About The Author

I am David Steen, I am a wildlife ecologist, and I work at Virginia Tech. Most of my research describes how humans affect wildlife populations, assemblages, and habitats (purposely and otherwise). However, I also like to participate in studies that generate new natural history information for species we don't know much about.

I received my degrees from the University of New Hampshire (B.S., 2001), SUNY-ESF (M.S., 2003), and Auburn University (Ph.D., 2011) and I have conducted wildlife research throughout the eastern United States. My current focus is a series of studies describing how a Tennessee coal spill has affected freshwater turtles in nearby rivers. You can reach me here.

I maintain this blog because I feel public education and outreach about wildlife ecology and conservation is important.  Producing articles for scientific journals is also important. Citations for my scientific articles are below; if you would like a pdf. copy of one but can't find it online, contact me.

Steen, D. A., and D. S. Jachowski. Expanding shifting baseline syndrome to accommodate increasing abundances. Restoration Ecology: in press.

Steen, D. A., C. J. W. McClure, and S. P. Graham. Relative influence of weather and season on anuran calling activity. Canadian Journal of Zoology: in press.

Sutton, W. B., Y. Wang, C. J. Schweitzer, and D. A. Steen. Lizard microhabitat and microclimate relationships in southeastern pine-hardwood forests managed with prescribed burning and thinning. Forest Science: in press.

Steen, D. A., D. J. Stevenson, J. C. Beane, J. D. Willson, M. J. Aresco, J. C. Godwin, S. P. Graham, L. L. Smith, J. M. Howze, D. C. Rudolph, J. B. Pierce, J. R. Lee, B. B. Gregory, J. Jensen, S. H. Stiles, J. A. Stiles, N. H. Nazdrowicz, and C. Guyer. Terrestrial movements of the red-bellied mudsnake (Farancia abacura) and rainbow snake (F. erytrogramma). Herpetological Review: in press.

Steen, D. A., L. L. Smith, G. Morris, L. M. Conner, A. R. Litt, S. Pokswinski, and C. Guyer. Response of Aspidoscelis sexlineata (six-lined racerunner) to habitat restoration in fire-suppressed Pinus palustris (longleaf pine) sandhills. Restoration Ecology: in press.

Steen, D. A. Clemmys guttata (Spotted Turtle). Reproduction. Herpetological Review: in press.

Steen, D. A., M. C. Dziadzio, T. D. Parker., H. J. Vogel, K. Q. Webb, and W. A. Hopkins. Apalone mutica (Smooth Softshell). Geographic Distribution. Herpetological Review: in press.

Steen, D. A. J. U. Van Dyke, M. C. Dziadzio, T. D. Parker., H. J. Vogel, K. Q. Webb, and W. A. Hopkins. Kinosternon subrubrum (Eastern Mud Turtle). Geographic Distribution. Herpetological Review: in press.

Steen, D. A., L. M. Conner, L. L. Smith, L. Provencher, J. K. Hiers, S. Pokswinski, B. Helms, and C. Guyer. 2013. Bird assemblage response to restoration of fire-suppressed longleaf pine sandhills. Ecological Applications 23:134-147.

Steen, D. A.,  L. L. Smith, L. M. Conner, A. R. Litt, L. Provencher, J. K. Hiers, S. Pokswinski, and C. Guyer. 2013. Reptile assemblage response to restoration of fire-suppressed longleaf pine sandhills. Ecological Applications 23:148-158.

Steen, D. A., C. J. W. McClure, L. L. Smith, B. J. Halstead, C. K. Dodd, Jr., W. B. Sutton, J. R. Lee, D. L. Baxley, W. J. Humphries, and C. Guyer. 2013. The effect of coachwhip presence on body size of North American racers suggests competition between these sympatric snakes. Journal of Zoology 289:86-93.

Smith, L. L., D. A. Steen, L. M. Conner, and J. C. Rutledge. 2012. Effects of predator exclusion on nest and hatchling survival in the gopher tortoise. Journal of Wildlife Management 77:352-358

Steen, D. A., C. J. W. McClure, J. C. Brock, D. C. Rudolph, J. B. Pierce, J. R. Lee, W. J. Humphries, B. B. Gregory, W. B. Sutton, L. L. Smith, D. L. Baxley, D. J. Stevenson, and C. Guyer. 2012. Landscape-level influences of terrestrial snake occupancy within the southeastern United States. Ecological Applications 22:1084-1097.

Steen, D. A., J. P. Gibbs, K. A. Buhlmann, J. L. Carr, B. W. Compton, J. D. Congdon, J. S. Doody, J. C. Godwin, K. L. Holcomb, D. R. Jackson, F. J. Janzen, G. Johnson, M. T. Jones, J. T. Lamer, T. A. Langen, M. V. Plummer, J. W. Rowe, R. A. Saumure, J. K. Tucker, and D. S. Wilson. 2012. Terrestrial habitat requirements of nesting freshwater turtles. Biological Conservation 150:121-128.

Steen, D. A., C. Guyer, and L. L. Smith. 2012. A case study of relative abundance in snakes. Pages 287-294 In Reptile Biodiversity: Standard Methods for Inventory and Monitoring (R. W. McDiarmid, M. S. Foster, C. Guyer, J. W. Gibbons, and N. Chernoff, eds.), University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, USA.

Graham, S. P., D. A. Steen, R. D. Birkhead, and C. Guyer. 2012. The amphibians and reptiles of Tuskegee National Forest, Macon County, Alabama. Alabama Museum of Natural History Bulletin 29:1-59.

Steen, D. A., M. Baragona, C. J. W. McClure, K. C. Jones, and L. L. Smith. 2012. Demography of a small population of loggerhead musk turtles (Sternotherus minor) in Okaloosa County, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 40:47-55.

Graham, S. P., E. K. Timpe, A. M. Durso, D. A. Steen, W. B. Sutton, K. T. Nelson, G. J. Brown, III, M. A. Connell, K. M. Gray, and J. C. Godwin. 2012. The second known contact zone between Plethodon websteri and P. ventralis, and additional county records for Bibb County, Alabama. Herpetological Review 43:311-312.

Steen, D. A., K. Q. Webb, H. J. Vogel, T. D. Parker, M. C. Dziadzio, and W. A. Hopkins. 2012. Kinosternon subrubrum (Eastern Mud Turtle). Diet. Herpetological Review 43:639.

Stevenson, D. J., D. A. Steen, and M. Wallace. 2012. Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster (Red-bellied Watersnake). Necrophagy by dung beetles (Scarabaeinae). Herpetological Review 43:347.

Steen, D. A., K. C. Jones, J. B. Jensen, B. K. Rincon, J. C. Godwin, and S. P. Graham. 2011. New amphibian and reptile county records for the Florida panhandle. Herpetological Review 42:576-577.

Steen, D. A., J. A. Stiles, S. H. Stiles, C. Guyer, J. B. Pierce, D. C. Rudolph, and L. L. Smith. 2011. Regina rigida (Glossy Crayfish Snake). Terrestrial Movement. Herpetological Review 42:102.

Steen, D. A., S. C. Sterrett, A. M. Heupel, and L. L. Smith. 2010. Snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, overland movements near the southeastern extent of its range. Georgia Journal of Science 68:196-201.

Steen, D. A., A. E. Rall McGee, S. M. Hermann, J. A. Stiles, S. H. Stiles, and C. Guyer. 2010. Effects of forest management on amphibians and reptiles: generalist species obscure trends among native forest associates. Open Environmental Sciences 4:24-30.

C. J. W. McClure, and D. A. Steen. 2010. Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean Gecko). Geographic Distribution. Herpetological Review 41:512.

Jones, K. C, B. K. Rincon, and D. A. Steen. 2010. Bufo terrestris (Southern Toad). Predation. Herpetological Review 41:334-335.

Steen, D. A., L. L. Smith, and M. A. Bailey. 2010. Suggested modifications to terrestrial box traps for snakes. Herpetological Review 41:320-321.

Steen, D. A., G. G. Sorrell, N. J. Paris, K. J. Paris, D. D. Simpson, and L. L. Smith. 2010. Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hog-nosed Snake). Predator/Prey Mass Ratio. Herpetological Review 41:365.

Graham, S. P., A. M. Durso, D. A. Steen, V. M. Johnson, S. K. Hoss, D. J. McMoran, K. T. Nelson, S. C. Cox, E. C. Susko, J. W. Shapiro, and J. R. McMillan. 2010. An additional bioblitz competition in the Talladega uplands of Georgia. Herpetological Review 41:383-384.

Steen, D. A. 2010. Snakes in the grass: secretive natural histories defy both conventional and progressive statistics. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 5:183-188. 

Linehan, J. M., L. L. Smith, and D. A. Steen. 2010. Ecology of the eastern kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula getula) in a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forest in southwestern Georgia. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 5:94-101.

Steen, D. A., J. M. Linehan, and L. L. Smith. 2010. Multiscale habitat selection and refuge use of common kingsnakes, Lampropeltis getula, in southwestern Georgia. Copeia 2010:227-231.

Steen, D. A., A. D. Steen, S. Pokswinski, S. P. Graham, and L. L. Smith. 2010. Snakes using stumpholes and windfall tree-associated subterranean structures in longleaf pine forests. Reptiles and Amphibians 17:49-51.

Graham, S. P., D. A. Steen, K. T. Nelson, A. M. Durso, and J. C. Maerz. 2010.  An overlooked hotspot? Rapid biodiversity assessment reveals a region of exceptional herpetofaunal richness in the southeastern United States.  Southeastern Naturalist 9:19-34.

Steen, D. A. and L. L. Smith. 2009. Eastern kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula getula, home ranges exhibit limited overlap. Southeastern Naturalist 8:553-558.

Graham, S. P., S. K. Hoss, R. D. Birkhead, C. K. Ward, D. A. Steen, K. M. Gray, and R. H. Mount. 2009. 101 new county records for Alabama herpetofauna. Herpetological Review 40:367-371.

Heupel, A. M., K. E. McKean, J. M. Linehan, D. A. Steen, and L. L. Smith. 2009. Ambystoma sp. Habitat Use. Herpetological Review 40:66.

Tyson, A., D. A. Steen, L. L. Smith. 2008. Nerodia taxispilota (Brown Watersnake). Diet. Herpetological Review 39:472.

Muenz, T. K., D. A. Steen, B. E. Bass, and A. Kaeser. 2008. Apalone spinifera aspera (Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell). Predation. Herpetological Review 39:212.

Steen, D. A., L. L. Smith, L. M. Conner, J. C. Brock, and S. K. Hoss. 2007. Habitat  use of sympatric rattlesnake species within the Gulf Coastal Plain. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:759-764.

Steen, D. A., S. C. Sterrett, S. A. Miller, and L. L. Smith. 2007. Terrestrial movements and microhabitat selection of overwintering subadult eastern mud turtles (Kinosternon subrubrum) in southwest Georgia. Journal of Herpetology 41:532-535.

Steen, D. A., G. J. Miller, S. C. Sterrett, and L. L. Smith. 2007. Masticophis flagellum (Eastern Coachwhip). Growth and Movement. Herpetological Review 38:90.

Smith, L. L., D. A. Steen, J. M. Stober, M. C. Freeman, S. W. Golladay, L. M. Conner, and J. C. Cochrane. 2006. The vertebrate fauna of Ichauway, Baker County, Georgia. Southeastern Naturalist 5:599-620.

Steen, D. A., J. P. Gibbs and S. T. A. Timmermans. 2006. Assessing the sensitivity of waterbird communities to hydrologic change in the eastern Great Lakes region. Wetlands 26:605-611.

Steen, D. A. and L. L. Smith. 2006. Road surveys for turtles: consideration of possible sampling biases. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 1:9-15.

Steen, D. A., L. L. Smith, G. J. Miller, and S. C. Sterrett. 2006. Post breeding terrestrial movements of eastern tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum. Southeastern Naturalist 5:285-288.

Steen, D. A., M. J. Aresco, S. G. Beilke, B. W. Compton, E. P. Condon, C. K Dodd, Jr., H. Forrester, J. W. Gibbons, J. L. Greene, G. Johnson, T. A. Langen, M. J. Oldham, D. N. Oxier, R. A. Saumure, F. W. Schueler, J. M. Sleeman, L. L. Smith,  J. K. Tucker and J. P. Gibbs. 2006. Relative vulnerability of female turtles to road mortality. Animal Conservation 9:269-273.

Sterrett, S. C., D. A. Steen, and L. L. Smith. 2006. Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum (Eastern Tiger Salamander). Burrow Description. Herpetological Review 37:435-436.

Gibbs, J. P. and D. A. Steen. 2005. Trends in sex ratios of turtles in the United States: implications of road mortality. Conservation Biology 19:552-556.

Steen, D. A. and J. P. Gibbs. 2005. Potential influence of the terrestrial landscape on the distribution of pond-breeding eastern newts, Notophthalmus viridescens, within wetlands. Applied Herpetology 2:425-428.

Steen, D. A., G. J. Miller, S. C. Sterrett, and L. L. Smith. 2005. Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise). Juvenile use of gopher tunnel. Herpetological Review 46:442.

Steen, D. A., S. N. Becker, and L. L. Smith. 2005. Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hog-nosed Snake). Reproduction. Herpetological Review 46:457.

Steen, D. A. and J. P. Gibbs. 2004. Of roads and turtles: A summary of recent research findings. Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter 8:8-9.

Steen, D. A. and J. P. Gibbs. 2004. Effects of roads on the structure of freshwater turtle populations. Conservation Biology 18:1143-1148.