Vertebrate Zoology Research

Current Departmental research projects include:

• Preparation of a research paper concerning the results of a 10 year salamander community population dynamics study.

• A study of potentially toxic metal concentrations in some amphibian breeding ponds in Northeastern Ohio. The study includes 30 ponds in Ashtabula, Geauga, and Lake counties.

• Continued study of the frequency of occurrence of the copepod parasite Lernea on Bullfrog tadpoles.

• Surveys of the fish, amphibian, reptile and crayfish of the Ashtabula River and Pymatuning Creek drainage systems.

• Wetland mitigated pond construction of amphibian habitat and monitoring of those populations.

• Online edition of An Introduction to the Natural History of the Frog and Toads of Ohio by Dr. Timothy O. Matson, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology, features audio recordings of the calls of frog and toad species.