Dr. Jeff Tamplin

Jeff Tamplin's current research is focused on the ecology and conservation of the wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta), an endangered species of reptile in Iowa that represents a "peripheral isolate" population at the western edge of it's range. Jeff utilizes radio telemetry to determine seasonal patterns of habitat selection, home range size, activity and movement patterns, survivorship, as well as population structure and the genetics of this species in Iowa. He is particularly interested in revealing behavioral patterns that differ between sexes, age classes, geographic location, and/or local field sites with varying levels of human impact.  Jeff also studies the effects of embryonic conditions on post-hatching temperature preferences and thermoregulation ability in aquatic turtles, particularly those of hatchlings and juvenile turtles. In the past, he participated in several vertebrate paleontological research trips to the interior of Antarctica with Dr. William R. Hammer; among their most significant finds was the first terrestrial dinosaur (Cryolophosaurus ellioti) discovered on the continent.