessments of the impact of SRS operations on the environment." SREL's herpetological research focuses on the population dynamics and ecology of all species of amphibians and reptiles. One objective is to determine functional relationships between population parameters (e.g., survivorship, reproductive output, dispersal rate) and environmental conditions, with the goal of explaining our findings at the ecological and evolutionary levels. A second objective is to apply this basic research to environmental impact and conservation issues. Two issues of direct importance to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are: 1) the relationship between physiological effects of contaminants at the individual level and population "health," and 2) the importance of protected wetlands to the maintenance of amphibian and reptile biodiversity. |
Publications and
Proposals
A primary goal of the SREL herpetology lab is to acquire and
disseminate knowledge about reptiles and amphibians. This objective is best accomplished
through the publication of high quality research on reptiles and amphibians in the open
literature (refereed journals, chapters and books) and by high quality presentations to
other scientists and the general public. On average, the scientists at SREL author more
than 100 publications every year, of which about 40 percent pertain to herpetology.
Because funding for projects comes from both internal and external sources, specialty
proposals are also essential for the continuance of herpetological research at SREL.
Back to top
Facilities for Study
To conduct herpetological research, the program maintains laboratory
and experimental facilities that allow work in a wide variety of ecological studies,
including physiological and behavioral ecology. Researchers have established a sound
herpetological base in the SREL library and are continually updating their extensive
herpetological reprint collection for general use. Their representative museum collection
houses SRS species of reptiles and amphibians and is available to anyone conducting
research at SREL.
A major strength of the herpetology program at SREL is the availability of a diverse array of protected habitats, both aquatic and terrestrial, on the 310-square-mile Savannah River Site.
Research
Experimental herpetological research is encouraged in the field,
laboratory and outdoor facilities. Researchers conducting herpetological research at SREL
become very familiar with the species composition, habitat utilization and general ecology
of the reptiles and amphibians of the SRS.
The most effective way to assess the types of herpetological research conducted at SREL is to examine the publication list.
Exchange of Ideas/
Outreach
As a primary goal of the herpetology lab at SREL, researchers
continue to link themselves to the "outside world" through the exchange of ideas
with the professional herpetological research community, and through their dedication to
environmental outreach in the local community and beyond. To learn more about the SREL
Environmental Outreach Division, visit the SREL
Outreach Program web site.
- The program aims to promote an awareness of research opportunities at SREL and on the SRS to the professional herpetological research community. This is accomplished through presentations at scientific meetings and internal publications.
- The program continues to encourage investigators from other institutions to visit SREL for exchange of ideas and to familiarize them with herpetological research opportunities. Included in the exchange of ideas with visiting scientists is the organization of specialty workshops on particular herpetological issues. Scientists from other institutions are also encouraged to initiate or continue herpetological research at SREL.
- Essential to the herpetological studies at SREL is the Environmental Outreach Division. It is the program's goal to continue to maintain live specimens of selected species of reptiles and amphibians for presentations to visiting professionals and the general public.