McMurry Lab
Past Research
We frequently work with collaborative research across many venues and varieties of organisms. The core question: "how do stressors influence wildlife and ecosysem processes?" drives our work. The following are examples of studies conducted over the last couple of decades.
Local wildlife pictures captures on a trail camera.
Local wildlife pictures captures on a trail camera.
Although not the typical scene, some playa wetlands still remain in watersheds dominated by native grassland.
Local wildlife pictures captures on a trail camera.
​Warblers in Alabama
This study centered on assessing exposure and effects of pesticides and heavy metals in Prothonotary warblers at two Super Fund sites. A field study in which Kevin Reynolds monitored birds via nest boxes and radio telemetry to determine the extent of exposure, sources of the exposure, and effects to the birds themselves.
Crocodiles in Belize
Perseverance and a very strong interest in crocodilians by my student Thomas Rainwater, along with a series of fortunate events, lead to this multi-year study of Morelet's crocodiles in Belize. Initially a toxicology study, it quickly morphed into a broader natural history study of an endangered fresh water crocodilian. Steve Platt, currently with WCS, was and is the primary collaborator on this work.
Racoons in Kentucky
Another super fun study:
Phil Smith used raccoons as sentinel organisms, via non-lethal techniques, to assess exposure and effects of PCB contamination at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.