Education History

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Lehigh University 1979

Bachelor of Arts, Major in Biology

Minor in Social Relations

Lehigh University 1981

Master of Arts, Major in Education

Bryn Mawr College 1991

Doctor of Philosophy, Major in Biology

Minor in Biochemistry

Publications

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Genetic Structure of Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) Populations: Physiographic Influences and Conservation Implications

Research Paper, Copeia 2014:694-706

Co-Authored with C. Aborde, S. Gao, M. Gonzalez, J. Hoffman, I. Kovelman, A. Savitzky, H. K. Reinert

Cross-species Amplification of Crotalus horridus Microsatellites and their Application in Phylogenetic Analysis

Research Paper, Journal of Herpetology 35:532-537

Co-Authored with M. Maliga and H.K. Reinert

Genetic Variation and Gene Flow Within and Between Local Populations of the Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus

Research Paper, Copeia 1998(2):411-422

Co-Authored with H.K. Reinert and L. Gelbert

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for use in population genetic analysis in the timber rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus

Research Paper, Journal of Heredity 87(2):152-155

Co-Authored with Villarreal, X., L. Gelbert, J. Bricker, H. K. Reinert, and L.M. Bushar

Distribution of the Aruba Island Rattlesnake, Crotalus unicolor, on Aruba, Dutch West Indies

Research Paper, Caribbean J. Sci. 38:126-128

Co-Authored with Reinert, H.K., L. M. Bushar, G. L. Rocco, M. Goode, and R. A. Odum

The ecology of the Aruba Island Rattlesnake, Crotalus unicolor. In The Biology of Rattlesnakes, W. K. Hayes, K. R. Beaman, M. D. Cardwell, and S. P. Bush, eds.

Contribution to book, Loma Linda University Press, Loma Linda, CA

Co-Authored with Reinert, H. K., L. M. Bushar, G. Rocco, and R. A. Odum

Genetic characterization of an invasive Boa constrictor population on the Caribbean island of Aruba

Research Paper, Journal of Herpetology. In press

Co-Authored with Bushar, L. M., H. K. Reinert, S. Tucker, L. C. Pace, W. I. Lutterschmidt, and R. Andrew Odum

Population isolation and genetic subdivision of Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) populations in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

Research Paper, Herpetologica. In press

Co-Authored with L. M. Bushar, N. Bhatt, M. C. Dunlop*, C. Schocklin*, M. A. Malloy* and H. K. Reinert

Research Summary

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Dr. Bushar's research interests are in the ecology and population genetics of threatened and endangered snake species. Most of her work has focused on the Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus, which is a candidate species in Pennsylvania and is a threatened or endangered species in most of the northeastern United States. With colleagues, she has developed microsatellite genetic markers for use in studies of C. horridus (Villarreal et al., 1996). She has used these to study factors influencing genetic variation within and gene flow among local populations of C. horridus (Bushar et al., 1998) as well as anthropogenic and physiographic influences on the genetic structure of C. horridus populations (Bushar et al., in press).  Additionally, Dr. Bushar has a research program on the island of Aruba in the Netherlands Antilles studying the endangered Aruba Island Rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus unicolor, and the invasive Boa constrictor (e.g., Reinert et al., 2008; Bushar et al., in press). Dr. Bushar has been supported by funding from the Pennsylvania Wild Resource Conservation Fund through the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and a State Wildlife Grant through the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Her research has been supported through intramural grants including the Stacy Anne Vitetta Professorship, the Ellington Beavers Faculty Research Award, and other intramural grants. She has also received support for the renovation of research laboratories and the purchase of instrumentation used in both teaching and research through the National Science Foundation.