Instructional Associate Professor
Fax: 979-845-2891
Email:
chris.butler@tamu.edu
Office:
307 HELD
Joined the Department in 2022
- B.Sc., Natural Resources, Cornell University. 2000
- Ph.D., Zoology, Oxford University. 2004
Dr. Butler has been at TAMU since 2022. He was also a Fulbright Scholar to Botswana during the 2016-17 academic year. He teaches classes in freshman biology, Chordate Anatomy, General Ecology, and Genes, Ecology and Evolution. His research explores the effects of climate change on the phenology and distribution of organisms and ways to mitigate the impact of those changes. Previously, he has examined the effects of changing climate on the phenology of birds with varying migratory strategies, how the demography of organisms living at the edge of their range are impacted by warming temperatures, how invasive species are responding to anthropogenic climate change, and modeling the potential effects of climate change on plants, vertebrates, and parasites. His current research is twofold and includes studying the effects of anthropogenic climate change and land-use management on secretive marshbirds as well as modeling the potential distribution of a variety of organisms. He enjoys birding, camping, jogging and playing with his pet macaw, Penny, and his dog, Bella.”
BIOL 112 Introductory Biology II
Credits 4. 3 Lecture Hours. 3 Lab Hours.
(BIOL 1307 and 1107, 1407) Introductory Biology II. The second half of an introductory two-semester survey of contemporary biology that covers evolution, history of life, diveristy and form and function of organisms; includes laboratory that reinforces and provides supplemental information related to the lecture topics.
214. Genes, Ecology and Evolution (3-0). Credit 3. I, II
A genetically-based introduction to the study of ecology and evolution; emphasis on the interactions of organisms with each other and with their environment. Prerequisite: BIOL 112.
318. Chordate Anatomy. Credit 4.
Classification, phylogeny, comparative anatomy and biology of chordates; diversity, protochordates, vertebrate skeletons, shark and cat anatomy studied in laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 214.
2023 Olsen, T. W., T. Barron, and C. J. Butler. Preliminary assessment of thermal
imaging equipped aerial drones for secretive marsh bird detection. Drone Systems and
Applications 11: 1-9
2023 Butler, C.J., T. W. Olsen, J. K. Wilson, J. O. Woodrow, C. Johnson, and T. Barron.
Yellow rail auditory detection during the non-breeding season. Journal of Wildlife
Management e22368.
2022 Butler, C.J. Little evidence of leaf damage to dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor;
Arecaceae) during an unusual arctic outbreak. Ecologies. 3:267-274.
2022 Butler, C.J., T. W. Olsen, B. Kephart, J. K. Wilson, and A. A. Haverland. Interannual winter site fidelity for Yellow and Black Rails. Diversity. 14: 357.
2021 Butler, C.J., A. M. V. Fournier, and J. K. Wilson. Estimates of breeding season location for 4 mesic prairie bird species wintering along the Gulf Coast. Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 133: 177-189.
2021 Bartnicki, J., R.A. Snow, A.T. Taylor, and C.J. Butler. A simple, low-cost method to chill water for critical thermal minima trials. Journal of Applied Ichthyology. DOI 10.1111/jai.14209
2021 Bartnicki, J., R.A. Snow, A.T. Taylor, and C.J. Butler. Critical thermal minima of alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula, [Lacépède, 1803]) during early life stages. Journal of Applied Ichthyology. DOI 10.1111/jai.14209.
2021 Butler, C.J., C. King, and D.L. Reinking. Do citizen science methods identify
regions of high avian biodiversity? Diversity. 13: 656.
2020 Butler, C.J. and M. A. Larson. Climate change winners and losers: the effects of climate change on five palm species in the southeastern USA. Ecology and Evolution 10: 1–18.
2020 Marshall, D. and C.J. Butler. Potential distribution of the biocontrol agent Toxorhynchites rutilus by 2070. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 36: 131-138.
2019 A review of the effects of climate change on chelonians. Diversity 8: 138.
2018 Vrla, S.C., B.K. McDonald, and C.J. Butler. Distribution and status of Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in Oklahoma: An updated analysis of harvest data. Southwestern Naturalist 63: 148-152.
2017 Butler, C.J., and H. Tran. Dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor) population increase in southeastern Oklahoma. Castanea 82:163-168.
2016 Butler, C.J., B.D. Stanila, J.B. Iverson, P.A. Stone, and M Bryson. Projected changes in climatic suitability for Kinosternon turtles by 2050 and 2070. Ecology and Evolution 6: 7690–1705.
2016 Butler, C.J., J.K. Wilson, S.R. Frazee, and J.F. Kelly. A comparison of the origins of Yellow Rails (Coturnicops noveboracensis) wintering in Oklahoma and Texas, USA. Waterbirds 39: 156-164.
2015 Hucks, K.D., C.J. Butler, K.J. Locey, L.H. Locey, and P.W. Wilson. Prey diversity in Barn Owl pellets collected in Oklahoma. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Sciences 95: 1-8.
2014 Butler, C.J., J.K. Wilson, C.R. Brower, and S.R. Frazee. Age ratios, sex ratios, and a population estimate of Yellow Rails at San Bernard NWR, Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 59: 319-324.
2014 York, E.M., C.J. Butler, and W. Lord. Global decline in suitable habitat for Angiostrongylus (=Parastrongylus) cantonensis: the role of climate change. PLoS One 9(8): e103831.
2013 Becker, E.C., S.H. Nguyen, R.E. Jones and C.J. Butler. Temperature affects the clarity of hummingbird feeder solutions. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society 46: 17-24.
2013 Butler, C.J., W Cresswell, A Gosler, and C Perrins. The breeding biology of Rose-ringed Parakeets Psittacula krameri in England during a period of rapid population expansion. Bird Study 60: 527-532.
2013 Roy, C.L., C.J. Butler, and M.L. Haynie. Brownsville Common Yellowthroats maintain genetic diversity in a fragmented landscape. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 125: 402-406.
2012 Butler, C.J., E.A. Wheeler, and L.B. Stabler. Distribution of the threatened lace hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus reichenbachii) under various climate change scenarios. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 139: 46-55.
2011 Butler, C.J., J.L. Curtis, K. McBride, D. Arbour, and B. Heck. Modeling the distribution of the dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor; Arecaceae) in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Southwestern Naturalist 56: 66-70.
2011 Judd, E.R., C.J. Butler, and N. Batchelder. Hybridization between Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri) and Ruby-throated (A. colubris) hummingbirds in Oklahoma. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society 44(3-4): 1-7.
2011 Butler, C.J., R. Beagles, T. Stuart, and J.N. Stinedurf. Two noteworthy records of Yellow Rails in Oklahoma. Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society 44(1-2): 5-8.
2010 Butler, C.J., L.H. Pham, J.N. Stinedurf, C.L. Roy, E.L. Judd, N.J. Burgess, and G.M. Caddell. Yellow Rails wintering in Oklahoma. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 122: 385-387.
2010 Patton, T., C.J. Butler, R. Bastarache, and D. Arbour. Trends from six years of spotlight surveys for American Alligators in southeastern Oklahoma. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Sciences 90: 83-92.
2010 Wheeler, E.C., M.T. Reid, and C.J. Butler. Ecogeographical variables associated with the presence of Echinocereus reichenbachii (Terscheck ex Walp) ssp. (Cactaceae) in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Sciences 90: 117-122.