ProfessorShippensburg University
1871 Old Main Dr.
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania 17257
Email: prdeli@ship.edu
Phone: 717-477-1092
Visit Pablo's Research Website
Research Disciplines: Research Interests:
Basic ecology of amphibians and reptiles, behavior of amphibians and reptiles, morphology and physiology of amphibians and reptiles, population demographics and community structure of amphibians and reptiles, conservation and management of amphibians and reptiles, restoration ecology with focus on amphibians and reptiles, evolution of amphibians and reptiles
Biographical Sketch
Born in Sevilla, Spain, I became interested in zoology early on in my childhood. As moved from Sevilla to Madrid, Toledo, Murcia, I developed my passion for exploring and learning. During my youth, largely in Murcia, I spent most of my weekends and summers hiking with the Boy Scouts of Spain and learning about nature. At this time, I also joined the environmentalist organization Asociacion de Naturalistas del Sureste and became involved in bird banding, amphibian surveys, and general conservation issues in Murcia and neighboring areas. While finishing college studies in Sevilla, I was interested in ornithology postgraduate studies with focus on the ecology of wading birds in the Southwest of Spain. In 1988 however, I moved to the USA where I pursued my graduate degrees and developed my newest passion: amphibians and reptiles. I spent 12 years in Florida soaking Florida’s amazing biodiversity and, at the same time, saddened by its unbridled agricultural and especially urban growth. In 2002, I moved to Pennsylvania where I am happy to teach and do research on species of amphibians and reptiles of the Northeast USA.
For the last 17 years, I have worked actively in establishing long-term and comparative studies and partnerships to address demographics and conservation of Pennsylvania’s and Virginia’s Herpetofauna. For this, I have created continuing lines of collaboration with State Museum of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg, PA) Letterkenny Army Depot (Chambersburg, PA), and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Wallops Flight Facility (Wallops Island, VA).
Currently, I am also trying to develop permanent lines of cooperation with research institutions in Sevilla and Murcia (Spain). I am deeply committed to the early involvement of students in science through my teaching and my research projects, with the goal of developing their full understanding of the scientific methodology, the intricacies of the natural world, and the negative impact of human activities on nature.
Education
2001. Ph. D. Degree (Biology). University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
(Ph. D. Dissertation: Hyla gratiosa and H. femoralis [Anura: Hylidae] in West Central Florida: a comparative study of rarity and commonness)
1993. Masters of Science (Zoology). University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
(Master’s Thesis: Effects of Urbanization on the Community of Anurans of a Pine Flatwood Habitat in West Central Florida)
1987. Bachelor Degree in Biological Science (Zoology). University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
1986. Biology Major. University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Other Research
Long-term Study of the Amphibian and Reptilian Assemblages at Letterkenny Army Depot, South Central Pennsylvania: Implications for Wildlife Conservation and Management.
Long-term Study of Herpetological Community in Wallops Island, Virginia, USA: Conservation Concerns in the Light of Global Climate Change.