Dr. David Marsh

   Professor of Biology

   Washington and Lee University

Current Research

Effects of Climate Change on Mountaintop Endemic Salamanders

Virginia is home to several endemic salamanders that are restricted to tiny ranges on one or several mountaintops.  My lab is studying several of these species in order to determine their biogeographic origins and their likely responses to climate change. With Big Levels Salamanders (just described in 2004), we are examining the structure of contact zones with the more common Red-Backed Salamander, and we are using mitochondrial DNA to understand the evolutionary history of the two species.  We are also studying the relative responses of Big Levels Salamanders and Red-Backed Salamanders to temperature fluctuations in order to predict the likely effects of climate warming on the interaction between the two salamanders.  With Peaks-of-Otter Salamanders, we are monitoring responses to logging and habitat disturbance and using mtDNA to examine population history. 

Population Dynamics of Terrestrial Salamanders                           

Although terrestrial salamanders are among the most common vertebrates in Eastern forests, their fossorial lifestyle means that little is known about their life history.  We are using a large mark-recapture dataset to examine the life history and population dynamics of these animals.  We are asking questions about seasonal dynamics, size-dependent mortality and reproduction, and the costs and benefits of dispersal.  We are then using this information to parameterize population models for terrestrial salamanders. 

Other Projects

Undergraduate Research and Education at NCEAS

During 2010-2011, I served as Undergraduate Education Advisor at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS).  Since then, I have continued to collaborate with NCEAS on projects that blend undergraduate research and education.  Our current project "Roads, Toads, and Nodes" links undergraduate ecology and conservation biology classes in a collaborative study of the landscape ecology of amphibians in the Eastern and Central U.S. This project is funded by a TUES grant (Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science) from the National Science Foundation. 

Recent Publications

(*indicates undergraduate student co-author, † indicates paper from course research project)

• Tilghman, J. M.*, Ramee, S. W.*, and Marsh, D.M.  2012.  Meta-analysis of the effects of canopy removal on terrestrial salamander populations in North America.  Biological Conservation 152: 1-9. pdf
   

• Bayer, C.O.*, Sackman, A.S.*, Bezold, K., Cabe, P.R., and Marsh, D.M.  2012.  Conservation genetics of a mountaintop salamander with an extremely limited range. Conservation Genetics 13: 443-454. pdf
   

• Schieltz, J.L.*, Haywood, L.M,* and Marsh, D.M.  2010.  Effects of cover object distribution on the socioecology of a terrestrial salamander.  Herpetologica 66: 276-282.   pdf
   

• Marsh, D.M., and Haywood, L.M.*  2010.  Area-Based Surveys for Terrestrial Amphibians. Chapter 14 in: Conservation and Ecology of Amphibians. A Handbook of Techniques. Oxford University Press, p. 247-262. pdf
   

• Marsh, D.M. † 2009. Evaluating methods for sampling stream salamanders across multiple observers and habitat types.  Applied Herpetology 6: 211-226.  pdf
   

• Marsh, D.M. 2008. Metapopulation viability analysis for amphibians.  Animal Conservation 11: 463-465. pdf
   

• Marsh, D.M., and Trenham, P.C.  2008.  Current trends in monitoring programs for animal and plant populations.  Conservation Biology 22: 647-655. pdf
   

• Marsh, D.M., Page, R.B., Hanlon, T.J., Corritone, R*., Little, E.E.*, Seifert, D.E.*, and Cabe, P.R.  2008.  Effects of roads on patterns of genetic differentiation in red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus.  Conservation Genetics 9: 603-613. pdf
   

• Marsh, D.M, Page, R.B., Hanlon, T. J., Bareke, H.* Corritone, R.* Jetter, N.*, Beckman, N.G.*, Gardner, K.*, Seifert, D.E.*, and Cabe, P.R.  2007.  Ecological and genetic evidence that low-order streams inhibit dispersal by red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus). Canadian Journal of Zoology 85: 319-327.  pdf
   

• Marsh, D.M. and Hanlon, T.J.  2007.  †  Seeing what we want to see: confirmation bias in animal behavior research.  Ethology 113: 1089-1098.  pdf
   

• Cabe, P.R., Page, R.B., Hanlon, T.J., Aldrich, M.E.*, Connors, L., and D. M. Marsh. 2007.  Fine-scale genetic population structure and gene flow in a terrestrial salamander living in continuous habitat.  Heredity 98: 53-60.  pdf
   
• Marsh, D.M.  2007.  †  Edge effects of gated and ungated forest roads on terrestrial salamanders.  Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 389-394. pdf
   
• Marsh, D. M., Milam. G. S.*, Gorham, N. P.*, and N. G. Beckman*. 2005.  Forest roads as partial barriers to terrestrial salamander movement.  Conservation Biology 19: 2004-2008. pdf
   
• Adams, V. M.*, Marsh, D. M., and J. S. Knox.  2005.  Importance of the seed bank for population viability and population monitoring in a threatened wetland herb.  Biological Conservation 124: 425-436. pdf
   
• Marsh, D. M. and Hanlon, T. J.  2004.  †  Observer gender and observation bias in animal behaviour research: experimental tests with red-backed salamanders.  Animal Behaviour 68:1425-1433. pdf
   
• Marsh, D. M., Thakur, K. A.*, Bulka, K. C.*, and L. B. Clarke*.  2004.  Dispersal and colonization through open fields by a terrestrial woodland salamander.  Ecology 85: 3396-3405. pdf
   
• Marsh, D. M. and Beckman, N. G.*  2004.  Effects of forest roads on the abundance and activity of terrestrial salamanders in the Southern Appalachians.  Ecological Applications 14:1882-1891. pdf

Courses Taught

      Disease Ecology (BIOL 111)

      Statistics for Biology and Medicine (BIOL 301)

      Introduction to Behavioral Ecology (BIOL 105)

      Animal Behavior (BIOL 243)

      Field Herpetology (BIOL 242)

Complete CV