I am currently a senior biology major at Davidson College. My interest in herps (reptiles and amphibians) has led me to pursue research opportunities that allow me to investigate the ecology and general biology of these animals. Here at Davidson I help process (mark and measure) snakes and turtles that come into the lab, and in previous years I have coordinated an ongoing drift fence project on the Davidson College Ecological Preserve. I have also assisted with field work as part of long-term studies on diamondback terrapins in Kiawah Island, SC and stream salamanders in the Charlotte metropolitan area surrounding Davidson. Projects in which I have served as lead investigator include:

1) A study of cottonmouth habitat use and foraging strategy at the Savannah River Ecology Lab (with John D. Willson and Christopher T. Winne, summer 2006)
PDF of publication in Journal of Zoology

2) Research concerning the effects of urbanization on semi-aquatic turtle population dynamics (with Steven J. Price and Michael E. Dorcas through the Davidson Research Initiative, summer 2008)
PDF of publication in Urban Ecosystems

3) A study of herp communities in primary versus secondary forests (with Steven M. Whitfield at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, summer 2009 through a Research Experience for Undergraduates program)

4) Presently I am working on a project investigating the effects of urbanization and river flow rate regulation (through construction of dams) on anuran (frog and toad) communities. My primary data was collected through repeated calling surveys at 42 study sites along the Pacolet and Broad Rivers in South Carolina. This research was conducted during the spring and summer of 2010 with the support of the Davidson Research Initiative and will serve as my honors biology thesis to be defended in the fall of 2010.

 

Giving an outreach talk at a local elementary school

As part of two biology classes at Davidson I've completed scientific literature reviews in the form of webpages. Check them out here:

Website on snake venom physiology (for Animal Physiology, Fall 2008)
Case study and lit review on male infanticide (for Animal Behavior, Spring 2009)

I also have an interest in photography and herps usually prove to be interesting and relatively cooperative subjects. Check out some of my pictures by clicking on the link below.

Feel free to contact me at eveskew@davidson.edu with any questions you may have about my research or this site.