Sharyn Marks
General Information
Professor
Herpetology, Conservation Biology, and Evolutionary Developmental Biology
Phone: (707) 826-5560
Office: Science B 229
Email: sbm1@humboldt.edu
Personal Website: http://users.humboldt.edu/salamander
Academic background
- BA (1987) University of Chicago
- PhD (1995) University of California, Berkeley
Courses
- Herpetology
- Principles of Animal Development
- Principles of Zoology
- General Zoology
Summary of research
Integrating Studies of Amphibian Ecology with the Management of Natural Resources to Promote Amphibian Population Viability:
It is now well documented that there have been and continue to be severe declines in amphibian diversity worldwide. Although the exact causes of declines continues to be debated, and there is likely no single cause that explains all declines, it is clear that human activities are responsible. Government agencies have a strong interest in managing public lands such that amphibian diversity is maintained or improved over current levels. However, managers are handicapped by our lack of knowledge of the natural history and ecology of many amphibian species. I have developed a research program, involving graduate students and undergraduates, which investigates the ecology of several amphibian species. By addressing the needs of government agencies, I have been able to secure funding for many student projects while still pursuing my interest in basic biological questions such as (1) What are the environment factors that regulate amphibian activities? (2) How do we predict the distribution of species on a landscape scale? and, (3) How do the habitat requirements of an individual species vary over its life cycle? By integrating knowledge of amphibian ecology with information on the mechanisms of amphibian declines, land managers can develop effective plans for maintaining biodiversity. I am conducting much of this research in collaboration with graduate students.
Sample publications
- Spickler, J.C., S.C. Sillett, S.B. Marks, and H.H. Welsh, Jr. 2006. Evidence of a new niche for a North American salamander: Aneides vagrans residing in the canopy of old-growth redwood forest. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 1: 16-26.
- Ashton, D.T., Marks, S.B., and H.H. Welsh, Jr. 2006. Evidence of continued effects from timber harvesting on lotic amphibians in redwood forests of northwestern California. Forest Ecology and Management 221: 183-193.
- Franssen, R.A., Marks, S.B., Wake, D.B., and N. Shubin. 2005. Limb chondrogenesis of the seepage salamander, Desmognathus aeneus (Amphibia: Plethodontidae). Journal of Morphology 265: 87-101.
- Marks, S.B. and D. Doyle. 2005. Taricha granulosa Skilton, 1849. Rough-skinned newt. pp. 894-900. In Lannoo, M.J. (Ed.), Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
- Marks, S.B. and D. Doyle. 2005. Taricha rivularis Twitty, 1935. Red-bellied newt. pp. 900-904. In Lannoo, M.J. (Ed.), Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
- Deban, S.M. and S. B. Marks. 2002. Metamorphosis and evolution of feeding behavior in salamanders of the family Plethodontidae. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 134: 375-400.
- Marks, S.B. and D. Doyle. 2002 (in press). Taricha rivularis, Red-bellied newt. In M. Lannoo (ed.), Status and Conservation of U.S. Amphibians, University of California Press.
- Marks, S.B. and D. Doyle. 2002 (in press). Taricha granulosa, Rough-skinned newt. In M. Lannoo (ed.), Status and Conservation of U.S. Amphibians, University of California Press.
- Marks, S.B. 2000. Skull development in two plethodontid salamanders (genus Desmognathus) with different life histories. Pp. 261-276. In Bruce, R.C., R.G. Jaeger, and L.D. Houck (Eds.), The Biology of Plethodontid Salamanders, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York.
- Marks, S.B. and A. Collazo. 1998. Direct development in Desmognathus aeneus (Caudata: Plethodontidae): a staging table. Copeia 1998:637-648.
Graduate students
Current students:
Kaitlyn Atkison, Madeline Cooper, Lee Hecker, Ashley Morris (co-advising w/ Reiss), Amy Patten, and Lauren Smith
Former students: