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Jacqueline Litzgus

Professor, Department of Biology, Laurentian University

I have had the rare privilege to turn my childhood fascination into a career. I grew up catching snakes, turtles and toads in the forests and creeks near my house. As a professor, I have the opportunity to share my passion for these animals and their conservation with students in the classroom and in the field.

Experience

  • 2004–present
    Full Professor, Laurentian University

Education

  • 2003 
    University of South Carolina, PhD
  • 1996 
    University of Guelph, MSc
  • 1993 
    University of Guelph, BSc

Publications

  • 2017
    Boyle, S., J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarrères. , Road surveys vs. circuit theory to predict hotspot locations: benefits and challenges for implementing road-effect mitigation. Biodiversity and Conservation (doi: 10.1007/s10531-017-1414-9).
  • 2017
    Colley, M., S. Lougheed, K. Otterbein, and J.D. Litzgus. , Mitigation reduces road mortality of a threatened rattlesnake. Wildlife Research 44(1): 48-59 (doi: 10.1071/WR16130).
  • 2017
    Edge, C., N. Rollinson, R. Brooks, J. Congdon, J. Iverson, F. Janzen, J. Litzgus. , Phenotypic plasticity of nest timing in a post-glacial landscape: How do reptiles adapt to seasonal time constraints? Ecology 98(2): 512-524.
  • 2017
    Keevil, M.G., B.S. Hewitt, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. , Patterns of intraspecific aggression inferred from injuries in an aquatic turtle with male-biased size dimorphism. Canadian Journal of Zoology 95: 393-403 (doi: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0182).
  • 2017
    Riley, J.L., J.H. Baxter-Gilbert, and J.D. Litzgus. , A comparison of three external transmitter attachment methods for snakes. Wildlife Society Bulletin 4(1): 132-139 (doi:10.1002/wsb.748).
  • 2016
    Moldowan, P.D., R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. , Quantification of cranial and tomiodont dimorphism in Testudines using the Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata). Zoomorphology 135(4): 499-510 (doi: 10.1007/s00435-016-0320-0).
  • 2016
    Moldowan, P.D., R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. , Turtles with “teeth”: Beak morphology of Testudines with a focus on the tomiodonts of Painted Turtles (Chrysemys spp.). Zoomorphology 135: 121-135 (doi: 10.1007/s00435-015-0288-1).
  • 2016
    Sasaki, K., D. Lesbarrères, C. Tremblay Beaulieu, G. Watson and J.D. Litzgus. , Effects of a mining-altered environment on individual fitness of amphibians and reptiles. Ecosphere 7(6): e01360 (doi: 10.1002/ecs2.1360).
  • 2016
    Mui, A.B., C.B. Edge, J.E. Paterson, B. Caverhill, B. Johnson, J.D. Litzgus, and Y. He. , Nesting sites in agricultural landscapes are a potential sink for turtle populations. Canadian Journal of Zoology 94: 61-67 (doi: 10.1139/cjz-2015-0154).
  • 2016
    Laverty, J.F., B. Korol, and J.D. Litzgus. , Measuring the effects of water-based recreation on the spatial ecology of Eastern Musk Turtles (Sternotherus odoratus) in a Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. Copeia 104(2): 440-447 (doi: 10.1643/CE-15-284).
  • 2015
    Baxter-Gilbert, J.H., J.L. Riley, D. Lesbarrères, and J.D. Litzgus. , Mitigating reptile road mortality: Fence failures compromise ecopassage effectiveness. PLoS ONE 10(3): e0120537. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120537).
  • 2015
    Sasaki, K., D. Lesbarrères, G. Watson, and J.D. Litzgus. , Mining-caused changes to habitat structure affect amphibian and reptile population ecology more than metal pollution. Ecological Applications 25(8): 2240-2254 (doi: 10.1890/14-1418.1).

Grants and Contracts

  • 2017
    Integrating life history variation into conservation of reptiles
    Role:
    PI
    Funding Source:
    NSERC
  • 2016
    Evaluating the effectiveness of headstarting for Wood Turtle recovery
    Role:
    PI
    Funding Source:
    MNRF
  • 2016
    ReNewZoo - Training conservation professionals for the zoo/aquarium of the 21st Century
    Role:
    co-PI
    Funding Source:
    NSERC

Professional Memberships

  • Chair of Board, Algonquin Wildlife Research Station
  • Vice-president, Canadian Herpetological Society
  • Member, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
  • Member, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles