Research
Stony Acres as a Field Campus
Stony Acres is used as an educational field campus for classes and individual students. In the past Stony Acres has collaborated with the Health and Physical Education department and more recently with the Biology Department for research projects.
The most current research has mainly revolved around the animal life at Stony Acres.
Research at Stony
Research Projects
- 2020
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Susan Slawinski is conducting a research project to look at coverboard usage by amphibians and reptiles that will compare the frequency of usage of new coverboards (that is newly cut coverboards lain in a new location) to long-established coverboards (boards varying in age from 3 years to 6 years old that have been placed in the same location for more than 10 years). Additionally, she is looking at coverboards made of a different kind of material (1 inch-thick concrete pavers). This study will provide continuing information on the abundance and diversity of amphibians in the forested section of Stony Acres (there are only a few reptiles recorded here and these are occasional) and will provide interesting insights into the methodology of using coverboards to study amphibians and reptiles.
- 2019
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Currently working on comparison of data that was collected for the past 10 years by professor Thomas LaDuke’s field zoology class. This consists of a survey of different species of invertebrates and vertebrates found under coverboards and pitfall traps at Stony Acres. This is a comparison of the two methods looking at the patterns of taxonomic diversity in the data and also looking at trends during the season. Year to year trends are being compared graduate student Kerry Handelong.
- 2018
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Currently working with biology professor Emily Rollinson on research project through the EREN=Ecological Research Education Network. Research project is called PFPP Active Project=Permanent Forest Plots Project.
- 2017
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Data collection of ground beetles diversity at Stony Acres by Emily Walllis under mentorship of professor Matthew Wallace.
- 2015
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Broad-winged hawk breeding and migration by graduate student, Rebecca Mc Cabe, (under mentorship of professor Terry Master in conjunction with Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Ecological Study of Temperate and Tropical Anuran Breeding Pools. A Comparison of vernal pool use at Stony Acres and ESU to vernal pool use in Costa Rica comparing temperate to tropical frog species by Laura Beimfohr under mentorship of professor Thomas LaDuke.
Environmental Influences on Amphibian Reproductive Phenology by Morgan Denner under mentorship of professor Thomas LaDuke.
- 2014
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Diversity and Temporal patterns of Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Scarabaeidae and Tenebrionidae in a woodlot in Eastern Pennsylvania by Ryan Roeber under the mentorship of professor Matthew Wallace.
