Shelly Thomas

Dr. Shelly Thomas teaches Conservation Biology, Taxonomy of Flowering Plants, Environmental Science, Entomology, Earth Science, Zoology, Agro-Ecology, and Faith, Science & Ethics.

Her dissertation was on the effects of forest management on assemblages of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae). She thinks beetles are awesome! She worked on the Acadian Forest Ecosystem Research Program, which researches forest management systems inspired by the natural disturbance regime of the Acadian forest of Maine.

Shelly’s research interests include how we can use our natural resources (abad) while still protecting and maintaining (shamar) the other species God has created and the environments in which they live (Genesis 2:15). Her favorite ecosystem to work in is forests; however, she enjoys working and playing in many others, too!

Doctor of Philosophy
Ecology and Environmental Science Program.
Department of Biological Sciences.
University of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Dissertation Advisor: Robert G. Wagner
Bachelor of Science
Department of Biology and Honors Program.
Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania.
Naturalist Certificate
Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies.
Mancelona, Michigan.

• Trumbo, S.T. and S.L. Thomas. 1998. Burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) of the Apostle Islands, Wisconsin: species diversity, population density, and body size. The Great Lakes Entomologist. 31:85-95.
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  Manuscripts in review
• Thomas, S.L., R.G. Wagner, and W.A. Halteman. Influence of harvest gaps and coarse woody material on click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in Maine’s Acadian forest.
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  Manuscripts in preparation
• Thomas, S.L. and R.G. Wagner. Relation between vegetation composition and click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) assemblages in the Acadian forest.
  
• Thomas, S.L., R.G. Wagner, and S.A. Woods. Effect of sylvicultural methods and associated stand changes on click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) assemblages.

• Thomas, S.L., W.A. Halteman, A.S. White, and S.A. Woods. 2006. Effects of natural disturbance-based harvest gap effects on click beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in soils & coarse woody debris in Maine’s Acadian forest. Society for Conservation Biology Annual Meeting. San Jose, California.
  
• Thomas, S.L., W.A. Halteman, A.S. White, and S.A. Woods. 2005. The influence of forest management on click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) communities inhabiting forest soils in Maine, USA. Society for Conservation Biology Annual Meeting. Brasilia, Brazil.
  
• Baya, S. and S.L. Thomas. 2005. An asset for nature and peoples’ livelihoods in Kenya: An eco-bursary fund for secondary students. Society for Conservation Biology Annual Meeting. Brasilia, Brazil.
  
• Thomas, S.L. and S.A. Woods. 2004. The effects of forest harvest gaps on click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) communities inhabiting coarse woody debris in Maine, USA. Expanding the Ark: The Emerging Science and Practice of Invertebrate Conservation Symposium of the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York.
  
• Thomas, S.L., S.P. Campbell, A.W. Simpson, C.R. Lage, and S.C. Kingsbury. 2002. Bridging the Gap between Scientists & Educators: Scientists in K-12 Education at the University of Maine. Society for Conservation Biology Annual Meeting, Cambridge, England.
  
• Saunders, M.R., Wagner, R.G., Hunter, M.L., Jr., S.A. Woods, D. Schofield, C. Strojny, S.L. Thomas, S. Fraver, and L. Case. 2002. FERP: Designing and understanding silvicultural systems for the future. Eastern CANUSA Forest Science Conference, Orono, ME.
  
• Weed, A., S.A. Woods, and S.L. Thomas. 2002. Insights into the influence of downed woody debris on habitat quality for ground beetles – or not? Proceedings of the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Acadian Entomological Society. University of Maine at Machias.

• A Rocha USA Representative and Exhibit Coordinator 2005 SCB Annual Conference, San Jose, California, USA.
• A Rocha USA Representative and Exhibit Coordinator 2004 SCB Annual Conference, Brasilia, Brazil.

• Small Group Leader, Pathway Wesleyan Church (1998-2005).
• Small Group Director, Pathway Wesleyan Church (2000-2005).
• NSF Teaching Fellow (2000-2002) University of Maine and Milford Elementary School Grade 8 Science, Milford, ME.
• NSF Teaching Fellow (2002) University of Maine and A Rocha Kenya, Watamu, Kenya.
• Environmental Education Program Coordinator (1997) Kenya Islands Mission. Mbita, South Nyanza, Kenya.