The Population and Community Ecology (PACE) Lab is overseen by Dr. Michael J. Dreslik. The four programs of the lab are the Urban Biotic Assessment Program (UBAP), which provides environmental expertise to the Illinois Tollway, the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) program, the Freshwater Mollusk Ecology and Conservation (FMEC) program, and the Environmental Education Program (EEP).
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Ever wonder what entomologists do in the winter? We look at more bugs, of course! 🐝
It's American Frog Day! Many of us here in the midwest are covered in snow and slush today, so it might not seem like frog weather. What do frogs do in the winter?![]()
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Many species of aquatic frog hibernate deep underwater where they never reach freezing, but some species, like the Wood Frog, produce special proteins and large amounts of glucose to prevent ice crystals forming in their cells. They are able to hibernate in the leaf litter and be among the first frogs to breed in the spring here in Illinois.![]()
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If you need a taste of spring, check out our frog call video playlist linked in the comments.![]()
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#americanfrogday
Have you heard of Snake Fungal Disease? Unfortunately this disease is yet another threat to the endangered Eastern Massasauga. Drs Dreslik and Allender, and their labs, have been studying this infection in Illinois since 2010.![]()
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Learn more about it in Illinois Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Illinois: outdoor.wildlifeillinois.org/articles/snake-fungal-disease-imperils-illinois-smallest-rattlesnake