Townsend Lab

Welcome to the Lab of Dr. Josiah Townsend, located in 18 Weyandt Hall in the Department of Biology at IUP. Our research emphasizes the inherent connections between systematic biology and conservation, integrating field-based sampling and laboratory analyses into a framework that uses taxonomic inventory and monitoring to generate evolutionary and e... cological questions, while promoting education and extension in support of broader conservation goals. While most of our research is focused in northern Central America, we maintain a dual geographic scope for our research efforts, with ongoing projects locally in Pennsylvania and broader Appalachia. Research in both regions centers on at-risk, fragmented ecosystems that are home to conservation-priority species, particularly amphibians and reptiles. A principle theme of the lab is elucidating the patterns and processes that generate taxonomic diversity, often resulting in taxonomic descriptions of new species and revisions of existing taxa. We apply quantitative species delimitation methods and integrate a variety of lines of evidence to address research questions, including phylogenetics and phylogenomics, microCT-based comparative osteology, bioacoustic analysis of vocalizations, species distribution modeling, and traditional comparative morphology. Due to the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Townsend will be remaining in Honduras and will teach his IUP classes remotely during Fall 2020. When the pandemic travel restrictions were enacted in March 2020, Dr. Townsend and his family were in Honduras on a year-long sabbatical through the Fulbright Scholar program. With the support of IUP and Zamorano Agricultural University, this situation will provide a unique experience for students taking classes remotely, having the professor teaching remotely from in and around field sites in Latin America. Students interested in research opportunities in my lab should email me. The photo gallery presents some of the field sites and backyard wildlife that ...Read More