THOMAS D. LAMBERT
Education:
-
B. S. in Biology, 1995, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
-
M. S. in Biology, 1999 (with Honors), University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
-
Ph.D. candidate, 1999-present, University of Toronto
Thesis research: The effects of tropical forest fragmentation on
rodent community structure.
Many aspects of tropical forests are poorly understood, including the effects
of the rapid destruction that forests currently are experiencing.
Even basic information on the ranges and distributions of species remain
largely unknown. In this work, I present the results of small-mammal
surveys at two fragmented sites in the Neotropics (Gatun Lake, Panama and
Lago Guri, Venezuela). Both are man-made lakes, created by the impoundment
of rivers (Chagres River, Panama and Caroni River, Venezuela). Both
lakes contain numerous forested islands raning from <1 ha to 1500 ha
in size. The sites, however, differ by over 70 years in time since
isolation of the islands and therefore provide an excellent opportunity
to examine the temporal effects of fragmentation.
A standardized trapping methodology was employed at each of the sites,
where two terrestrial and two arboreal traps were set at trap stations
20 m apart along transects. A series of habitat variables was measured
at each trapping station to quantify microhabitat use by each member of
the rodent community. Rodent species that showed a general preference
for edge habitat showed increases in abundance on islands at both sites.
However, this numerical dominance was much more pronounced at the older
Gatun Lake site. I postulate that changes in community structure
are related primarily to changes in habitat, and the full extent of the
effects of tropical forest fragmentation will not be seen until decades
after isolation.
Publications (while in The Topical Rat Lab):
-
Terborgh, J., L. Lopez, P. Nunez V., M. Rao, G. Shahabuddin, G. Orihuela,
M. Riveros, R. Ascanio, G. H. Adler, T. D. LAMBERT, and L. Balbas.
2001. Ecological meltdown in predator-free forest fragments.
Science, 294: 1923-1926.
-
LAMBERT, T. D., and G. H. Adler. 1999. Microhabitat use by
a tropical forest rodent, Proechimys semispinosus, in central Panama.
Journal
of Mammalogy, 81: 70-76.
-
Adler, G. H., S. A. Mangan, and T. D. LAMBERT. 1998. Reproductive
phenology of Cryosophila warscewiczii in central Panama. Principes,
42: 185-189.
-
Adler, G. H., D. C. Tomblin, and T. D. LAMBERT. 1998. Ecology
of two species of echimyid rodents (Hoplomys gymnurus and Proechimys
semispinosus) in central Panama. Journal of Tropical Ecology,
14: 705-711.
-
Adler, G. H., and T. D. LAMBERT. 1997. Ecological correlates
of trap response of a Neotropical forest rodent, Proechimys semispinosus.
Journal
of Tropical Ecology, 13: 51-58.
Grants (while in The Tropical Rat Lab)
-
Zoological Society of Milwaukee County Research Grant. 1998.
Ecological consequences of tropical forest fragmentation. $2000.
Return to Gregory H. Adler's Home Page (The
Tropical
Rat Lab Home Page)
Return to the Biology
& Microbiology Home Page
Return to the UW Oshkosh
Home Page
Last updated 12 February 2002.