David W. Owens

College/University of Charleston
205 Fort Johnson
Charleston, SC 29412

Office: Grice Marine Laboratory
Office Phone: (843) 953-9176
Lab Phone: (843) 953-9177, 953-9178
Fax: (843) 953-9199
 

Email: owensd@cofc.edu

Degrees:
B.A.., William Jewell College
Ph.D. (1976)  University of Arizona.

Research Interests: The physiology, behavior and ecology of marine vertebrates with special interest in the reproductive biology of marine turtles and the diamondback terrapin. We are particularly interested in discovering basic biological concepts which may be of use in developing improved conservation strategies for marine and estuarine organisms.

Current research projects:
- Reproduction and behavior of the diamondback terrapin
- Evaluating the use of the diamondback terrapin as a sentinel species for estuarine pollution
- Control of the arribada mass nesting behavior in Ridley turtles
- Sex ratios in natural populations of sea turtles
- The endocrine/environmental control of migration and reproduction in marine vertebrates
 

Past or potential areas of research interest:
- The role of the pineal gland in sea turtle behavioral physiology
- The reproductive anatomy of marine turtles
- Mating systems and paternity in turtles
- Endocrine disruption in turtle reproductive biology

Recent Publications, '97-'05

• Owens, D. W. 1997. Hormones in the life history of sea turtles. In: P.Lutz and J. Musick (Editors) The Biology of Sea Turtles. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. pp.315-341.
   
• Owens, D.W. 1999.&; Reproductive Cycles and Endocrinology. In K. L. Eckert, K. A. Bjorndal, F.&; A. Abreau-Grobois and M. Donnelly (Editors). Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialists Group Publication No. 4., pp119-123.
   
• Dutton, P. H., B. Bowen, D. W. Owens, A. Barragan and S. Davis. 1999. Global phylogeny of the leatherback turtle (Dermochelyscoriacea). J. Zool. London. 248: 397-409.
   
• Wibbels, T., D.W. Owens and C. J. Limpus. 2000. Sexing juvenile sea turtles: Is there an accurate and practical method? Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 3(4):756-761.
   
• Murphy, S. H., T. Murphy and D.W. Owens. 2003. Ecology of immature loggerheads on the foraging grounds and adults in internesting habitat in the eastern United States. In: Loggerhead Sea Turtles. Eds. Alan Bolten and Blair Witherington. Smithsonian Inst. Press. P 79-92.
   
• Hamann, Mark, C. Limpus and D. Owens. 2003. Chapter 5: Reproductive Cycles of Males and Females. In: The Biology of Sea Turtles: Volume II. Editors P. Lutz and J. Musick and J. Wyneken. (Editors) CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. pp135-161.
   
• Pritchard, Peter and D. Owens. 2005. Introduction to the Kemp’s Ridley Focus Issue. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 4(4):759-760.

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