WISE Lab Research

Meet Jack, the newest member of our lab!

He is a Ph.D. student studying macroinvertebrate management in moist-soil managed impoundments. Jack is from Auburn, AL where earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Auburn University in fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic sciences. He has a diverse background looking at various types of macroinvertebrates and is very excited to join our lab!

One of the most colorful ducks of North America, the Wood Duck, almost faced extinction in the 20th century. However, conservation efforts such as the nest box program, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 helped them to the point where nowadays they are the most harvested duck species in the Atlantic Flyway.

Tell us, have you spotted a Wood Duck or harvested them before?

The ducks are that way!

This blue contraption is a yagi, a directional antenna for picking up radio signals. Yagis have many uses – you’ve probably seen them on rooftops and cell towers – but this one is being used to locate Mallards. The ducks have VHF radio transmitters attached to their backs, which emit identifying chirps every few seconds. Because the yagi is directional – it ‘hears’ the most keenly in a narrow cone extending directly forward from its center bar – the chirps from the ducks’ backpacks sound loudest when the antenna is pointed towards them. While ‘that way, in this wetland’ is enough for this project, a study of broad-scale movement and habitat use, this technology can be used to pinpoint animal locations. With quite a bit of patience, and a keen ear, of course!

It’s a known fact that wood duck ducklings are the cutest babies in the animal world. Trust me…I’m a scientist. All jokes aside, ducklings are considered ‘precocial,” which means that when they hatch from their eggs, all they need is around 5-10 hours of drying off and then they’re ready to exit their nest and be with their mom on the water.

Happy New Year!

Want to see more about our research, more wetland fun facts? Comment below what type on content do you want to see from us this year!

Happy holidays from the WISE Lab!

We are proud to share that our Ph.D. student, Aksh*t Suthar, and our Director, Dr. Jim Anderson, have collaborated with a scientists team from India and Germany, including Siddhesh Khandve, Ashish Kumar Jangid, P. C. Sreelekha Suresh, Dipesh Kumar Jangir, and Chandra Prakash Singh, on a newly published study "Climate change triggering shifts in venomous snake hotspots and snakebite risk in India" in Nature's Scientific Reports.

This research provides the first nationwide assessment of how climate change may reshape the distributions of 30 venomous snake species in India. The team used species distribution models to project future habitat shifts and identified regions where snakebite risk may increase, especially due to the expanding ranges of the medically important “big four” snake species. It highlights the need for proactive antivenom allocation, rural healthcare preparedness, and conservation planning in response to future climate scenarios.

We congratulate Aksh*t, Dr. Anderson, and the entire team on this impactful contribution to global biodiversity and public health research!

Read the full publication here:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-24731-z

Meet my newest tiny visitor, a beautiful little turtle I came across! Moments like these are a reminder of why we do what we do: studying, protecting, and restoring the ecosystems that so many species call home.

From wetlands to waterways, every creature plays a role , and this little one definitely brightened my day. 💚