Biology

A slender, dark brown salamander with an orange stripe along its back crawls on bright green moss. The salamander’s skin looks moist, and its tail is long and thin. There are some small twigs and seeds nearby. A Yonaholssee Salamander - Endemic to this area Biologists like professor Josh Rudd and his students tackle complex issues that are intertwined with the environment including the study of the Yonahlosse Salamaders, as well water quality analysis of campus waterways, and a camera-trapping study to detect the presence of black bears in Steele Creek Park and other research topics.

A SEARCH FOR ANSWERS

A close-up of a small salamander with a reddish-brown back, bluish-black sides, and speckled markings, resting on a smooth, gray surface.
"I have applied this research to populations of the locally rare Yonahlossee Salamander and would like to begin research on other extant and now extinct species native to the southern Appalachian mountains."
Josh Rudd
King University Program - Biology
Faculty
A man with short light brown hair, a beard, and blue eyes, wearing a brown plaid shirt, smiles at the camera against a plain dark background.
Josh Rudd
Assistant Professor of Biology
A woman with long light brown hair, wearing glasses and a colorful floral scarf, looks at the camera with a slight smile against a dark background.
Kelly Vaughan
Chair & Associate Professor of Biology