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Brent Palmer

BRENT PALMER
Associate Professor
Ph.D. Univ. of Florida, 1990

Email: bpalmer@uky.edu
Phone: (859) 257-5824
Office: B03 TH Morgan Bldg.
Graduate Training: Tailored Program

Faculty website

Research:

My research program focuses on conservation of wildlife species.  I am a comparative reproductive biologist and endocrinologist specializing in lower vertebrates. Reproduction is the critical life stage that enables a species to propagate itself and ensure survival of the species. Anything that impairs reproduction may lead to population decline and ultimately to extinction.  My research program uses comparative vertebrate reproductive endocrinology and functional morphology to investigate the following:

Many species of reptiles and amphibians are facing extinction. The global decline of amphibians is well documented.  In addition, every species of tortoise in the world is either threatened or endangered, as are the majority of turtles.  In order to rescue the most endangered species from extinction, captive reproduction is imperative.  However, reproduction in wildlife is a complex physiological sequence of events that is regulated by environmental factors in order to produce offspring at optimal times for their survival.  Successful captive breeding is dependent upon being able to provide the proper environmental clues to stimulate reproduction.  These include the role of temporal or circannual environmental factors such as photoperiod, temperature and moisture levels on stimulating reproduction.  My research program is investigating reproduction of both wild and captive populations of turtles and tortoises to optimize breeding of endangered species. 

Many common pollutants, such as pesticides and industrial chemicals, disrupt the endocrine system by binding to hormone receptors in either an agonistic or antagonistic fashion, thereby altering endogenous hormonal signals. These environmental endocrine disruptors have the ability to severely impact adult reproduction and embryonic development. Embryos are particularly sensitive to endocrine disrupting effects since they use hormonal signals to direct the development of anatomical systems and establish physiological set points.  My research program is investigating the effects environmental endocrine disrupters on wildlife populations, particularly on amphibians and reptiles.

Selected Publications:

Palmer, B.D., M.J. Perkins, K. Massie, M.S. Simon, M.C.A. Uribe. 1997.  Reproductiveanatomy and physiology of reptiles: evolutionary and ecological perspectives.  In:The Biology, Husbandry and Health Care of Reptiles and Amphibians.  Vol. 1: Reptiles.  L Ackerman (ed.).  TFH Publications. pp. 54-87. 

Palmer, B.D.  2000. Anatomy and Physiology of Reptiles.  In:  The Ecotoxicology of

Amphibians and Reptiles.  Sparling, DW, G. Linder, and C.A. Bishop (eds). 2000. 

Ecotoxicology of Amphibians and Reptiles.  Soc. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. Press, Pensacola,

FL, USA.  Pp. 111-139.

 

J.S. Rehage, S.G. Lynn, J.I. Hammond, B.D. Palmer and A. Sih. 2002. Effects of larval

exposure to triphenyltin on the survival,  growth, and behavior of larval andjuvenile

Ambystoma barbouri. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 21(4):807-15.

 

Palmer, B.D.  2002.  In:  State of the Science on Endocrine Disruptors.   Edited by: Terri

Damstra, Sue Barlow, Aake Bergman, Robert Kavlock, Glen Van Der Kraak.  International

Program on Chemical Safety.  World Health Organization.  54 pages. 

http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/who. 

 

Westerman, A.G., W. Van Der Schalie, S.L. Levine, B.D. Palmer, D. Shank, R.G.Stahl.  2003. 

Linking Stressors with potential effects on amphibian populations.  In:  Amphibian Decline:

An Integrated Analysis of Multiple Stressor Effects. D.W. Sparling, S. Krest and Greg Linder,

eds.   SETAC Publications.  Pp. 73-109.

 

Rohr, J.R., A.A. Elskus, B.S. Shepherd, P.H. Crowley, T.M. McCarthy, J.H. Niedzwiecki, T.

Sager, A. Sih, B.D. Palmer.  2003. Lethal and sublethal effects of atrazine, carbaryl,

endosulfan, and octylphenol on the Streamside Salamander, Ambystoma barbouri.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 22(10):2385–2392.

 

Rohr, J.R., A.A. Elskus, B.S. Shepherd, P.H. Crowley, T.M. McCarthy, J.H. Niedzwiecki, T.A.

Sager, A. Sih, and B.D. Palmer.  2004.  Multiple stressors and salamanders: Effects of an

herbicide, food limitation and hydroperiod.  Ecolological Applications 14(4):1028-1040.

 

Rohr, J.R., and B.D. Palmer.  2005.  Aquatic herbicide exposure increases salamander

desiccation risk eight months later in a terrestrial environment.  Environmental Toxicology

and Chemistry, 24(5):1253-1258.

 

Selcer, K.W., S. Smith, J.W. Clemens, and B.D. Palmer.  2005.  Androgen receptor in the

oviduct of the turtle, Trachemys scripta.  Comp Biochem Physiol. 141(1):61-70.

 

Rohr, J.R., T. Sager, T. Sesterhenn, and B.D. Palmer.  2006. Exposure, Post-exposure, and

Density-mediated Effects of Atrazine on Amphibians: Breaking Down Net Effects into Their

Parts.  Environmental Health Perspectives 114(1):46-50.  


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Department of BIOLOGY
101 T H Morgan Building, Lexington, KY 40506-0225, USA
Tel: (859) 257-8641, Fax: (859) 257-1717
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Last Updated: 11/17/2005