Jon Davenport, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
Department of Biology
Appalachian State University
Researchers in the Davenport Lab
Below you can find out about the research being conducted by students in my lab. We are interested in a variety of ecological topics from dispersal to species interactions. We focus primarily on amphibians and reptiles as study organisms, but do also dabble with other taxa (e.g., fish, carnivorous plants, and aquatic invertebrates).
Please feel free to contact me or one of the folks below if you are interested in our research. We are always excited to talk about science.
Graduate Students
Bailey Sauls - MS student
B.S. University of North Georgia
Bailey enlisted in the lab in August 2023. She is interested in salamander niche overlap. Her thesis topic is investigating the overlap in distribution of southern red-backed and southern zigzag salamanders in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Her research will include both field surveys and lab work. Stay tuned for more!
Zac Spicer - MS student
B.S. Berea College
Zac started in the lab in August 2023. He will be investigating the elevational distribution of Plethodon yonahlossee throughout its range.
This could be you!
Jacob Twersky - MS student
B.S. Colorado College
Jacob started in the lab in August 2024. He is interested in how Hurricane Helene affected local stream salamander assemblages.
Undergraduate Students
Laney Edwards - Senior in Biology
Laney has been helping in the lab since 2024. She has been instrumental in both our invertebrate counting/sorting and our field sampling of local plethodon salamanders.
Max Ramey - Junior in Biology
Max has also been helping in the lab since his high school days. He is a birder but is also interested in all things salamanders. He is focusing on dietary niche partitioning of Plethodon salamanders
Nicolas Pennacchio - Junior in Biology
Nick is interested in stream salamanders and how they differ in diets and habitat use.
Ryley O'Quinn- Junior in Biology
Ryley has been helping in the lab since 2024. He has been instrumental in both our invertebrate counting/sorting and our field sampling of local plethodon salamanders.
Technicians
Ethan Furr - BS Appalachian State
Ethan likes salamanders
Alisha Herndon - BS UNC-Wilmington
Alisha likes mammals
Lab alumni
Postdocs and staff
Tom Anderson, postdoc from 2018-2020: Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (lab website: https://tlandersonresearch.weebly.com)
Jacob Burkhart, postdoc from 2018-2019: Wildlife Biologist with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington, D.C.
Kenzi Stemp, lab manager from 2017-2020: Technician for U.S. Geological Survey
Graduate
Stephanie Bishir, MNS 2017: Wildlife Biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Illinois
Dustin Garig, MNS 2017: Wildlife Biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Louisiana
Kenzi Stemp, MNS 2017: Technician for U.S. Geological Survey
Saidee Hyder, MNS 2019: Biologist at Bureau of Land Management
Thomas Hastings, MS 2020: Environmental educator in Utah
Susan Cragg, MS 2020: Ecological Consulting
Alan Babineau, MS 2021: Ecological Consulting
Anna Bigler, MS 2021: Instructor at Lees-McRae
Hailey Shoptaugh, MS 2022: Environmental Outreach Educator
Reese Sloan, MS 2023: Research scientist at the Smithsonian
Rosie Ronca, MS 2023: Conservation Technician at the NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Elyssa Winterton, MS 2024: Lab manager at Southern Virginia University
Undergraduate
Alexis King, BS 2015: Graduate school at SIU-Edwardsville
Maria Hampson, BS 2016: currently wrangling lizards as a field technician
Alex Riley, BS 2016: currently working for the "man" (i.e. Mickey Mouse) at Disney World
Madison Herrboldt, BS 2017: Graduate school at the University of Tulsa
Caitlin Weible, BS 2017: Graduate school at Towson University
Andrew Feltmann, BS 2017: Graduate school at the University of Central Arkansas
Baylee McLaughlin, BS 2017: Graduate school at the University of Illinois, Springfield
Trey Recker, BS 2018: Graduate school at Missouri State University
Chris Cannon, BS 2018: Graduate school at Southeastern Louisiana University
Dani Kirsch, BS 2018: Graduate school at Oklahoma State University
Taylor Simmonds, BS 2019: Graduate school at Southern Illinois University
Kabryn Mattison, BS 2020: Technician for NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Zackary Vegso, BS 2020: Graduate school at Humboldt State
Justus Hargett, BS 2020: Graduate school at Virginia Tech
Katherine Sutcliffe, BS 2020: Technician for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Deanna Riente, BS 2021: Graduate school at the University of Florida
Seth Drake, BS 2021: Graduate school at the Ohio State University
Ali Montazeri, BS 2021: Intern at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
Jacob Morse, BS 2022: Resource Manager at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
Autumn Groesbeck, BS 2023: High school Biology teacher in Florida
Collaborators
Kristen Cecala - University of the South
Josh Ennen - Independent Ecologist
LeeAnn Fishback - Churchill Northern Studies Centre
Blake Hossack - United States Geological Survey
