South Texas Ecology Lab
Research conducted in my lab focuses on marine and coastal animal populations, especially those affected by human activities. We use our understanding of animal behavior, physiology, and population structure to measure the effects of habitat changes and the effects of mitigation efforts such as placement of artificial reefs, restoration of wetlands and installation of animal crossings. My students and I conduct research using tools such as acoustic telemetry, sonar, remote imaging, and molecular techniques to assess changes in populations. Focal organisms include fish species of the Gulf of Mexico and Lower Laguna Madre, threatened amphibians native to the Gulf Coastal Plain, and mammals such as the endangered ocelot.
Current Graduate Students
I come from and environmental science and biology background out of the University of Iowa (Go Hawks!). Studying the invasive Lionfish in the Caribbean during my undergraduate days cultivated an interest in marine conservation biology and coral reef management. Currently, I am investigating the role of low-relief artificial reefs in the attraction vs. production debate and how their proximity to higher-relief structures impacts community composition. This study’s aim is to provide more information on the use of cost-effective, non-toxic structures that can be deployed to recruit juvenile Red Snapper (a popular sport fish in the Gulf of Mexico).
Buzz words: Marine Conservation, Coral Reef Ecology, Fisheries Management
I grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range NE of Sacramento, California. Early on, I developed an interested in catching herps in my backyard and releasing them in nearby fields or streams. As an undergraduate, I went to UC Davis and participated in numerous projects These experiences solidified my interested in studying herps.
I am currently a 1st year graduate student at UTRGV, working under the supervision of Dr. Kline. My work is focused on studying the population dynamics and genetic variation in the endangered black-spotted newt. With this work, I intended to support the notion of a subspecies division and work to forge a modern policy to help protect this dwindling species.
I was born and raised in upstate New York where I spent a lot of time fishing and exploring the outdoors. I developed an interest in marine fishes and received a BS in Marine Biology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. After graduating, I spent a year working for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department as a fisheries technician before landing at UTRGV. My current research is focused on assessing red snapper movements on natural vs. artificial reefs using tri-axial accelerometer tags.
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My personal mission is to ensure the future of the remaining 38 wild cat species by bringing awareness through my global conservation field research. I received my Bachelor’s degree from The University of Arizona in Natural Resources with a Wildlife Management and Conservation focus. While in Arizona, I was involved with the University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center. Since graduation I have been to Belize with Virginia Tech as a research assistant for Dr. Kelly’s jaguar project.
I am currently a student at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley pursuing my Master’s degree in Biology. In Dr. Kline’s lab I am researching the last two surviving endangered ocelot populations found only here in South Texas. I am using motion sensor cameras as a noninvasive alternative to physically trapping and handling the felids. The camera photos collected will then be used for statistical analysis of ocelot and bobcat density estimates. These density estimates should give great insight into the level of competition between these two carnivores. I hypothesize that the excessive abundance of generalist bobcats are hindering any recovery of the specialist ocelots.
Lab Alumni
Mike recieved his Bachelor's degree from Penn State University and had the opportunity to teach marine science at the Chincoteague Bay Field Station before coming to Brownsville and UTRGV. Mike quickly became enamored with the field of fisheries acoustics during his undergraduate research which led directly into his thesis work entitled "Validating side scan sonar as a fish survey tool." Mike employed data processing in Python to create a cost effective method for surveying artificial reefs. While in Brownsville, Mike was an active in the UTRGV Dive program, led the UTRGV Ultimate Frisbee Club and was an organizer of the Rio Grande Science and Arts Festival. Post graduation Mike was hired as a Divemaster and a Biological Scientist at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in Marathon, FL.
Interests: Fisheries Acoustics, Artificial Reef Dynamics, Biological Oceanography
Sarah hails from the great state of Illinois and has a passion for large cats, even though she doesn't have a cat yet herself. She completed her masters thesis using camera traps to look at the ocelot populations of south Texas and was the first to discover a new individual ocelot! Way to go Sarah!
Taylor received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Hendrix College in Conway, AR in 2011. She worked as an undergraduate researcher, assessing fish species diversity throughout the Ozarks and Arkansas Highlands, spurring her interest in research and field ecology. After college, she spent two years exploring the field of biology and environmental education through numerous internships across the United States. She interned at the New England Aquarium Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Center in Boston, MA, the Archbold Biological Field Station in Venus, FL, and Sea Turtle Inc. on South Padre Island, TX. Her time interning in South Texas led her to The University of Texas at Brownsville, where she received a Master of Science degree in Biology in 2015. Taylor’s graduate research focused on the species identification of the South Texas siren (large form sp. 1) through mitochondrial DNA sequencing.
Currently, Taylor resides in Seattle, WA and is pursuing a career in the biology field. Her career interests include environmental education, ecology, and laboratory technician positions. For fun, Taylor likes to cook, hike, play with her dog, and be outside!
Catheline was an M.Sc. student in Kline’s lab from 2012 to 2014. She studied the effects of artificial reef density on fish diversity and sizes of red snapper. Alongside her own thesis project, she assisted most of her colleagues with their research, ranging from terrestrial and freshwater topics to other marine topics. Prior to studying at the university, she received her B.S. in pre-veterinary studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass). During a study abroad program at UMass, she explored the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and fell in love with the ocean. Since this experience, Catheline has funneled her career towards marine conservation, and is currently interested in research topics such as reef monitoring, marine litter, fisheries recovery, and climate change. Outside of academia, Catheline is an avid ultimate Frisbee player, outdoor enthusiast, and wildlife explorer.
I am a marine ecologist with a focus in juvenile fish demography and sea turtle nesting dynamics. From 2012-2014 I worked on a thesis project researching juvenile recruitment patterns at an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico. I designed artificial coral structures (Standardized Monitoring Units for the Recruitment of Fish) that acted as fish recruitment and settlement devices and placed them at various culvert patch densities at an artificial reef off the coast of South Padre Island. I was interested in obtaining base-line data for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department that would help in their artificial reef monitoring program. I analyzed the different sites in the culvert reef for measurements of rugosity, vertical relief, and percent substrate cover, and I used these variables as predictors for juvenile fish demography. I wanted to know what species of juveniles were present in the reef, how their abundances differed among the sites, and how their overall populations compared to that of the adult.
Andres’ thesis project utilized acoustic telemetry to examine red snapper movements and habitat use on the Texas Clipper off the coast of South Padre Island and the Port Mansfield culvert artificial reef site. Diving at both sites and equipped with underwater fishing poles, all red snapper were caught at a depths of 20-25 meters to avoid the effects of baratruma. The snapper were surgically implanted with an acoustic transmitter and Floyd dart tag at 60 ft underwater to increase the odds of the snapper surviving. Using underwater acoustic receivers at each site allowed him monitor the red snapper implanted with the transmitter to acquire residency time and depth use of the vertical relief to correlate habitat use within the artificial reef. With the addition of the Floyd dart tags, a mark-recapture study will provide supporting evidence regarding site fidelity, movement of red snapper, and fishing pressure at each site as dart tags were reported to TPWD after fish are captured. As both sites are part of the Texas Artificial Reef Program, the Port Mansfield site however, is one of the newest additions that will allow this study to compare between a newly created reef to a relatively established artificial reef. After data analysis, a report well be presented to TPWD to show if our artificial reef are benefiting positive impacting the red snapper fishier. Andres completed his masters’ thesis in Dec 2013 and currently is university boat captain running all boat operation. With his field experience diving offshore he continues to assists with the artificial reef monitor and current graduate work taking place on the artificial reef.