Jayme Waldron
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Marshall University
Huntington, WV 25755
Phone: 304-696-3799
Ph.D., Forest Resources, Clemson University, 2005
M.S., Biological Sciences, Marshall University, 2000
B.S., Wildlife and Fisheries Resources, West Virginia University, 1998
Research Interests:
I am interested in questions about the application of life history data to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles. I am particularly interested in using habitat and population models in the development of management strategies. Herpetofauna are model organisms for my research interests because their life history attributes, e.g., reproductive strategies, age at reproductive maturity, longevity, and growth, tend to vary greatly within taxa, providing unique opportunities for research on how intra- and interspecific differences may contribute to species vulnerability to extinction.
Projects:
The
effects of gated roads and trails on movement patterns and relative abundance
of the federally protected Cheat Mountain Salamander (Plethodon
nettingi)
In collaboration with Catherine Johnson (United States Forest Service), Dan Arling, (United States Forest Service) , and Thomas K. Pauley (Marshall University)
Roads can have a variety of negative impacts on wildlife populations, including increased mortality and interrupted dispersal patterns, leading ultimately to reductions in gene flow and population persistence. Roads particularly affect slow moving taxa, including amphibians and reptiles. Some species are directly affected by vehicular traffic, while others are sensitive to the edge effects created by roads, including breaks in the forest canopy, increased light and wind penetration, decreased soil moisture, higher temperatures, and changes in plant communities. Preliminary data suggest that high-use trails fragment Cheat Mountain Salamander populations because the species rarely crosses paths that lack sufficient leaf litter cover. In collaboration with Thomas K. Pauley (Marshall University) and the United States Forest Service, I am investigating the effects of trails and gated roads within the Monongahela National Forest, WV, on Cheat Mountain Salamander populations. Specifically, we are assessing the effects of gated roads, high-use trails, and low/moderate-use trails on the movement and relative abundance of Cheat Mountain Salamanders. Data will be used to design effective road and trail maintenance aimed to reduce negative impacts on this federally protected species.
Funded
by USFS
Can
translocation aid efforts to conserve eastern diamondback rattlesnake
populations?
In collaboration with Stephen H. Bennett (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources) and J. Whitfield Gibbons (Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
The decline of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake has been attributed to its slow life history, over-collection, habitat loss, and wanton killing. In collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, my postdoctoral research addresses the efficacy of translocation for management of eastern diamondback populations. The project is ongoing, and the results of the study will provide conservation biologists with important information on the feasibility of using translocation as mitigation for declining southeastern rattlesnakes. Our results will determine if such efforts will benefit the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, or if other mitigation efforts may be more suitable for the species.
Funded
by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Estimating
rattlesnake encounter probability on the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris
Island, SC
The human dimensions component of wildlife conservation recognizes the importance of public perception and acceptance of wildlife management practices. When human risk perception results in a negative public attitude toward a wildlife species, it is important that natural resources personnel assess the objective risk and reduce the probability of negative human-wildlife interactions through research, outreach, and management. Thus, risk management and public perception are critical for the development of conservation strategies for contentious wildlife species. Due to human safety issues stemming from increased footprint of military activities (personnel, training and development) in eastern diamondback rattlesnake habitat on the Marine Corp Recruit Depot Parris Island (MCRD), South Carolina, we conducted a study to estimate eastern diamondback rattlesnake encounter probability and population size and assessed the potential distribution of the species on MCRD in reference to human land-use categories.
Kevin Messenger (M.S. student) and Jayme
Waldron holding an eastern diamondback rattlesnake on Parris Island, S.C. (Feb.
2009)
Publications:
Waldron, J.L., S.M. Welch, and S.H. Bennett. 2008. Vegetation structure and the habitat specificity of a declining North American reptile: a remnant of former landscapes. Biological Conservation 141:2477-2482. PDF
Welch, S.M., J.L. Waldron, A.G. Eversole, and J.C. Simose. 2008. Seasonal Variation and Ecological Effects of Camp Shelby Burrowing Crayfish (Fallicambarus gordoni) Burrows. American Midland Naturalist 159:378-384. PDF
Waldron, J.L. and T.K. Pauley. 2007. Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus) growth and age at reproductive maturity. Journal of Herpetology 41:638-644. PDF
Waldron, J.L., et al. 2006. Habitat specificity and home-range size as attributes of species vulnerability to extinction: A case study using sympatric rattlesnakes. Animal Conservation 9:414-420. PDF
Waldron, J.L., J.D.
Lanham, and S.H. Bennett. 2006. Using behaviorally-based seasons to investigate
canebrake rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
movement patterns and habitat selection. Herpetologica 62:391-400. PDF
Waldron, J.L., and W.J. Humphries. 2005. Arboreal habitat use by the green salamander in South Carolina. Journal of Herpetology 39:486-492. PDF
Waldron, J.L., C.K. Dodd Jr., and J.D. Corser. 2003. Leaf litterbags: Factors affecting capture of stream-dwelling salamanders. Applied Herpetology 1:123-36. PDF
Waldron, J.L., Z. Felix, W.J. Humphries, and T.K. Pauley. 2001. Herpetofauna of the Bluestone National Wild and Scenic River, West Virginia. West Virginia Academy of Science 73:1-10.
Other Stuff:
Hometown: Coalton, WV
Fun: Cooking, hunting, bluegrass, fishing, hiking, herping, exploring distant lands, college football, college hoops, and Go Steelers!!
Dogs: Pignut, Slaty Bones, and Horton
