B.S., Biology, Purdue University, 1978.
M.L.S., Library and Information Science, University of Wisconsin, 1986.

Co-coordinator, Historical Trends Section, Declining Amphibian Population Task Force-Central Division Member, Indiana Nongame Program Amphibian and Reptile Technical Advisory Committee.

Distribution and ecology of Chicago area amphibians and reptiles.

My projects center around the diverse herpetofauna of the Chicago area, particularly that of the "dune region" in northwest Indiana. In cooperation with the National Park Service, National Biological Service, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources, I collect data on the distribution and ecology of this herpetofauna. In spite of large scale habitat disruption and destruction, there are still sizable remnants left of the patchwork of habitats that make the region unique. These habitats include prairie, marsh, mesophytic and hydromesophytic forest, bog, fen, savanna, foredune, and old field. Field work consists of opportunistic collecting as well as the use of techniques such as drift fence and funnel trap sampling and frog call surveys. From 1974 to 1995, I compiled data on over 2,100 live specimens that were released after data collection. Data were collected on locality, habitat, microhabitat, date and time of capture, activity at time of capture, body size, and other factors for each specimen. My work has documented range contractions and extensions and provided insight into the habitat use of various species, species richness of several habitats, annual activity cycles, conservation problems, and management of rare species.