At its recent annual meeting in Concord, North Carolina, the Association of Southeastern Biologists awarded the Senior Research Award to the University of Kentucky’s Steven J. Price for outstanding research.

Price is an assistant professor of stream and riparian ecology in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. He won the award for research that examined the impacts of mountaintop removal mining on stream salamander populations. The Journal of Applied Ecology recently published his paper, which was co-authored by Breneé Muncy, Simon Bonner, Andrea Drayer and Christopher Barton.

“Salamanders are the most abundant vertebrates in headwater streams,” Price said. “They play very important roles in these ecosystems.”

Price’s lab in the Department of Forestry focuses on the population ecology and conservation of semi-aquatic and aquatic animals, primarily reptiles and amphibians, groups that are experiencing record declines in their populations.

“We are proud of Steve for all of the accomplishments he’s had since he’s been here. He’s been extremely productive, not only in a research sense, but engaging the public around the state,” said Terrell Baker, Department of Forestry chair. “This is just another recognition of how important he is to the department and to the research community.”

Price has been a member of the Association of Southeastern Biologists for about 14 years. As a requirement for receiving the singular honor, his paper had to have been published and he had to present his research at this year’s meeting.

“It’s an excellent organization, especially for students,” he said, noting that he brought two of his students to the meeting to present some of their own research. “I was pleased to get the award, as many of my mentors serve in ASB. It was a pretty nice treat to end the meeting.”