SPOTLIGHT: Science and Environment

Crocodiles and Alligators as Indicators of Change in The Florida Everglades Venetia Briggs-Gonzalez, PhD, Wildlife Ecologist, UF - Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Director, Lamanai Field Research Center.

The dynamics of the tropics and the realm of animal behavior fascinate me. And, in the tropics, the teeming, yet coexisting biodiversity prompts endless questions. I am interested in species interactions, in how and why species can co-exist, compete, communicate, develop mutualisms and evolve with time to form viable communities, including those at the human/animal interface. At the species level, I am drawn to the intricacies of mating systems and how sexual selection plays a major role in natural selection. My work in my homeland, Belize, and in Panama, and the southern US illustrate the rich natural resources available to us, but a tangible paucity of knowledge... that intrigues me, and I am thus dedicated to conservation efforts aimed toward sustainable natural resource management.