Michael Finkler, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Biology
Office: SM 139D
Phone: (765)-455-9244
E-mail: mfinkler@iuk.edu

See my personal web page.

Research Interests: Animal ecological physiology; energetic costs of reproduction and embryonic development; sexual dimorphism; herpetology.

Most of my recent work has focused on internal anatomical and physiological dimorphisms related to reproductive cost in spring breeding frogs and salamanders.  I am also interested in  the influence of environmental quality within amniote eggs on hatchling phenotype (turtles and birds), water balance and desiccation tolerance in crayfish, correlates between morphology and interspecific competition in crayfish, the impact of tremade parasitism on fecundity and stored energy in amphibians, and the effects of thermal pollution on native mussel species.

Courses Taught:

• PHSL-P 215 Basic Human Physiology
• PHSL-P 416 Comparative Animal Physiology
• PHSL-P 418 Laboratory for Comparative Animal Physiology
• BIOL-L 345 Vertebrate Biology
• BIOL-L 367 Cell Physiology
• BIOL-L 391 Natural History of Dinosaurs
• BIOL-L 490 Independent Study (an opportunity for students to conduct research in my lab for college credit)
• Occassional special topics courses and seminars for the Honors Program (H-399) and Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (LBST-D 503)

Publications:

Book:

• Steyermark, A.C., M. S. Finkler, and R.J. Brooks, eds., 2008.  Biology of the Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina).  Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Recent Articles:

• Finkler, M.S. 2011.  Geographic distribution: Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum. Herpetological Review 42(4):561.
• Finkler, M.S. 2011.  Geographic distribution: Lithobates clamitans melanota. Herpetological Review 42(4):563.
• Duffitt, A.D. and M.S. Finkler.  2011.  Sex-related differences in stored energy reserves in Pseudacris crucifer and Pseudacris triseriata during the breeding season.  Journal of Herpetology 45(2):224-229.
• Finkler, M.S.  2006.  Does variation in soil water content induce variation in the size of hatchling snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina)?  Copeia 2006(4):769-777.
• Finkler, M.S.  2006.  Effects of temperature, sex, and gravidity on the metabolism of Small-mouthed Salamanders, Ambystoma texanum, during the reproductive season.  Journal of Herpetology 40(1):103-106.