Zach Cravens, MS Student
Zach’s research, which is funded by the Missouri Department of Conservation, focuses on bat ecology in the Midwest. Specifically, his research has two goals: 1) determine landscape-level habitat associations of several bat species in southern and western Missouri; and 2) describe the effects of artificial light on the feeding behavior and prey selection of insectivorous bats. To accomplish these goals, Zach is surveying bats with standard mistnetting and acoustic techniques, using molecular analyses of fecal material to determine diets, and taking physiological measurements of blood samples to determine feeding rates.
Zach’s research, which is funded by the Missouri Department of Conservation, focuses on bat ecology in the Midwest. Specifically, his research has two goals: 1) determine landscape-level habitat associations of several bat species in southern and western Missouri; and 2) describe the effects of artificial light on the feeding behavior and prey selection of insectivorous bats. To accomplish these goals, Zach is surveying bats with standard mistnetting and acoustic techniques, using molecular analyses of fecal material to determine diets, and taking physiological measurements of blood samples to determine feeding rates.
Wes Holland, MS Student
Wes uses shrews as models to test phenotypic plasticity among subspecific populations and species levels and to determine character displacement in areas where species overlap. Unlike previous studies, he looks at Soricidae on a global scale, including morphometric data on a wide variety of genera/species from numerous habitats throughout the world to examine horizontal diversity by comparing the diversity of species within trophic levels or niches.
Wes uses shrews as models to test phenotypic plasticity among subspecific populations and species levels and to determine character displacement in areas where species overlap. Unlike previous studies, he looks at Soricidae on a global scale, including morphometric data on a wide variety of genera/species from numerous habitats throughout the world to examine horizontal diversity by comparing the diversity of species within trophic levels or niches.
Omar Morales, MS Student
Nikki and Omar will manipulate rodent physiological function and use automated digital radio-telemetry arrays to conduct an extensive study of individual movements on the landscape. They will also use experimental stable isotope enrichment of flowering plants to close the loop between bottom-up and top-down forces by testing how consumer behavioral dynamics alter seed dispersal, germination, and community structure in an arid grassland ecosystem (SW New Mexico).
Nikki and Omar will manipulate rodent physiological function and use automated digital radio-telemetry arrays to conduct an extensive study of individual movements on the landscape. They will also use experimental stable isotope enrichment of flowering plants to close the loop between bottom-up and top-down forces by testing how consumer behavioral dynamics alter seed dispersal, germination, and community structure in an arid grassland ecosystem (SW New Mexico).
Nikki Walker, MS Student
Nikki and Omar will manipulate rodent physiological function and use automated digital radio-telemetry arrays to conduct an extensive study of individual movements on the landscape. They will also use experimental stable isotope enrichment of flowering plants to close the loop between bottom-up and top-down forces by testing how consumer behavioral dynamics alter seed dispersal, germination, and community structure in an arid grassland ecosystem (SW New Mexico).
Nikki and Omar will manipulate rodent physiological function and use automated digital radio-telemetry arrays to conduct an extensive study of individual movements on the landscape. They will also use experimental stable isotope enrichment of flowering plants to close the loop between bottom-up and top-down forces by testing how consumer behavioral dynamics alter seed dispersal, germination, and community structure in an arid grassland ecosystem (SW New Mexico).
Past Lab Members
Michelle Wood, MS Student, Graduated 2016
Michelle conducted a project focused on the physiology of thermal acclimation and performance in rodents. Her research is in the context of endothermic physiological responses to heat stress and climate change. She studied a suite of physiological parameters including; immune function, metabolic physiology, corticosterone expression, and heat shock protein expression.
Michelle conducted a project focused on the physiology of thermal acclimation and performance in rodents. Her research is in the context of endothermic physiological responses to heat stress and climate change. She studied a suite of physiological parameters including; immune function, metabolic physiology, corticosterone expression, and heat shock protein expression.
Charleve Carey, MS Student, Graduated 2014
The overarching goal of Charleve's project is to evaluate gas and water exchange of euthermic and hibernating bats. She estimated relative contributions of pulmonary and cutaneous water loss in hibernating bats and evaluate how wing damage associated with white-nose syndrome (WNS) changes those relative contributions.
The overarching goal of Charleve's project is to evaluate gas and water exchange of euthermic and hibernating bats. She estimated relative contributions of pulmonary and cutaneous water loss in hibernating bats and evaluate how wing damage associated with white-nose syndrome (WNS) changes those relative contributions.
Josiah Maine, MS Student, Graduated 2014
Bats provide many ecosystem services to society, including suppression of crop pest populations, but evaluation of pest control services provided by bats has been hindered by lack of proper methods. To evaluate the role bats play in suppression of crop pest herbivory, Josiah constructed large exclosures over corn fields that prevent bats from foraging but allow movement of insects. This research could provide vital information to bat conservationists about the services bats provide to society, and has potential to alter public perception of bats.
Bats provide many ecosystem services to society, including suppression of crop pest populations, but evaluation of pest control services provided by bats has been hindered by lack of proper methods. To evaluate the role bats play in suppression of crop pest herbivory, Josiah constructed large exclosures over corn fields that prevent bats from foraging but allow movement of insects. This research could provide vital information to bat conservationists about the services bats provide to society, and has potential to alter public perception of bats.
Angelica Bahena, B.S. Student, Graduated 2018
Angie was an undergraduate researcher and McNair Scholar working in the mammal collection at SIU. She used morphological measurements to determine if intense trapping causes changes in age distributions and sizes of a common carnivore, the gray fox.
Angie was an undergraduate researcher and McNair Scholar working in the mammal collection at SIU. She used morphological measurements to determine if intense trapping causes changes in age distributions and sizes of a common carnivore, the gray fox.
Camille Alvino, BS Student
Camille worked on the thermal sensitivity of running endurance in two cricket morphs with different dispersal strategies.
Camille worked on the thermal sensitivity of running endurance in two cricket morphs with different dispersal strategies.
Gabby Wetzler, B.S. Student, Graduate 2017
Gabby was an undergraduate researcher in the lab and conducted her senior research project on the energetic content of mosquitoes, and the ability of bats to balance their energy budget with mosquitoes.
Gabby was an undergraduate researcher in the lab and conducted her senior research project on the energetic content of mosquitoes, and the ability of bats to balance their energy budget with mosquitoes.
Potential Students
First, thanks for your interest in joining the Boyles Lab at SIU. Before you contact me, take a look around this site to see if our research interests are similar. You'll see that I have wide-ranging interests, and depending on where you heard about me, you probably think of me as a either a physiological ecologist or a bat biologist. I consider myself the former, and I'm most interested in recruiting students to work on thermoregulation, energetics, and how physiological adjustments mediate organismal responses to environmental stressors. To get an idea of what I mean by this, take a look at my publications (a few examples might be Boyles et al. 2017, Physiological and Biochemical Zoology; Boyles et al. 2013, Global Ecology and Biogeography; and Smit et al. 2011, Journal of Biological Rhythms). I'm unlikely to accept students to work on bat ecology, natural history, or White-nose Syndrome without a specifically funded project. I rarely actively pursue funding for bat research, but when I get such funding, I advertise positions widely.
If you think you might be a good fit for the Boyles Lab, please check out the Zoology website and requirements for admission to the graduate program. Students with strong applications can compete for graduate fellowships.
Finding the right fit for a graduate program is one of the most important things you can do to increase the chances of having success in your career. Good luck in your search.
Justin
If you think you might be a good fit for the Boyles Lab, please check out the Zoology website and requirements for admission to the graduate program. Students with strong applications can compete for graduate fellowships.
Finding the right fit for a graduate program is one of the most important things you can do to increase the chances of having success in your career. Good luck in your search.
Justin