Phil Allman

Ohio University

Dept of Biological Sciences

Athens, OH  45701

(click on photo to email me)

 

 

                                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Research

 

Research Summary:

 

At this time I am working on a PhD in Willem Roosenburg’s lab at Ohio University.  My primary research interests include the mechanism of temperature dependent sex determination (TSD) in chelonians, intraspecific variation in life history traits, and the conservation of natural habitats utilized by chelonians.  I have used GIS techniques to construct maps showing favorable and unfavorable nesting habitat available to nesting diamondback terrapins, Malaclemys terrapin, along the Patuxent River in Maryland.  A pilot study was conducted to look at intraspecific variation in reproductive strategies and how these may influence the pattern of TSD in Malaclemys.  Eggs were collected from Florida, Maryland, and New York and then incubated at 29.5°C.  Northern populations exhibit a shorter nesting season and deposit fewer clutches characterized by a larger number of smaller eggs. More southern populations have a longer nesting season where more clutches of larger, but fewer, eggs are laid.  Female gonads one month after hatching had higher aromatase activity than males, but brain tissues showed no sex-specific aromatase differences. Aromatase activity in the gonad at nine months of age was lower than at one month, but maintained sex specific activity. Aromatase activity in the brain at nine months was much higher than at one month and continued to show no sex-specific patterns. Hatchlings from New York grew at a slower rate than hatchlings from Maryland and Florida. Furthermore, hatchling lipid analysis indicated a higher proportion of non-polar lipids in the FL population than in both northern populations.  I am about to begin a project that will allow us to analyze the significance of this intraspecific variation in reproductive strategies under the working hypothesis that local adaptation has selected for reproductive strategies that maximizes the fitness of each local population in their environment.  We believe larger eggs associated with larger lipid stores may be necessary in southern populations that are active year round since a hatchling will have a high energy demand.  Because hatchlings hibernate in northern populations, the hatchlings will have a reduced energy demand and will not need the same amount of stored lipids as hatchlings in southern populations.

 

 

Professional Membership (links):

 

Organization for Tropical Studies

 

The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology

 

Chelonian Research Foundation

 

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

 

Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

 

The Herpetologists’ League

 

Chicago Herpetological Society

           

                                                           

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Past Research and Education

 

Completed Education:

 

Tropical Biology: An Ecological Approach, 2004

Organization for Tropical Studies

Eight week course visiting Palo Verde, La Selva, Cuerici, Las Cruces, and Corcovado, Costa Rica.

 

Masters of Science in Biology, May 2000

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Research Project: Photokeratometric and video photorefractive measurements from three species of sea turtles.

Literature Review: Temperature-dependent sex determination in sea turtles and its implications on conservation efforts throughout the world.

 

Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, May 1996

University of North Carolina, Wilmington

Minor in Chemistry

 

 

Contributed Papers:

 

Allman, P., A. Place, and W. Roosenburg. 2004. Sex differentiation in three populations of  Malaclemys terrapin: a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination. Integrative and Comparative Biology.

 

Allman, P., M. Holcombe, and W. Roosenburg. 2002. GIS analysis of nesting habitat preferences in Malaclemys terrapin along the Patuxent River, Maryland. Joint meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Kansas City, MO.

 

Allman, P. J. Seitz, and M. Kraus. 2001.  An analysis of sand characteristics in Collier County, Florida. Proceedings of the 21st Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology. U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Technical Memo.

 

Kraus, M., J. Seitz, and P. Allman. 2001. Analysis of a 400% increase of sea turtle strandings in Collier County, FL, USA. Proceedings of the 21st Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology. U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Technical Memo.

 

Allman, Phillip. 1998. The phenomenon of cold-stunned sea turtles along the northeast Atlantic Coast. Proceedings of the 18th Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology. U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Technical Memo NMFS-SEFSC-436.

 

Creech, L. and P. Allman. 1997. Stomach and gastrointestinal contents of stranded Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles in Georgia. Proceedings of the 17th Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology. U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Technical Memo NMFS-SEFSC-415.

 

 

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Past Work Experiences

 

Caribbean Conservation Corporation, 2001

Research Assistant in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

 

Collier County Natural Resources Department, 1999-2001

Environmental Specialist working under the Sea Turtle Protection Plan in Naples, Florida

             

Sea Turtle Restoration Project, 1999

Field Assistant for brief period in Playa Grande and Ostional, Costa Rica

 

Tennessee Aquarium, 1998

Herpetologist Intern

 

National Aquarium in Baltimore, 1997

Practicum

 

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, 1996-1997

Environmental Educator on Jekyll Island, Georgia

 

Central Wisconsin Environmental Station, 1996

Naturalist

 

North Carolina Aquarium, 1993-1996

Volunteer Aquarist in Fort Fisher, North Carolina

 

Bald Head Island Conservancy, 1995

Research Assistant on Bald Head Island, North Carolina

 

 

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Personal items

 

 

Current Contact Information:

 

Phil Allman

4444 Coe Road

Albany, OH  45701

 

Recent Travels:

 

Those who know me well know that I love to travel and I always have my camera and binoculars with me.  Here is a small sample of some of my favorite photos:

 

OTS Course (2004)

 

                                                              

 

Brazil (2003)

                                                              

 

Ghana (2001)

 

Costa Rica (1999 and 2001)

 

Friends:

 

From my travels inside and outside the country I have met a lot of great friends:

 

 

 

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Last revised: December, 16, 2002