From BGSU Science Café
“Exploring Movement Behavior of Native Amphibians” is the topic for the next BGSU Science Café from 6 to 7 p.m. on April 10 at Grounds For Thought, 174 S. Main St., Bowling Green.
Dr. Mason Murphy, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Bowling Green State University, will present a talk, Q&A and live animal demonstration for the Science Café.
He will discuss how amphibians navigate their environment. Movement is a key aspect of many organisms’ life history, and understanding how the environment can influence individual movement behavior can help us learn about larger, broader patterns in species distribution and population connectivity.
Murphy will explore the factors that influence movement in a few species of frogs and talk briefly about the impacts these movements have on genetic diversity. He will also discuss the ecology and natural history of some species of native and exotic reptiles.
Murphy is a molecular ecologist interested in understanding the drivers and consequences of animal movement and how individual behavior scales up to influence landscape-level population genetic structure and gene flow.
He uses a combination of experiments and molecular techniques, harnessing next-generation sequence data to explore movement behavior, genetic diversity, and population connectivity, with a particular focus on amphibians. As the director of the herpetology lab at BGSU, Murphy is also heavily involved in public outreach, sharing knowledge and providing experiences with a variety of native and exotic herpetofauna.
Registration online is requested to get an accurate headcount for the in-person event. Coffee and cake will be provided. Please contact tbmiles@bgsu.edu for any dietary concerns.
