Allen County Master Naturalist Program: Mammals

9/17/2023

The Allen County Master Naturalist program enjoyed the support of Purdue University Fort Wayne faculty. Many of our classes met at the Environmental Resources Center on the Fort Wayne campus. One of the lectures that clearly kept everyone’s attention was on mammals.

Assistant Professor Dr. Scott Bergeson shared his knowledge with the students. His lecture started with the history of classification starting in the Jurassic Period. He emphasized that mammals make up a small portion of all the invertebrates. Fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles are far more numerous. However, Dr. Bergeson pointed out mammals are furry, cute and cooler!

He described the large classifications: Prototheria: montremata, Multituberculate, and Therians that included the Metatheria, marsupials and placental mammals. He pointed out the role of competition in the evolution of species. The multituberculate were squirrel-like creatures with prehensile tails. They dominated the arboreal environments for a very long time but were replaced by rodents. It was the teeth of the rodents, with their varied uses, that out-competed the older species.

He described the features that unite mammals and the characteristics that define specific species. This included lactation, mostly live births, hair/fur, and teeth. The lecture utilized photos and charts but also animal artifacts. The latter were passed around class and helped make the theoretical very real.

The lecture focused on mammals world-wide and the various niches they fit into. This included varied land environments from deserts, forests, and artic environments to air and aquatic environments. He described behaviors: eating, habitats, mating, if they hibernated. He then narrowed the field to North America and finally to Indiana.

What is clear is that the Purdue University Fort Wayne professors all know their field of research is the most fascinating, their animals or environments are the “coolest”. Their jobs are the best. It now falls upon the new Master Naturalists to identify their focus and share their passion.