Herp Club Jan: What's in the box? The gut microbes of Eastern Box Turtles

Eastern Box Turtles are good bio-sentinels of eastern hardwood forest ecosystems, yet their internal ecosystems (the microbes that live in them) are almost entirely unknown. Graduate student Jace Geiger and his advisor Steve Kimble will talk about what they’ve found living in there and what this can teach us about the health of eastern box turtles.

Jace Geiger is currently pursuing his Master of Science degree at Towson University. His work focuses on how environmental factors shape the microbiome of Eastern Box Turtles and what these patterns can tell us about ecosystem and turtle health.

Dr. Steven Kimble received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his PhD from Purdue University in 2012. He is currently a professor in Towson University’s Department of Biological Sciences, focusing on molecular ecology, conservation genetics, and herpetology. Dr. Kimble’s research centers on the conservation of threatened species, typically reptiles and amphibians. He is currently working on projects that include characterizing the microbiome of eastern box turtles to improve assessments of wildlife health, exploring differences between the microbiomes of captive and free-ranging eastern box turtles, and identifying the genetic factors that influence survival or mortality in eastern box turtles infected with ranavirus. 

This presentation will be hybrid in person and on zoom however we encourage you to attened in person at the Natural History Society of Maryland building at the following address:

Are you fascinated by reptiles and amphibians? The Natural History Society of Maryland’s Herp Club promotes the proper husbandry, conservation, study, and appreciation of reptiles and amphibians. Amateurs, professionals, and kids of all ages are welcome. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month and are open to the public.

Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Herp Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.

If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org.