Charles "Billy" Gunnels, Ph.D.

University of Florida

Ph.D.

Zoology

2006

Utah State University

M.S.

Biology

1999

Skidmore College

B.S.

Biology

1992

Effect of Animal Views on Environmental Attitudes and Conservation Habits: Using cloud-sourced experiments to examine inconsistent influences of bias and evidence

Università degli Studi di Macerata  Macerata, Italy

2017-07-01

Conflicting Influences of Animal Views and Evidence on Environmental Attitudes and Conservation Habits

Making Sense of the Animal – Human Bond and Relationship(s)  Oxford, United Kingdom

2016-05-01

Zoology and Cultural History in the Galapagos Islands: A Methodological Reflection

American Society for Environmental History  Seattle, Washington

2016-03-01

Movement pattern of the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarcho couperi) in Southwest Florida

Metcalf MF, Gunnels CW, Everham EM, Andreadis P, & Herman J

2021

The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) is a large, non-venomous snake endemic to the southeastern coastal plains of the U.S. that is federally listed as threatened because of habitat loss and fragmentation. To implement effective management strategies, we must better understand the life history and movement patterns of this species. Our understanding of D. couperi remains limited, however, as previous studies focused on central and northern populations. To address this knowledge gap, we used radio telemetry to study D. couperi detectability, home range size, seasonal variation, habitat preferences, and shelter use in southwest Florida. We conducted this study in Collier County, Florida, USA, an environment with comparatively stable year-round temperatures, higher hydrological variations, and expansive saline environments relative to other areas in the range of the species. These D. couperi were most active during midday hours (1000-1400) and breeding seasons (October-March). These snakes prioritized upland features dominated by Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows but would occasionally use wetland habitats including mangrove swamps. These snakes also maintained large annual home ranges (female mean = 110 ha; male range, 207-233 ha) similar to the most northern populations. Understanding the diverse behaviors of D. couperi is essential to the overall conservation of the species throughout its range. Current survey protocols, which encourage surveying snakes at sunrise and sunset during summer months, may not be appropriate for animals in southern Florida and could result in mismanagement of D. couperi if these patterns were replicated in similar locations.

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Campus as a living laboratory: conservation areas that create a community who then ensure its sustainability

Gunnels CW, Abercrombie M, Bovard B, Croshaw DA, Drummond JG, Everham EM, Hancock TG, Herman J, Jackueux M, Lefevre KL, Marcolini JP, McConnell V, Metcalf MF, Sanchez I, Thomas S, Walsh-Haney H, and Voytek M

2021

Since the founding of Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in 1997, its campus—which has integrated urbanized development into extensive conservation areas—has been one of the school’s most unique and distinctive features. The university was constructed with the typical academic core, student housing, and athletic facilities making up the urbanized half of the campus. This area of urbanization was set within natural areas that are typical of southwest Florida, including upland forests and restored wetlands. Over time, these conservation areas would make up the other half of the campus. While the integration of human and non-human landscapes at FGCU attracted some students and faculty, these green spaces have had particularly dramatic influences on how many environmentally minded members of the campus community have taught and learned, conducted research, and performed service. Working in this “living laboratory” created a feedback loop ultimately, where these same individuals then initiated programs that ensured the continued use and protection of the campus conservation areas. Where FGCU’s focus on environmental sustainability promoted conditions for a living laboratory that bridged natural and human landscapes, the ability of a living laboratory to affect the academic and professional growth of personnel who then in turn worked to sustain the central feature of the living lab should be generalizable to the specific focus of any institution interested in developing a site-specific living laboratory.

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Teaching and evaluating skills for undergraduate research in the teacher education program

Szecsi T, Gunnels CW, Greene J, Johnston V, & Vazquez-Montilla E

2019

Teacher candidates have lower participation in under-graduate research than students in other disciplines. To enable teacher candidates to develop skills for scholarly activities and to engage them in research activities, teacher education programs utilize diverse approaches. This article describes a strategy to promote undergraduate research among teacher candidates using a systematic course-based infusion of skills necessary for undergraduate scholar-ship. In addition, it reports on the undergraduate students’ performance in research skills such as critical thinking, information literacy, and written communication in scholarly products over a three-year period. The results show an uneven but steady growth in research skills. Also dis-cussed are the course and curricular modifications used by instructors to promote skill development for undergraduate research related to teaching.

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