Staff Profile

Dr. Stephen J. Mullin

INTRODUCTION

My EIU Story

Positions Held

2005-present Publications Secretary, The Herpetologists' League Board of Directors.
2004-present Joint Herpetological Societies Education Committee.
2004 Organizer and co-host for the 4th Snake Ecology Group conference.
2003-present Director, Departmental Honors Program.
2000-present American Institute for Biological Sciences, list moderator of EVOLEDIL (internet discussion group that promotes evolution in educational curricula).

Conference Presentations

Fornell*, A.M. and S.J. Mullin. Foraging site selection in Prairie Kingsnakes: An experimental examination. Kansas Herpetological Society, Witchita, KS. 2008.

Fornell*, A.M. and S.J. Mullin. Foraging site selection in Prairie Kingsnakes: An experimental examination, Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, Montréal, Qbc, CANADA. 2008.

Mullin, S.J. The other transformers – Why the restoration of an amphibian community is far from robotic. Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia. 2008.

Mullin, S.J., T. Buhnerkempe*, S.J. Adams*, and T.L. Esker. Build it and will they come? Amphibian colonization of newly-constructed ponds along a forest ecotone. Midwest Partners for Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, Blue Grass, IA. 2008.

Walston*, L.J. and S.J. Mullin. Variation in amount of forest habitat influences orientation of juvenile amphibians emigrating from breeding ponds. Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, Montréal, Qbc, CANADA. 2008.

Olds, M.J. and S.J. Mullin A Levee Runs Through It: Habitat Use by Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) in an Aquatic Mosaic. 2007.

Gross, L.M., Gaines, K.F., and S.J. Mullin Atrazine in agricultural runoff and its impacts on two anuran species in central Illinois. 2007.

Fornell*, A.M. and S.J. Mullin. Foraging site selection in prairie kingsnakes: An experimental examination. Midwest Regional meeting of The Wildlife Society; Madison, WI. 2007.

Gross*, L.M. and S.J. Mullin. Compositional changes in a pond-breeding amphibian community after fish removal: The saga continues. Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, St. Louis, MO. 2007.

Gross*, L.M. and S.J. Mullin. A pond-breeding amphibian community after fish removal: A six-year study. Midwest Regional meeting of The Wildlife Society, Madison, WI. 2007.

Gross*, L.M. and S.J. Mullin. Compositional changes in a pond-breeding amphibian community after fish removal: The saga continues. Midwest Partners for Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, Chesterton, IN. 2007.

Olds*, M.J. and S.J. Mullin. Habitat use and selection of hibernation sites in Northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) in east-central Illinois. Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, St. Louis, MO. 2007.

Seigel, R.A. and S.J. Mullin. The future of snake conservation. Indigo Snake Conservation Summit: Developing an Approach to Conservation Modeling. Newton, GA. 2007.

Gross*, L.M. and S.J. Mullin An Amphibian Community After Fish Removal: A Tale of Four Ponds. Midwest Partners for Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, Carbondale, IL. 2006.

Walston, L.J., and S.J. Mullin. Population responses of wood frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles to overwintered bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles. 2006.

Gross*, L.M., and S.J. Mullin. Atrazine in agricultural runoff and its impacts on two anuran species in Central Illinois. Midwest Regional meeting of The Wildlife Society; Omaha, NE. 2006.

Olds*, M.J., and S.J. Mullin. A levee runs through it: Habitat use by northern watersnakes (N. sipedon) in two bodies of water. Midwest Regional meeting of The Wildlife Society; Omaha, NE. 2006

Olds*, M.J., and S.J. Mullin. The snake community inhabiting a levee system in central Illinois. Midwest Partners for Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, Carbondale, IL. 2006.

Rines, R.H., R. Christ, G. Marenghi, R.D. Rines, J.C. Rines, D. Marshall, E. Ercolino, J. Hayes-Rines, and S.J. Mullin. No monster: Sighting of an anuran (Bufo sp.) in the deep water of Loch Ness. Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, New Orleans, LA.. 2006.

Walston*, L.J., and S.J. Mullin. Population responses of wood frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles to overwintered bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles. Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, New Orleans, LA. 2006.

Mullin, S.J. Ecological effects within communities: Population responses to intra- and inter-ecosystem introductions. Biology Department, University of Illinois at Springfield. (invited lecture) 2006.

Mullin, S.J., S.J. Dunn, and R.N. Fisher. Attacking the invaders: how a generalist snake forages successfully for three introduced prey species. Joint Meetings of Herpetologists & Ichthyologists. (paper) 2005.

Florey, J. and Mullin, S.J. A survey of anuran breeding activity in Illinois, 1986-1989. 2005.

Klueh, S. and S.J. Mullin. Population ecology of the Jefferson salamander, Ambystoma jeffersonianum, in Illinois. 2005.

Walston, L.J. and S.J. Mullin. Resilience of a pond-breeding amphibian community following the mitigation of introduced fish. (poster) 2005.

Flitz, B. and S.J. Mullin. Daily movement in the Eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina,  in a population in central Illinois. Joint Meetings of Herpetologists & Ichthyologists. (paper) 2004.

Mullin, S.J. Rat snakes in variable environments: Do generalists 'care' about optimality? Department of Biology, Northern Illinois University. (invited lecture) 2004.

Publications

Foster*, C.D., S. Klueh*, and S.J. Mullin. 2009. Thermoregulation of male Elaphe spiloides in an agriculturally-fragmented forest in Illinois. Trans. Illinois State Acad. Sci. Accepted.

Mullin, S.J. and R.A. Seigel (eds.). 2009. Snakes: Ecology & Conservation Biology. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Mullin, S.J. and R.A. Seigel. 2009. Opening the doors to snake conservation. Pp. 1-4 in Snakes: Ecology & conservation biology (ed. S.J. Mullin and R.A. Seigel). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Seigel, R.A. and S.J. Mullin. 2009. Snake conservation, present and future. Pp. 281-290 in Snakes: Ecology & conservation biology (ed. S.J. Mullin and R.A. Seigel). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Foster*, C.D., and S.J. Mullin. 2008. Speed and endurance of Thamnophis hammondii are not affected by consuming the toxic frog Xenopus laevis. Southwest. Nat. 53:370-373.

*Walston, L.J., and S.J. Mullin. 2008. Variation in surrounding forest habitat influences the initial orientation of juvenile amphibians emigrating from breeding ponds. Can. J. Zool. 86:141-146.

Rines, R.H., R. Christ, and S.J. Mullin. 2007. Natural history notes: Bufo bufo (depth record). Herpetol. Rev. 38:179.

Foster*, C.D., and S.J. Mullin. 2007. Updated and new amphibian and reptile records from Clark County, Illinois. Herpetol. Rev. 38:238-239.

Walston,* L.J., and S.J. Mullin. 2007. Responses of a pond-breeding amphibian community to the experimental removal of predatory fish. Amer. Midl. Nat. 157:63-73.

Walston,* L.J., and S.J. Mullin. 2007. Population responses of wood frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles to overwintered bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles. J. Herpetol. 41:23-30.

Flitz*, B., and S.J. Mullin. 2006. Nest-site selection in the eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina, in Illinois. Chelonian Conservat. Biol. 5:309-312.

Foster*, C.D., S. Klueh, and S.J. Mullin. 2006. Natural history notes: Elaphe spiloides (habitat use). Herpetol. Rev. 37:478.

Florey, J., and S.J. Mullin. 2005. A survey of anuran breeding activity in Illinois, 1986-1989. Trans.  Illinois State Acad. Sci. 98:39-47.

Walston, L.J., and S.J. Mullin. 2005. Evaluation of a new method for measuring salamanders.  Herpetol. Rev. 36:290-292.

Forsythe, P., B. Flitz, and S.J. Mullin. 2004. Radio telemetry and post-emergent habitat selection of  neonate box turtles (Emydidae: Terrapene carolina) in central Illinois. Herpetol. Rev. 35:333-335.

Mullin, S.J., J.B. Towey, and R.A. Szafoni. 2004. Using Rotenone to enhance native amphibian breeding habitat in ponds (Illinois). Ecol. Restorat. 22:305-306.

Mullin, S.J., H. Imbert, J.M. Fish, E.L. Ervin, and R.N. Fisher. 2004. Snake (Colubridae: Thamnophis) predatory responses to chemical cues from native and introduced prey species. Southwest. Nat. 49:449-456.

Mullin, S.J. and R.J. Cooper. 2002. Barking up the wrong tree: Climbing performance of rat snakes  and its implications for depredation of avian nests. Can. J. Zool. 80:591-595.

Research & Creative Interests

Dr. Mullin's research focuses on two concepts: The ecological influence of physical structure on interspecific interactions. The environmental and developmental cues which stimulate the expression of behavior.

Subtle changes in the structural complexity of a microhabitat may influence not only the expression of animal behavior, but also regulate patterns of habitat selection. Predator-prey systems that include snakes are typically examined in addressing these topics. Dr. Mullin teaches Vertebrate Natural History and Herpetology with a field-based component for each course.