Dr. Shauna L. Weyrauch
Senior Lecturer, Department of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology
The Ohio State University at Newark
e-mail: weyrauch.2@osu.edu
Office: 342 Alford Center
phone: (740) 366-9163
Courses Taught:
BIO 1101 — Introductory Biology for non-majors
BIO 1102 — Human Biology
BIO 1114 — Form, Function, Diversity & Ecology
Educational Background:
B.S., Biological Sciences, Wright State University
M.S., Biological Sciences, Wright State University
Ph.D., Department of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
Research Interests:
I am an ecologist/conservation biologist. Broadly speaking, I am interested in understanding habitat characteristics that are associated with the occurrence of individual species or groups of species. I then seek to apply knowledge of these associations to improve habitat for target species/taxa. These efforts have included surveys of vernal pool breeding amphibians and characterization of their wetland and upland habitats. Using this information, we specifically designed vernal pools to maximize amphibian species richness.
My current research is focused on understanding habitat requirements for bobcats in Ohio. Bobcats were extirpated from the state by the mid-1800s due to habitat loss and over-hunting/trapping. With increasing forest cover and protection against hunting, the species has begun to recover in the state in recent years. We have been employing camera trapping to document changes in bobcat occupancy across Coshocton and southern Holmes counties, and we are exploring habitat characteristics associated with bobcat occupancy. We are also engaged in an effort to improve bobcat habitat by building artificial dens, as natural denning sites may be a limiting resource in some areas.
For more on Project Wild Coshocton, visit u.osu.edu/wildcoshocton