BOONE, N.C. — A group of researchers from Appalachian State University's Department of Biology and Department of Geography and Planning recently authored a study that explores the genetic characteristics of Timber Rattlesnake populations in Western North Carolina. The research offers the first detailed look at how these snakes are grouped across the region and provides information that can help guide future conservation efforts.
Published in Conservation Genetics in March, the study — A First Approximation of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure to Identify Management Units for Western North Carolina Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) — is co-authored by:
Dr. Matt Estep, associate professor and honors director in the Department of Biology
Hudson Koch ’24, alumnus of the honors biology and chemistry programs
Alex O'Neill ’19 ’21, lecturer in the Department of Geography and Planning and alumnus of the geography program
Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are the primary rattlesnake species in the temperate deciduous forests of eastern North America, but they face growing conservation challenges. In North Carolina, they are listed as a Species of Special Concern, with habitat loss and fragmentation from human encroachment as its primary threat. Understanding the snakes’ genetic diversity and population structure is essential for protecting them.
To build that understanding, the authors of the Conservation Genetics study used 19 microsatellite markers to estimate genetic diversity parameters from 125 Timber Rattlesnakes collected across Western North Carolina. The findings reveal robust genetic diversity and identify three management units — information that will help land managers plan effective conservation strategies.
Related: Dr. Matt Estep co-authors study discovering second species of wild ramps
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About the Department of Biology
The Department of Biology is a community of teacher-scholars, with faculty representing the full breadth of biological specializations — from molecular genetics to landscape/ecosystem ecology. The department seeks to produce graduates with sound scientific knowledge, the skills to create new knowledge, and the excitement and appreciation of scientific discovery. Learn more at biology.appstate.edu.
About the Department of Geography and Planning
The Department of Geography and Planning promotes the understanding of the spatial dimensions of human behavior within the physical and cultural systems of the earth, and the role of planning in achieving improvement in those systems. The department offers degrees in geography and in community and regional planning. Learn more at geo.appstate.edu.
Dr. Matt Estep (left) and Alex O'Neill ’19 ’21 (right)
Dr. Matt Estep (left) is an associate professor and the honors director in the Appalachian State University Department of Biology and Alex O'Neill ’19 ’21 (right) is a lecturer in the Department of Geography and Planning and alumnus of the geography program. Photos by University Communications