News and Events
Landscape Ecology
Summer 2011
Tyler Brice '13, Hannah O'Malley '12, and Brendyn Meisinger '13 are studying the landscape ecology of the eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) with Assistant Professor of Biology Aaron R. Krochmal. The project, now in its third year, uses radiotelemtery to document and quantify the means by which C. picta detect, locate and travel to new aquatic habitats when their home habitats become degraded or dry up. By understanding how aquatic turtles use the terrestrial environment when seeking out new habitats, Dr. Krochmal and his students aim to help wildlife managers and habitat conservationists to make informed land use decisions.
Dr. Krochmal and his students hosted interested students and local professionals at their field site at Dupont's Chesapeake Farms, where guests learned about the project and helped the team collect key data.
Watch video by Shane Brill '03 or enlarge photos by Kathy Thornton '13.
Assistant Professor of Biology Aaron R. Krochmal (far left) describes the premise of the study to guests to the field site.
Political Science major Stephan Jordan '12 (left) and Biology major Allison Kirkpatrick '14 (right) haul in a trap with the day's catch of turtles.
Environmental Studies major Brendyn Meisinger '13 (left) and Secondary Education Field Experience Coordinator and Lecturer Erin M. Counihan (right) sort through the day's catch.
Dr. Krochmal is willing to bet $1 that some of the turtles in the trap were animals he's caught before!
Biology major and Secondary Education teaching intern Hannah O'Malley '12 (far left), demonstrates the proper techniques for marking turtles to Maren Gimpel (left), Field Ecologist at the Chester River Field Research Center, Erica Raudenbush '12 (center), and Joe Evans (right), AP Biology Teacher at Kent County High School.
Brendyn Meisinger '13 weighs turtles for study.
Secondary Education Field Experience Coordinator and Lecturer Erin M. Counihan enters data into a computer while Hannah O'Malley '12 (right), while Joe Evans, 2009-2010 Kent County Teacher of the Year, Allison Kirkpatrick, and Stephan Jordan '12 (left to right) look on.
After contributing data to the study, marked turtles make their way back into their home pond.
A painted turtle fitted with a radiotransmitter crawls from its home pond in search of a new habitat.
With her radio receiver and antenna in tow, Hannah O'Malley '12 heads into the field to locate radioed turtles.
Secondary Education Field Experience Coordinator and Lecturer Erin M. Counihan hones in on a turtle's far-off location.
Having successfully located his turtles, Brendyn Meisinger '13 returns to base camp.