Kristen Hart, Ph.D.
Kristen Hart is a research ecologist, focusing on population-level studies on the ecology of a broad array of herpetofauna and other wildlife in south Florida.
She leads several research programs and collaborates closely with other USGS, university, and National Park Service scientists. She has built a program of USGS cyclic- and reimbursable funded research; major funding has been provided from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the USGS Priority Ecosystem Studies Program, the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program, and the National Park Service. She works with rare, threatened, endangered, and invasive species of reptiles including Diamondback terrapins, loggerhead sea turtles, green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles, crocodilians, and Burmese pythons. She is based in Davie, FL and has field sites in both Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks in South Florida, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (Gulf Shores, AL), and Buck Island Reef National Monument (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands).
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Ecology, Duke University, 2005
M.E.M. (Master's of Environmental Management), Coastal Environmental Management, Duke University, 1999
B.S., Boston College, Bachelor of Science, 1997
Science and Products
Urbanization may limit impacts of an invasive predator on native mammal diversity
Inter-nesting movements and habitat-use of adult female Kemp’s ridley turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
Resident areas and migrations of female green turtles nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Are we working towards global research priorities for management and conservation of sea turtles?
Trading shallow safety for deep sleep: Juvenile green turtles select deeper resting sites as they grow
Large reptiles and cold temperatures: Do extreme cold spells set distributional limits for tropical reptiles in Florida?
Biomarkers reveal sea turtles remained in oiled areas following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Spatial and temporal variability in estuary habitat use by American alligators
Can you hear me now? Range-testing a submerged passive acoustic receiver array in a Caribbean coral reef habitat
Betrayal: radio-tagged Burmese pythons reveal locations of conspecifics in Everglades National Park
Somatic growth dynamics of West Atlantic hawksbill sea turtles: a spatio-temporal perspective
Hawksbill satellite-tracking case study: Implications for remigration interval and population estimates
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Urbanization may limit impacts of an invasive predator on native mammal diversity
AimOur understanding of the effects of invasive species on faunal diversity is limited in part because invasions often occur in modified landscapes where other drivers of community diversity can exacerbate or reduce the net impacts of an invader. Furthermore, rigorous assessments of the effects of invasive species on native communities that account for variation in sampling, species-specific detecAuthorsBrian E. Reichert, Adia R. Sovie, Brad J. Udell, Kristen M. Hart, Rena R. Borkhataria, Mathieu Bonneau, Robert Reed, Robert A. McCleeryInter-nesting movements and habitat-use of adult female Kemp’s ridley turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
Species vulnerability is increased when individuals congregate in restricted areas for breeding; yet, breeding habitats are not well defined for many marine species. Identification and quantification of these breeding habitats are essential to effective conservation. Satellite telemetry and switching state-space modeling (SSM) were used to define inter-nesting habitat of endangered Kemp’s ridley tAuthorsDonna J. Shaver, Kristen M. Hart, Ikuko Fujisaki, David N. Bucklin, Autumn Iverson, Cynthia Rubio, Thomas F. Backof, Patrick M. Burchfield, Raul de Jesus Gonzales Diaz Miron, Peter H. Dutton, Amy Frey, Jaime Peña, Daniel Gomez Gamez, Hector J. Martinez, Jaime OrtizResident areas and migrations of female green turtles nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Satellite tracking in marine turtle studies can reveal much about their spatial use of breeding areas, migration zones, and foraging sites. We assessed spatial habitat-use patterns of 10 adult female green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, U.S. Virgin Islands (BIRNM) from 2011 – 2014. Turtles ranged in size from 89.0 – 115.9 cm CCL (mean + SD = 106.8 + 7.7 cmAuthorsKristen M. Hart, Autumn Iverson, Allison M. Benscoter, Ikuko Fujisaki, Michael S. Cherkiss, Clayton Pollock, Ian Lundgren, Zandy Hillis-StarrAre we working towards global research priorities for management and conservation of sea turtles?
In 2010, an international group of 35 sea turtle researchers refined an initial list of more than 200 research questions into 20 metaquestions that were considered key for management and conservation of sea turtles. These were classified under 5 categories: reproductive biology, biogeography, population ecology, threats and conservation strategies. To obtain a picture of how research is being focuAuthorsA.F. Rees, J. Alfaro-Shigueto, P.C.R. Barata, K.A. Bjorndal, A.B. Bolten, J. Bourjea, A.C. Broderick, L.M. Campbell, L. Cardona, C. Carreras, P. Casale, S.A. Ceriani, P.H. Dutton, T. Eguchi, A. Formia, M.M.P.B. Fuentes, W.J. Fuller, M. Girondot, M.H. Godfrey, M. Hamann, Kristen M. Hart, G.C. Hays, S. Hochscheid, Y. Kaska, M.P. Jensen, J.C. Mangel, J.A. Mortimer, E. Naro-Maciel, C.K.Y. Ng, W.J. Nichols, A.D. Phillott, R.D. Reina, O. Revuelta, G. Schofield, J.A. Seminoff, K. Shanker, J. Tomás, J.P. van de Merwe, K.S. Van Houtan, H.B. Vander Zanden, B.P. Wallace, K.R. Wedemeyer-Strombel, Thierry M. Work, B.J. GodleyTrading shallow safety for deep sleep: Juvenile green turtles select deeper resting sites as they grow
To better protect endangered green sea turtles Chelonia mydas, a more thorough understanding of the behaviors of each life stage is needed. Although dive profile analyses obtained using time-depth loggers have provided some insights into habitat use, recent work has shown that more fine-scale monitoring of body movements is needed to elucidate physical activity patterns. We monitored 11 juvenile gAuthorsKristen M. Hart, Connor F. White, Autumn R. Iverson, Nick WhitneyLarge reptiles and cold temperatures: Do extreme cold spells set distributional limits for tropical reptiles in Florida?
Distributional limits of many tropical species in Florida are ultimately determined by tolerance to low temperature. An unprecedented cold spell during 2–11 January 2010, in South Florida provided an opportunity to compare the responses of tropical American crocodiles with warm-temperate American alligators and to compare the responses of nonnative Burmese pythons with native warm-temperate snakesAuthorsFrank J. Mazzotti, Michael S. Cherkiss, Mark Parry, Jeff Beauchamp, Mike Rochford, Brian J. Smith, Kristen M. Hart, Laura A. BrandtBiomarkers reveal sea turtles remained in oiled areas following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Assessments of large-scale disasters, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, are problematic because while measurements of post-disturbance conditions are common, measurements of pre-disturbance baselines are only rarely available. Without adequate observations of pre-disaster organismal and environmental conditions, it is impossible to assess the impact of such catastrophes on animal populationAuthorsHannah B. Vander Zanden, Alan B. Bolten, Anton D. Tucker, Kristen M. Hart, Margaret M. Lamont, Ikuko Fujisaki, Kimberly J. Reich, David S. Addison, Katherine L. Mansfield, Katrina F. Phillips, Mariela Pajuelo, Karen A. BjorndalSpatial and temporal variability in estuary habitat use by American alligators
Estuarine habitat occupied by Alligator mississippiensis, a primarily freshwater species, is spatially and temporally heterogeneous largely due to a salinity gradient that fluctuates. Using long-term night light survey data, we examined seasonal patterns in alligators’ habitat use by size classes in midstream and downstream estuary zones of Shark River, Everglades National Park, in southern FloridAuthorsIkuko Fujisaki, Kristen M. Hart, Michael S. Cherkiss, Frank J. Mazzotti, Jeffrey S. Beauchamp, Brian M. Jeffery, Laura A. BrandtCan you hear me now? Range-testing a submerged passive acoustic receiver array in a Caribbean coral reef habitat
Submerged passive acoustic technology allows researchers to investigate spatial and temporal movement patterns of many marine and freshwater species. The technology uses receivers to detect and record acoustic transmissions emitted from tags attached to an individual. Acoustic signal strength naturally attenuates over distance, but numerous environmental variables also affect the probability a tagAuthorsThomas H. Selby, Kristen M. Hart, Ikuko Fujisaki, Brian J. Smith, Clayton J Pollock, Zandy M Hillis-Star, Ian Lundgren, Madan K. OliBetrayal: radio-tagged Burmese pythons reveal locations of conspecifics in Everglades National Park
The “Judas” technique is based on the idea that a radio-tagged individual can be used to “betray” conspecifics during the course of its routine social behavior. The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is an invasive constrictor in southern Florida, and few methods are available for its control. Pythons are normally solitary, but from December–April in southern Florida, they form breeding aggregatioAuthorsBrian J. Smith, Michael S. Cherkiss, Kristen M. Hart, Michael R. Rochford, Thomas H. Selby, Ray W Snow, Frank J. MazzottiSomatic growth dynamics of West Atlantic hawksbill sea turtles: a spatio-temporal perspective
Somatic growth dynamics are an integrated response to environmental conditions. Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are long-lived, major consumers in coral reef habitats that move over broad geographic areas (hundreds to thousands of kilometers). We evaluated spatio-temporal effects on hawksbill growth dynamics over a 33-yr period and 24 study sites throughout the West Atlantic and expAuthorsKaren A. Bjorndal, Milani Chaloupka, Vincent S. Saba, Carlos E. Diez, Robert P. van Dam, Barry H. Krueger, Julia A. Horrocks, Armando J.B. Santos, Cláudio Bellini, Maria A.G. Marcovaldi, Mabel Nava, Sue Willis, Brendan J. Godley, Shannon Gore, Lucy A. Hawkes, Andrew McGowan, Matthew J. Witt, Thomas B. Stringell, Amdeep Sanghera, Peter B. Richardson, Annette C. Broderick, Quinton Phillips, Marta C. Calosso, John A.B. Claydon, Janice Blumenthal, Felix Moncada, Gonzalo Nodarse, Yosvani Medina, Stephen G. Dunbar, Lawrence D. Wood, Cynthia J. Lagueux, Cathi L. Campbell, Anne B. Meylan, Peter A. Meylan, Virginia R. Burns Perez, Robin A. Coleman, Samantha Strindberg, Vicente Guzmán-H, Kristen M. Hart, Michael S. Cherkiss, Zandy Hillis-Starr, Ian Lundgren, Ralf H. Boulon, Stephen Connett, Mark E. Outerbridge, Alan B. BoltenHawksbill satellite-tracking case study: Implications for remigration interval and population estimates
Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are circumtropically distributed and listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (Meylan & Donnelly 1999; NMFS & USFWS 1993). To aid in population recovery and protection, the Hawksbill Recovery Plan identified the need to determine demographic information for hawksbills, such as distribution, abundance, seasonal movements, foraging areas (sections 12AuthorsAutumn R. Sartain-Iverson, Kristen M. Hart, Ikuko Fujisaki, Michael S. Cherkiss, Clayton Pollock, Ian Lundgren, Zandy Hillis-Starr - News