Principal Investigator

Dr. Hannah Vander Zanden, Assistant Professor (hvz_at_ufl.edu)

Department of Biology and
Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research

Office: 420 Carr Hall

Phone: 352-294-0438

CV

Current members

Bethan Linscott, Postdoctoral Researcher (bethan.linscott_at_ufl.edu)

Bethan’s research focuses on the application of isotopic techniques to reconstruct prehistoric animal and human mobility and subsistence. Before joining UF, Bethan worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, specializing in compound-specific radiocarbon dating. Prior to that, she received her PhD in Archaeology at the University of Southampton. Her research there involved the sequential strontium isotope analysis of the tooth enamel of Neanderthals, anatomically modern humans and terrestrial fauna in Portugal using high-resolution laser ablation MC-ICP-MS, for the reconstruction of seasonal mobility during the Pleistocene and Holocene. She is excited to be joining the world of modern ecology to work on the application of isotopic methods to age and reconstruct ecological histories of sea turtles.

Ariadna Arnau, PhD student (ariadna.arnau_at_ufl.edu)

Ariadna is a marine biologist interested in ecology, behavior, and conservation of sea turtles. Prior to joining the Vander Zanden lab she earned M.S. in Animal Biodiversity and Conservation (University of Barcelona) and Marine and Coastal Systems (University of Algarve). As a passionate field biologist, she has also worked for nonprofit organizations since 2009, contributing to the conservation of sea turtles over multiple nesting season in Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Ghana, and the U.S. Ariadna’s research interests include understanding the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that influence sea turtle’s breeding strategies (capital or income) by using stable isotopes as well as their reproductive energy budgets.  Ariadna is co-advised with Karen Bjorndal.

Tyler Bowling, PhD candidate (bowling2_at_ufl.edu)

Tyler is studying juvenile blacktip sharks and the biotic and abiotic factors that affect their movement and distribution in nurseries. He attended Salisbury University for his undergraduate where he worked on sexual selection and movement studies in frogs. He earned an M.S. from East Carolina University, where his research focused on the variable selective pressures that act on male three-spined stickleback color intensity.  Tyler is co-advised with Amanda Subalusky.

Kate Davis, PhD candidate (ka.davis_at_ufl.edu)

Christopher Nolte, PhD candidate (c.nolte_at_ufl.edu)

Chris’ current research is examining why there are differences in conservation success between loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles in South Africa. This research will aim to use stable isotopes, satellite tracking, and genetic analysis to determine if these sea turtles can be classified as refugee species. He received his undergraduate and M.S. degrees from Nelson Mandela University. His master’s focused on investigating habitat use of loggerheads using stable isotopes and epibionts and relating this to the turtle’s body condition.

Alex Fireman, Lab manager (2021 — 2022, 2023 — present)

Alex assisted with a number of projects in the Vander Zanden lab. She received her B.A. from Wesleyan University in Biology and Earth & Environmental Science. She her M.S. from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science where she assessed the trophic ecology of the Caribbean hawksbill sea turtle using stable isotope analysis. She has participated in field research in Connecticut and Maryland waterways, studied amphibian populations in Ecuador, and has worked with hawksbill sea turtles in Antigua, West Indies for several years.

Holly Schmidt, Undergraduate researcher (Fall 2023 — present)

Lab Alumni

Catlin Campbell, PhD student (caitlincampbell_at_ufl.edu)

Caitlin’s research centered on developing tools to address conservation challenges, with a special interest in animal migration and spatial ecology. She received a degree in environmental science from the University of Vermont, and has conducted research in the southeastern U.S., Namibia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Japan. She completed her M.S. at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Appalachian Laboratory, where she applied stable hydrogen isotope analysis to reveal the migratory patterns of three at-risk species of bat across North America.

Ash Murphy, Lab manager (2022 — 2023)

Ash worked on a variety of stable isotope projects for our lab and is no stranger to the University of Florida. While working toward a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at UF, she was employed by the Florida Museum of Natural History in the Invertebrate Zoology department. She also received her M.S. in Oceans, Coastal, and Earth Sciences from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she conducted stable isotope analyses to identify nitrogen and carbon dynamics in a mangrove forest. She has also conducted sea turtle nesting surveys in Florida, Georgia, and Texas, and was trained in sea turtle stranding response as a part of her field work.

Dr. Amy Wallace, Postdoctoral associate (2020 — 2022)

During her postdoc here, Amy used radio and stable isotopes to study the ecology and age of loggerhead sea turtles. She came to Gainesville from the University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, where she completed both her M.S. and Ph.D. Amy began her research career studying stony coral assemblages in the Florida reef tract. She eventually transitioned to using bulk and compound specific stable isotope analyses on eye-lens proteins to reconstruct geographic and trophic histories of individual fish. If she is not in the lab, Amy is probably out on the water fishing or exploring nature.

Carson Arends, MS student (2019 — 2021)

Carson‘s master’s research centered on the diet overlap and niche partitioning between green, Kemp’s, and loggerhead sea turtles particularly in St. Joseph Bay, Florida.

Undergraduate Alumni

Jenna Bennett, Undergraduate researcher (Fall 2021 — Spring 2023)

Jenna worked on methods to age sea turtles. Her project was aimed at validating age estimates with eye lenses of deceased sea turtle hatchlings.

Natalie Mahn, Undergraduate researcher (2022)

Natalie is worked with diamondback terrapin samples to help identify diet composition through stable isotope analysis.

Saahir Mukherjee, Undergraduate researcher (Summer 2018 — Spring 2021)

Saahir worked on loggerhead samples from Cape San Blas.

Diana Rodas, Undergraduate researcher and University Scholars Program (Summer 2017 — Spring 2019)

Diana worked on dolphin samples as part of the University Scholars Program.

Marisa Pico, Undergraduate researcher (Fall 2017 — Spring 2018)

Marisa helped prepare nesting loggerhead sea turtle samples for stable isotope analysis.