Jeffrey E Lovich, Ph.D.
As a Scientist Emeritus, Dr. Jeff Lovich is interested in the interactions of animals and their physical environment. His research focuses on the ecology of turtles and tortoises and the effects of utility-scale renewable energy development (wind and solar) on wildlife, particularly in the Desert Southwest USA.
Dr. Lovich Wins Prestigious Global Turtle Conservation Award
Dr. Lovich Wins Prestigious Global Turtle Conservation Award
Research interests
Jeff has studied the ecology and systematics of turtles and other animals for over 30 years, discovering and naming four of the world’s 356 turtle species, including three in the United States and one in Japan. Other interests include the ecological impacts of invasive species, the ecology and distribution of relict species, and the impacts of human activities (including wind and solar energy development) on wildlife and ecological patterns and processes in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.
Books
- Turtles of the United States and Canada (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1994)
- Biological Diversity: Problems and Challenges (Pennsylvania Academy of Science, 1994)
- The State of the Colorado River Ecosystem in the Grand Canyon (U.S. Geological Survey, 2005)
- Turtles of the United States and Canada, Second Edition (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009)
- Turtles of the World (Princeton University Press, 2021)
Professional Experience
Center Director - USGS, Western Ecological Research Center
Chief - USGS, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
Education and Certifications
B.S. (1982) and M.S. degrees (1984) Biology, George Mason University
Ph.D. (1990) Ecology, University of Georgia, Institute of Ecology
Affiliations and Memberships*
Member IUCN (World Conservation Union), Species Survival Commission, Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group
Honors and Awards
Recipient of the Behler Turtle Conservation Award, 2024
Fulbright Senior Specialist Award 2008 Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco
Elected Fellow of The Linnean Society of London, the world's oldest active biological society
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 112
Turtles and tortoises are in trouble Turtles and tortoises are in trouble
Turtles and tortoises (chelonians) have been integral components of global ecosystems for about 220 million years and have played important roles in human culture for at least 400,000 years. The chelonian shell is a remarkable evolutionary adaptation, facilitating success in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Today, more than half of the 360 living species and 482 total taxa...
Authors
C.B. Stanford, J.B. Iverson, A.G.J. Rhodin, van Dijk, R.A. Mittermeier, G. Kuchling, Kristin Berry, A. Bertolero, K.A. Bjorndal, T.E.G. Blanck, K. A. Buhlmann, R.L. Burke, J.D. Congdon, T. Diagne, Taylor Edwards, C.C. Eisemberg, J.R. Ennen, G. Forero-Medina, M. Frankel, U. Fritz, N. Gallego-Garcia, A. Georges, J.W Gibbons, S. Gong, E.V. Goode, H.T. Shi, H. Hoang, M.D. Hofmeyr, B.D Horne, R. Hudson, J.O. Juvik, R.A. Kiester, P.V. Koval, M.-A. Lea, P.V. Lindeman, Jeffrey Lovich, L. Luiselli, T.E.M. McCormack, G.A. Meyer, V.P. Paez, K. Platt, S.G. Platt, P.C.H. Pritchard, H.R. Quinn, W.M. Roosenburg, J.A. Seminoff, H.B. Shaffer, R. Spencer, J.U. Van Dyke, R.C. Vogt, A.D. Walde
Turtle biogeography: Global regionalization and conservation priorities Turtle biogeography: Global regionalization and conservation priorities
Defaunation in the Anthropocene has created a need to focus limited conservation resources on geographically-explicit areas with high conservation significance. Priority conservation areas are often defined as those with high biodiversity – hotspots. While these conservation areas are critical to securing global biodiversity, prevailing approaches for their delineation are often...
Authors
Joshua R. Ennen, Mickey Agha, Sarah Sweat, Wilfredo Matamoros, Jeffrey Lovich, Anders Rhodin, John Iverson, Christopher Hoagstrom
Understanding reproductive allometry in turtles: A slippery “slope” Understanding reproductive allometry in turtles: A slippery “slope”
Measures of reproductive output in turtles are generally positively correlated with female body size. However, a full understanding of reproductive allometry in turtles requires logarithmic transformation of reproductive and body size variables prior to regression analyses. This allows for slope comparisons with expected linear or cubic relationships for linear to linear and linear to...
Authors
John Iverson, Peter Lindeman, Jeffrey Lovich
Impacts to wildlife of wind energy siting and operation in the United States Impacts to wildlife of wind energy siting and operation in the United States
Electricity from wind energy is a major contributor to the strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use and thus reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Wind energy, like all power sources, can have adverse impacts on wildlife. After nearly 25 years of focused research, these impacts are much better understood, although uncertainty remains. In this report, we...
Authors
Taber Allison, James E. Diffendorfer, Erin Baerwald, Julie Beston, David Drake, Amanda Hale, Cris Hein, Manuela Huso, Scott Loss, Jeffrey Lovich, Dale Strickland, Kate Williams, Virginia Winder
Establishing an Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise monitoring program within the Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan area: Final report to the Coachella Valley conservation commission on work performed near the Orocopia Mountains Establishing an Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise monitoring program within the Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan area: Final report to the Coachella Valley conservation commission on work performed near the Orocopia Mountains
In support of the goals of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP/NCCP), a population of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) was marked and studied to establish a desert tortoise monitoring program near the Orocopia Mountains beginning in early 2017 and ending in the summer of 2018, following the epic...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy Cummings
An introduced breeding population of Chrysemys picta marginata in the Kaibab National Forest, northern Arizona An introduced breeding population of Chrysemys picta marginata in the Kaibab National Forest, northern Arizona
The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is widely distributed from coast to coast in North America with each of four subspecies generally occupying different regions. In the southwestern USA and northern Mexico, where C. p. bellii is the expected native race, populations are small and widelyscattered. Introduced populations of other painted turtle subspecies are reported from various...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Bruce Christman, Kristy Cummings, Jenna Norris, Shellie R. Puffer, Christina Jones
Where has turtle ecology been, and where is it going? Where has turtle ecology been, and where is it going?
Over 9000 articles have been published on turtles and tortoises (excluding sea turtles) since 1950 according to the Web of Science, including over 8000 contained in a personal bibliography that we analyze in this paper. Research had a slow start from 1900 to 1950, with mostly anecdotal additions to our knowledge until the contributions of F. Cagle and A. Carr took turtle research to new...
Authors
J. Gibbons, Jeffrey Lovich
Book review: Freshwater turtles of Australia Book review: Freshwater turtles of Australia
No abstract available.
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich
Biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area, Mojave Desert, California and comparisons with other desert locations Biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area, Mojave Desert, California and comparisons with other desert locations
We examined the biodiversity of amphibian and reptile species living in and near constructed ponds in the riparian area at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area (CCWA) in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, based on field work from 1998-1999, 2016-2017, review of the literature, and searches for museum specimens using VertNet.org. A total of 11 species (201 captures), including...
Authors
Kristy Cummings, Shellie R. Puffer, Jenny Holmen, Jason Wallace, Jeffrey Lovich, Kathie Meyer-Wilkins, Chris Petersen, Robert Lovich
Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter? Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter?
No abstract available.
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Joshua R. Ennen, Mickey Agha, J. Gibbons
Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) activity areas are little changed after wind turbine-induced fires in California Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) activity areas are little changed after wind turbine-induced fires in California
Wind turbine-induced fires at a wind energy facility in California, USA, provided an opportunity to study the before and after effects of fire on a population of protected Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in the Sonoran Desert, a species and ecosystem poorly adapted to fire. We compared annual activity areas (AAs) of tortoises in 2011 and 2013, before and after two 2012...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Mickey Agha, Joshua R. Ennen, Terence Arundel, Meaghan Austin
Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter? Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter?
Of the 356 species of turtles worldwide, approximately 61% are threatened or already extinct. Turtles are among the most threatened of the major groups of vertebrates, in general, more so than birds, mammals, fishes or even the much besieged amphibians. Reasons for the dire situation of turtles worldwide include the familiar list of impacts to other species including habitat destruction...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Joshua R. Ennen, Mickey Agha, J. Gibbons
Filter Total Items: 13
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 112
Turtles and tortoises are in trouble Turtles and tortoises are in trouble
Turtles and tortoises (chelonians) have been integral components of global ecosystems for about 220 million years and have played important roles in human culture for at least 400,000 years. The chelonian shell is a remarkable evolutionary adaptation, facilitating success in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Today, more than half of the 360 living species and 482 total taxa...
Authors
C.B. Stanford, J.B. Iverson, A.G.J. Rhodin, van Dijk, R.A. Mittermeier, G. Kuchling, Kristin Berry, A. Bertolero, K.A. Bjorndal, T.E.G. Blanck, K. A. Buhlmann, R.L. Burke, J.D. Congdon, T. Diagne, Taylor Edwards, C.C. Eisemberg, J.R. Ennen, G. Forero-Medina, M. Frankel, U. Fritz, N. Gallego-Garcia, A. Georges, J.W Gibbons, S. Gong, E.V. Goode, H.T. Shi, H. Hoang, M.D. Hofmeyr, B.D Horne, R. Hudson, J.O. Juvik, R.A. Kiester, P.V. Koval, M.-A. Lea, P.V. Lindeman, Jeffrey Lovich, L. Luiselli, T.E.M. McCormack, G.A. Meyer, V.P. Paez, K. Platt, S.G. Platt, P.C.H. Pritchard, H.R. Quinn, W.M. Roosenburg, J.A. Seminoff, H.B. Shaffer, R. Spencer, J.U. Van Dyke, R.C. Vogt, A.D. Walde
Turtle biogeography: Global regionalization and conservation priorities Turtle biogeography: Global regionalization and conservation priorities
Defaunation in the Anthropocene has created a need to focus limited conservation resources on geographically-explicit areas with high conservation significance. Priority conservation areas are often defined as those with high biodiversity – hotspots. While these conservation areas are critical to securing global biodiversity, prevailing approaches for their delineation are often...
Authors
Joshua R. Ennen, Mickey Agha, Sarah Sweat, Wilfredo Matamoros, Jeffrey Lovich, Anders Rhodin, John Iverson, Christopher Hoagstrom
Understanding reproductive allometry in turtles: A slippery “slope” Understanding reproductive allometry in turtles: A slippery “slope”
Measures of reproductive output in turtles are generally positively correlated with female body size. However, a full understanding of reproductive allometry in turtles requires logarithmic transformation of reproductive and body size variables prior to regression analyses. This allows for slope comparisons with expected linear or cubic relationships for linear to linear and linear to...
Authors
John Iverson, Peter Lindeman, Jeffrey Lovich
Impacts to wildlife of wind energy siting and operation in the United States Impacts to wildlife of wind energy siting and operation in the United States
Electricity from wind energy is a major contributor to the strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use and thus reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Wind energy, like all power sources, can have adverse impacts on wildlife. After nearly 25 years of focused research, these impacts are much better understood, although uncertainty remains. In this report, we...
Authors
Taber Allison, James E. Diffendorfer, Erin Baerwald, Julie Beston, David Drake, Amanda Hale, Cris Hein, Manuela Huso, Scott Loss, Jeffrey Lovich, Dale Strickland, Kate Williams, Virginia Winder
Establishing an Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise monitoring program within the Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan area: Final report to the Coachella Valley conservation commission on work performed near the Orocopia Mountains Establishing an Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise monitoring program within the Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan area: Final report to the Coachella Valley conservation commission on work performed near the Orocopia Mountains
In support of the goals of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP/NCCP), a population of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) was marked and studied to establish a desert tortoise monitoring program near the Orocopia Mountains beginning in early 2017 and ending in the summer of 2018, following the epic...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy Cummings
An introduced breeding population of Chrysemys picta marginata in the Kaibab National Forest, northern Arizona An introduced breeding population of Chrysemys picta marginata in the Kaibab National Forest, northern Arizona
The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is widely distributed from coast to coast in North America with each of four subspecies generally occupying different regions. In the southwestern USA and northern Mexico, where C. p. bellii is the expected native race, populations are small and widelyscattered. Introduced populations of other painted turtle subspecies are reported from various...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Bruce Christman, Kristy Cummings, Jenna Norris, Shellie R. Puffer, Christina Jones
Where has turtle ecology been, and where is it going? Where has turtle ecology been, and where is it going?
Over 9000 articles have been published on turtles and tortoises (excluding sea turtles) since 1950 according to the Web of Science, including over 8000 contained in a personal bibliography that we analyze in this paper. Research had a slow start from 1900 to 1950, with mostly anecdotal additions to our knowledge until the contributions of F. Cagle and A. Carr took turtle research to new...
Authors
J. Gibbons, Jeffrey Lovich
Book review: Freshwater turtles of Australia Book review: Freshwater turtles of Australia
No abstract available.
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich
Biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area, Mojave Desert, California and comparisons with other desert locations Biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area, Mojave Desert, California and comparisons with other desert locations
We examined the biodiversity of amphibian and reptile species living in and near constructed ponds in the riparian area at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area (CCWA) in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, based on field work from 1998-1999, 2016-2017, review of the literature, and searches for museum specimens using VertNet.org. A total of 11 species (201 captures), including...
Authors
Kristy Cummings, Shellie R. Puffer, Jenny Holmen, Jason Wallace, Jeffrey Lovich, Kathie Meyer-Wilkins, Chris Petersen, Robert Lovich
Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter? Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter?
No abstract available.
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Joshua R. Ennen, Mickey Agha, J. Gibbons
Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) activity areas are little changed after wind turbine-induced fires in California Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) activity areas are little changed after wind turbine-induced fires in California
Wind turbine-induced fires at a wind energy facility in California, USA, provided an opportunity to study the before and after effects of fire on a population of protected Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in the Sonoran Desert, a species and ecosystem poorly adapted to fire. We compared annual activity areas (AAs) of tortoises in 2011 and 2013, before and after two 2012...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Mickey Agha, Joshua R. Ennen, Terence Arundel, Meaghan Austin
Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter? Where have all the turtles gone, and why does it matter?
Of the 356 species of turtles worldwide, approximately 61% are threatened or already extinct. Turtles are among the most threatened of the major groups of vertebrates, in general, more so than birds, mammals, fishes or even the much besieged amphibians. Reasons for the dire situation of turtles worldwide include the familiar list of impacts to other species including habitat destruction...
Authors
Jeffrey Lovich, Joshua R. Ennen, Mickey Agha, J. Gibbons
Filter Total Items: 13
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government