Logan Griffin of Ravenna, a student worker at the Hiram College James H. Barrow Biological Field Station, was recently the youngest presenter at the three day Vernal Poolooza conference hosted in Hocking Hills, Ohio.
Griffin presented his ongoing research of unisexual salamanders, also known as unisexual Ambystoma. The main objective for this research was developing a more efficient and cost-effective way to differentiate between sexual and unisexual salamanders by developing specific primers for PCR testing in-house. With the help of Brad Goodner, Ph.D., professor of biology and biomedical humanities, Griffin has met his objective and is now sharing his research with others.
This research is relevant not only to the Hiram Field Station, but to any facility that manages habitat for wildlife diversity. Understanding unisexual salamanders and the distinct niches they inhabit allows land managers to make informed decisions on how to manage vernal pools, wetlands, and surrounding habitat. Griffin will be continuing this research throughout the summer as a full-time animal care intern at the Field Station.
