Are Greek lizards adapting to live with humans?

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maureen hawkinsBacker

Have fun with this Colin!

Apr 06, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you! Can't wait to send some stories your way!!

Apr 07, 20140

Dory-o KvaleBacker

Go Colin! My Carleton prospies are super heroes. In honor of folk dances everywhere, please choose a lively lizard to be known as "Rhoditiki Sousta" (Just Sousta for short). With luck he will spread his dancing charms to all his lizardy friends.

Apr 06, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

I will be sure he knows all the steps! Thanks so much for donating!

Apr 07, 20140

Tracy LangkildeBacker

Very happy to support this fantastic project Colin! Can't wait to hear about all your adventures.

Apr 05, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much Tracy! Can't wait to share some stories and pics with you!

Apr 05, 20140

Hale MorrellBacker

Best of luck Colin!!

Apr 03, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much!!

Apr 03, 20140

Angel HsuBacker

Excited to see the results!

Apr 03, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much for your support! I love that profile picture :)

Apr 03, 20140

Patricia MacDonaldBacker

My lizard name suggestion? Zorba, of course! I'm sure I'm only the 53 person to suggest that. Erm, Lizard Minnelli? Eddie Lizzard? Thin Lizzy? Good luck!

Apr 03, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Hahaha! I love them all! Thank you for your help!

Apr 03, 20140

Gerardo VillarrealBacker

Good luck Colin!!!

Apr 03, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much!

Apr 03, 20140

Chelsea CliffordBacker

Hi Colin. I heard about this courtesy of Facebook and Hannah Specht. Sounds like a cool project. I'm in my first year of a PhD program, Duke Environment, and am leaning towards studying ecosystem services provided by artificial aquatic systems that don't get much attention, like ditches, for my dissertation, so I've been thinking about reconciliation ecology and the ontology of artificiality a bit myself. Good luck.

Apr 02, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

What cool ideas! It's great to reconnect! It's been a long time since Carleton :) Thanks for donating. I look forward to being in touch more soon!!

Apr 02, 20140

David YeungBacker

Keep up the good work!

Apr 02, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks for the support!!

Apr 02, 20140

H & G CoppingerBacker

Good Luck, and lots of cooperation from the lizards! Harold & Gloria

Mar 30, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much! Can't wait to go lizard spotting again on your dock.

Mar 30, 20140

Susie LannooBacker

Colin: We're Friends of Angus (FOA) and are excited to hear about your work. Have fun out there! Susie, Mike and Pete Lannoo

Mar 27, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much for donating! It's going to be an awesome summer. Angus and I will be in touch!

Mar 27, 20140

David DonihueBacker

Congratulations, Colin. This sounds like an amazing project. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Mar 26, 20140

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much for your support! I can't wait to share some stories this summer! I really appreciate your help!

Mar 26, 20140

Catherine ReinkeBacker

Good Luck Colin!!!

Mar 26, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much Catherine! You made me hit the goal! Woo Hoo!!

Mar 26, 20140

OmarBacker

Please make an Odyssey reference in your report!

Mar 25, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

For you, (H)omar, I'll try! Thanks for donating!

Mar 26, 20140

Lynne AdamsBacker

Best wishes in your research. Lynne and Tim

Mar 25, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much for your support!!

Mar 25, 20140

Rob ChoateBacker

Those islands look incredible! Good luck! I also have to ask if there is a benefit to experiment.com over other crowdfunding sites --- it seems like their fee is high at 8% (e.g. Kickstarter is 5%)

Mar 25, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much for donating! Actually experiment and kickstarter take the same cut - Kickstarter takes 5% but there's an extra 3-5% card processing fee through Amazon. The fees are the same here which is great because Kickstarter doesn't seem to support science projects! Good question and thanks again for donating!

Mar 25, 20141

Warren MacKenzieBacker

We have plenty of lizards in Az. Good luck with your project

Mar 25, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

I'm going to have to find a chance to take you up on that offer :) My current roommate grew up chasing lizards in Phoenix so he can tell me where to go. Thank you so much for your support!

Mar 25, 20140

Brian MasonBacker

Yo dawg.

Mar 25, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Haha! Yay! Thanks Brian!

Mar 25, 20140

Meredith AtwoodBacker

You should be proud of all your hard work! I'm excited to hear how it goes and what you find!!

Mar 25, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much Meredith!

Mar 25, 20140

Barbara SantoroBacker

Gotta love those Greek isle lizards!

Mar 24, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Hurrah :) Thanks for backing!

Mar 25, 20140

Chris HarbisonBacker

Hi Colin - Great to hear from you, and I'm excited (and jealous) for this project. Keep me posted, and if you are ever in the Albany area, drop by to visit! I'll email the link to this project around my department and to folks I know. Best of luck! No go wrangle some lizards! Chris Harbison

Mar 24, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Your Evolution class at Carleton set me up for a lot of this! Your research was some of the first that got me thinking about the ecological community feeding into evolutionary dynamics. Thank you so much for your support!

Mar 24, 20140

Vienna TengBacker

Yay Colin! Excited to see you carrying your research forward.

Mar 23, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much Vienna!

Mar 23, 20140

Costa Rica HerpingAdventuresBacker

Colin, I've been doing Herping tours to Costa Rica for 14 yrs. Your project interest me and I wish you luck with it. You can look at my web site at CostaRicaHerpingAdventures.com Jim

Mar 22, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much Jim! I've just been reading about your herping adventures in Costa Rica! That snake and lizard list is pretty awesome (http://costaricaherpingadventures.com/Snakes%20We%20Have%20Found/Snakes%20We%20Have%20Found.htm). Looking forward to talking more in the upcoming months!

Mar 23, 20140

Ann TraversBacker

Dear Colin, I remember our discussion soon after your arrived at Yale about your dissertation. Here are a couple questions I'm curious about. What insects do these lizards eat that feed on area crops? Do you have projections on how many insects these lizards will eat once established in the new walls? As a result of the lizards settling in your new walls, how much increase in harvest will area farmers realize? What an exciting project! Love, Aunt Ann and Uncle Gary

Mar 22, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks for the great questions! Whether the lizards eat insect pests is a major question I plan to answer this summer. The idea that rock wall building creates habitat and thus provides a pest control service is very interesting to me. I will be testing that directly and will report back! These lizards are super abundant, and do chow down on a lot of insects, so it is possible that in aggregate they're playing a big role in the farmers' fields. I can't wait to find out for sure!

Mar 22, 20140

Jennie MillerBacker

The results you've already gotten from the field are evidence of even better outcomes to come. I look forward to following your progress and seeing as the story pulls together. All the best for your field season, Colin!

Mar 21, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much for the support Jennie!

Mar 21, 20140

Wendy SepponenBacker

Hello dear Colin! Best of luck with this! You deserve all the money crowd-sourced funding ever did shower on any individual! Go get 'em!

Mar 21, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much Wendy!!! I really appreciate your support.

Mar 21, 20140

Isabel MacKenzieBacker

One of my choices is Zir Dazl

Mar 20, 20142

Colin DonihueResearcher

I like it :)

Mar 21, 20140

ShakuntalaBacker

Good luck, Colin!

Mar 20, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much!

Mar 20, 20140

martin katzBacker

Those lizards have never had it so good!

Mar 20, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much Martin! I can't wait to hear what you and Dale name your lizard :) I really appreciate your support!

Mar 20, 20140

Debbie-Scott MacKenzieBacker

Good Luck Colin -- we'll be anxiously awaiting your results! Scott, Deb and Philip MacKenzie

Mar 20, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks for the support! I'll keep you updated!

Mar 20, 20140

Patty LiaoBacker

Yay lizards! You don't have to pay the lizards for their hard work this summer? What happens if the project goes over budget? Now that I'm an investor I have to ask all sorts of questions... :)

Mar 19, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you Patty!! The lizards are fed delicious mealworms during their stays, I'm pretty sure they like it. As for the budget, I've been running numbers over and over and am confident that with the $3,385 everything's going to work! If there's a run on rock wall stones and prices shoot up, I do have a series of options for cutting costs, but I don't think it'll come to that. Especially if we can beat our crowd funding target! Thanks so much for your support!

Mar 20, 20140

Jenn MacKenzieBacker

Hey Colin! So proud of you! Still thinking if a name For my Lizard- thanks again so much for House sitting! Love u and just be careful for pixie Escaping. Xo

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Pixie has been terrific :) Thanks so much for donating and sharing. Can't wait to find out what you name your lizard!

Mar 18, 20140

MelissaBacker

Nice job Col!! I'm working on a name for "my lizard". Love, melissa

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much! Can't wait to hear what you come up with! Have fun down in balmy GA!

Mar 18, 20140

Samuel SantoroBacker

Good luck, Colin

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you SO much! Can't wait to share some stories and pictures from this summer with you.

Mar 18, 20140

Isabel MacKenzieBacker

Good data collection Colin

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Hurrah! Thanks! Can't wait to get back there to get even more!

Mar 18, 20140

Isabel MacKenzieBacker

Thanks for the opportunity to advance science

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you SO much for your generous donation! Can't wait to hear what you decide to call your lizards!

Mar 18, 20140

marlyse duguidBacker

Good Luck!

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks for pushing me over $1000 Marlyse! Woo hoo!

Mar 18, 20140

Vicky & Herve LambertBacker

We want to know what you find! All the best wishes for getting this funding and for your work...

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much for donating! Can't wait to hear your lizard name!

Mar 18, 20140

Aaron PaulBacker

Go get'em Colin!

Mar 18, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Yay! Thanks so much for the support!

Mar 18, 20140

Sarah MacLeanBacker

Cool project!! I'm excited to see the results!

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Hurrah! Thanks for your support!

Mar 17, 20140

Ross DonihueBacker

So excited to be part of the project! Can't wait to follow along. Cheers!

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much for your support! I really appreciate it!

Mar 17, 20140

Marty SchnureBacker

This is so exciting, Colin! Can't wait to hear updates.

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much! Stories and pics coming your way :D

Mar 17, 20140

Jessica Sunny EvansBacker

Awesome idea, good luck! I'm working toward studying evolutionary ecology using insects. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you find out.

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Cool Jessica. I'd love to hear more about your research! Shoot me an email sometime. colin.donihue@yale.edu

Mar 17, 20140

Don DonihueBacker

Good Luck!

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much for your support!

Mar 17, 20140

Mom & DadBacker

We're so proud to be a part of your team!

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you so much!! I really appreciate your support!

Mar 17, 20140

Starling W ChildsBacker

Good luck and what a fantastic place to do research! Need one lizard named Oikostar!

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thanks so much for the support! Alrighty, the first named lizard will be Oikostar! I love it.

Mar 17, 20140

Wayne SentmanBacker

Good luck Colin! Look forward to reading about your progress.

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Thank you for your support! I can't wait to get back to the field and start sending you all updates!

Mar 20, 20140

Max LambertBacker

Sensu Losos, Pianka, Spiller, and Schoener A new world of lizard evolution!

Mar 17, 20141

Colin DonihueResearcher

Woohoo thanks for being the first backer!

Mar 17, 20140