Speaker Series

Atlanta Audubon Society's Speaker Series are open to the public and visitors are cordially welcomed. The meetings feature special guest speakers on a range of birding, nature, and environmental topics, often including slide presentations. Please join us!

JULY 2010 SPEAKER SERIES
AND EXHIBITION OF THE WINNING PHOTOGRAPHS
FROM THE AAS 2010 PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

LIFE IN THE DARK
Dr. Danté Fenolio

Thursday, 15 July 2010
Photo Exhibit and Hors d'oeuvres: 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Meeting and Presentation: 8:00 – 9:00 PM
AAS Education Center
at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve
4055 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, GA 30342
(Across from Pikes Nurseries)

What do the forest canopies of Madagascar, subterranean waterways of the Ozarks, termite mounds of the Brazilian Cerrado, leaf litter in the Amazon Basin, and the rocky shores of Central Brazil have in common?

These locations all host microhabitats with taxing environmental conditions, such as drought, lack of sunlight, or a limited water supply. Organisms living in these ecosystems must adapt in order to survive severe wind, fluctuating water levels, or total darkness. Just as the long pointed bills of dowitchers, ibises and sandpipers allow these birds to inhabit areas with food buried beneath the soil surface, the lateral line system of the Ozark Cave Salamander aides this creature’s life in the dark by increased sensitivity to vibrations.

One other aspect that these far-reaching environments have in common is the attention of Dr. Danté Fenolio, the Amphibian Conservation Biologist at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Danté is interested in the community of organisms that live in and round some of the most challenging environments, particularly subterranean species that inhabit aquifers. He received his undergraduate education in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of California at Vera Cruz and his Masters degree in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma. While in Oklahoma, Danté studied Ozark blind cave salamanders and forest canopy amphibians in Madagascar. Danté’s PhD came from the University of Miami, where he worked with the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan to further research that could help halt the rise of amphibian declines. With the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Danté helps to coordinate both local and international amphibian conservation efforts and to develop captive breeding methods for endangered species.

Danté Fenolio is finishing a book project about the organisms in some of the darkest reaches of our planet’s biosphere. Come see some fantastic photographs as he shares his knowledge of these forms of wildlife that live most or all of their lives in the dark. There will be something for everyone in this talk, ranging from rare mammals to deep sea fish to insects found nearly 100 feet above the Madagascan forest floor!

Please join us at 7:00 PM, as we celebrate the talented photographers that won prizes in the various categories of this year’s contest! No registration is necessary. This is a free event open to the public..

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