Big Muddy Speaker Series

Presentation by Kasey Whiteman – Resource Science Supervisor at Missouri River Field Station, Mo. Dept. of Conservation

NOTE: Kansas City Big Muddy Speaker Series is now taking place on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

Where – Westport Coffeehouse Theater – 4010 Pennsylvania Ave. Kansas City, MO

When-
6 p.m. Social Hour
7 p.m. Presentation

PLUS – This presentation will be streaming live on KCDV.tv!

Presentation is FREE and open to the public!

Permanant and temporary wetlands provide crucial habitat for amphibians and reptiles in Missouri River floodplains. photo courtesy of Mo. Dept. of Conservation.

The landscape of the Missouri River has changed greatly over the past century from a wide and dynamic river system to a highly altered and controlled water way.   The current state of this mighty river has led to easier navigation and cultivation of bottom land ground. However, this has come at the expense of natural riverine processes such as floodplain connectivity that would produce permanent and seasonal wetlands.

These wetlands were important habitats for various wildlife including amphibians and turtles. So along with other mitigation efforts, federal and state agencies have worked to put a small portion of lost wetlands back on the Missouri River landscape. Starting in 2010, a four year study was conducted to evaluate the amphibian and turtle occupancy of some of these mitigated wetlands. The goal was to identify habitat characteristics necessary for successful reproduction and recruitment of herpetiles and determine if these wetlands were meeting these needs.

With alternating years of unprecendented flooding and severe drought, the four years of sampling proved challenging for not only the researchers but the species being studied. Kasey will discuss some of the amphibian and reptile responses to these extreme weather events.

Directions

Westport CoffeeHouse – 4010 Pennsylvania Kansas City, Mo – www.westportcoffeehouse.com

The Westport CoffeeHouse is in the Westport entertainment area, midtown KC, south of downtown and north of the Plaza.  The main intersection is Westport Rd and Broadway.  From this intersection, go west on Westport Rd one block to Pennsylvania. Turn north (right).

OR you can get there from the intersection of Southwest Trafficway and Westport Rd.  Go east on Westport Rd to Pennsylvania. Turn north (left).

Westport Coffee House is approximately one block down on the west side of Pennsylvania.  Parking can be had either south of the coffee house in the large parking lot or just north of the coffee house alongside the building.  Enter through Green Room Burgers or Westport CoffeeHouse.