M.S. Biological Sciences. Illinois State University. 2004.
B.S. Biology-Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 1998.
A.S. Biology. Lake Land College. 1996.

Illinois Experts Profile

After receiving his AS in Biology from Lake Land College (1996), he obtained a BS in Biology-Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution from the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign (1998), and a MS in Biological Sciences from Illinois State University (2004).  While pursuing his MS at ISU he worked seasonal and hourly jobs at the Illinois Natural History Survey and accepted a full time position with the Biotic Survey and Assessment Program in 2005.

Distribution and habitat assessment Illinois Herpetofauna

Assessment and Recovery of imperiled herpetofauna

Applied conservation methods

Associate Editor - Herpetological Conservation and Biology

Biotic Survey and Assessment Program

Herpetological Conservation Lab

Phillips, C.A., J.A. Crawford, and A.R. Kuhns. In Press. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois. Second Edition. University of Illinois Press. Champaign, IL.

King, R. B., C.K. Golba, G. A. Glowacki, and A.R. Kuhns. 2021. Blanding’s Turtle Demography and Population Viability. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 12:112-138; e1944-687X. https://doi.org/10.3996/JFWM-20-063.

Kastle, M., J. Kapfer, A.R. Kuhns, W. Graser, G. Glowacki, A. Ibach, L Mitchem, J. Mozuch, N. Rudolph, K. Rutzen, and R. King. 2021. Blanding’s Turtle Hatchling Survival and Movements Following Natural vs. Artificial Incubation. Journal of Herpetology 55: 167-173.

Edmunds, D., A.R. Kuhns, and M.J. Dreslik. 2020. Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) Growth and the Impacts of Invasive Vegetation Removal. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 15: 588-596.

Adamovicz, L., D.B. Woodbury, S.V. Herrera. K. Low, C.A. Phillips, A.R. Kuhns, J.A. Crawford, and M.C. Allender. 2020. Initial Characterization of Dermotheca sp. Infection in a Midwestern State-Endangered Salamander (Ambystoma platineum) and a Co-Occurring Common Species (Ambystoma texanum). Parasitology 147: 360-370.

Thompson, D., G. Glowacki, D. Ludwig, R. Reklau, A.R. Kuhns, C. Klatt Golba, and R. King. 2000. Benefits of HEad-starting for Blanding's Turtle Size Distributions and Recruitment. Wildlife Society Bulletin 44: 57-67

Shepard, D.B. and A.R. Kuhns. 2018. Shifting rivers and stationary ground: biogeographic history of slimy salamanders on an isolated bluff in the Mississippi River floodplain. Journal of Zoology. 304: 235-242

Anthonysamy, W.J.B., G. Klut, D. Thompson, M.J. Dreslik, A.R. Kuhns, D. Kirk, G. Glowacki, M. Douglas, C.A. Phillips. 2018. Population genetic evaluations within a co-distributed taxonomic group: a multi-species approach to conservation planning. Animal Conservation. 21: 137-147.

Crawford, J.A., C.A. Phillips, W.E. Peterman, I. MacAllister, N. Wesserlund, A.R. Kuhns, and M.J. Dreslik. 2017. Chytrid infection dynamics in amphibians on military and public lands in the Midwestern United States. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 8:344-352. 

Shepard, D. B., N. Ledbetter, A. Anderson and A.R. Kuhns. 2016. Molecular phylogeographic methods reveal the identity and origin of a Dusky Salamander (Genus Desmognathus) population in southern Illinois. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 11: 434-450.

Crawford, J.A., W.E. Peterman, A.R. Kuhns, and L.S. Eggert. 2016. Influence of wetland occupancy and connectivity on meta-population genetic structure of a threatened salamander in an agriculturally fragmented landscape. Landscape Ecology 31(10): 2231-2244.

Crawford, J.A., A.R. Kuhns, M.J. Meyer. 2015. Population Ecology of the Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) in East-Central Illinois. Journal of North American Herpetology 2015(1): 17-21.

Peterman, W.E., J.A. Crawford, A.R. Kuhns. 2013. Using species distribution and occupancy modeling to guide survey efforts and assess species status. Journal for Nature Conservation.  21(2): 114-121.

Shepard, D.B., A.R. Kuhns, M.J. Dreslik, and C.A. Phillips. 2008.  Roads as barriers to animal movement in fragmented landscapes.  Animal Conservation 11:288-296.

Dreslik, M.J., A.R. Kuhns, and C.A. Phillips. 2005. Structure and composition of a southern Illinois freshwater turtle assemblage. Northeastern Naturalist 12(2):173-186.

2021 Competitive State Wildlife Grant. Blanding’s Turtle Conservation in Illinois and Iowa, 2022-2024. $333,063 (Co-PIs: M.J. Dreslik, E.J. Kessler & J.A. Crawford)
2020 Illinois DNR State Wildlife Grant. Inventory Stewardship & Monitoring of Species in Greatest Conservation Need: Starved Rock Area. $300,000. (Co-PIs: W. Schelsky, J. Menglekoch, J, Robinson, J. Karsk, J. Hoover, T. Tweddale)
2019 Illinois DNR State Wildlife Grant. Demography of Two Salamander Species in Conservation Need. $180,465. (Co-PI’s: C.A. Phillips, J.A. Crawford, M.J. Dreslik)
2019 Illinois DNR State Wildlife Grant. Population Demography of Bird-Voiced Treefrogs in Southern Illinois. $276,092. (Co-PI’s: J.A. Crawford, M.J. Dreslik, C.A. Phillips, & M. Corcoran)
2019 US EPA. Improving Detection of Cryptic Forested Wetlands with Lidar Derivatives. $180,990 (Co-PI’s: J.A. Crawford, E.J. Kessler, C.A. Phillips, and M.J. Dreslik)
2018 Illinois DNR State Wildlife Grant. Conservation actions for dragonfly, fish, and reptile species in greatest conservation need. $310,000. (Co-PI’s: M.J. Dreslik, J.A. Crawford, S.J. Baker, E.E. Bilger, M.L, Neimiller, C.A. Phillips, J.L. Sherwood, & A.J. Stites)
2017 Illinois DNR State Wildlife Grant. Critical Conservation Issues and Adaptive Management of Imperiled Herpetofauna in Illinois. $296,069, (Co-PI’s: M.J. Dreslik, C.A. Phillips, & J.A. Crawford)
2016 Illinois DNR State Wildlife Grant. Assessment of Herpetological Species in Greatest Need of Conservation (SGNC) in Illinois Bottomland Forests and Swamps. $81,360, (Co-PI’s: C.A. Phillips, J.A. Crawford)
2016 Monitoring the Impacts of Management Activities on the Illinois Chorus Frog in Central Illinois. $32,981, (Co-PI’s: C.A. Phillips, J.A. Crawford)
2015 Illinois DNR State Wildlife Grant. Distribution, abundance, and recruitment of amphibian species in greatest need of conservation in the Vermilion River Conservation Opportunity Area. $75,055. (Co-PI’s: C.A. Phillips, J.A. Crawford, W.E. Peterman)
2011 US EPA. Assessment of Wetland Quality on Illinois Public Lands. $461,733 (Co-PI’s: C.A. Phillips, J.A. Crawford)
2010 US EPA. Assessment of Ecological Function of Created Wetlands. $317,205 (Co-PI’s: J.A. Crawford, P. Mettler-Cherry)