Image credit: Katie Harris
People
AMANDA KOLTZ
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator
NEVO SAGI
BARD Postdoctoral Fellow
Nevo is fascinated by the workings of ecosystems and devote my research to unraveling their complexities. His work integrates concepts and methods from both community and ecosystem ecology, with a particular focus on zoogeochemistry—the role of animals in biogeochemical cycles under varying environmental conditions. He is currently investigating how interactions between large herbivores and soil fauna influence carbon dynamics along a broad aridity gradient across Texas rangelands. This research aims to uncover the mechanisms driving these processes and to understand their implications for carbon cycling and ecosystem health in a changing climate.
ResearchGate profile Google Scholar
BARD Postdoctoral Fellow
Nevo is fascinated by the workings of ecosystems and devote my research to unraveling their complexities. His work integrates concepts and methods from both community and ecosystem ecology, with a particular focus on zoogeochemistry—the role of animals in biogeochemical cycles under varying environmental conditions. He is currently investigating how interactions between large herbivores and soil fauna influence carbon dynamics along a broad aridity gradient across Texas rangelands. This research aims to uncover the mechanisms driving these processes and to understand their implications for carbon cycling and ecosystem health in a changing climate.
ResearchGate profile Google Scholar
JULIA BERLINER
PhD student
Julia earned her MS in Entomology at the University of Georgia, where she studied how insect
herbivores and predators respond to soil nutrient availability depending on their diet breadth.
She is fascinated by how biogeochemical cycles ubiquitously shape ecosystems by governing
community composition and trophic interactions. She is currently a third year PhD student,
where she is studying how human activities mediate the nutritional quality and community
composition of shorebird invertebrate prey, with the goal of helping to inform shorebird
conservation in the Arctic and the Texas Gulf Coast.
PhD student
Julia earned her MS in Entomology at the University of Georgia, where she studied how insect
herbivores and predators respond to soil nutrient availability depending on their diet breadth.
She is fascinated by how biogeochemical cycles ubiquitously shape ecosystems by governing
community composition and trophic interactions. She is currently a third year PhD student,
where she is studying how human activities mediate the nutritional quality and community
composition of shorebird invertebrate prey, with the goal of helping to inform shorebird
conservation in the Arctic and the Texas Gulf Coast.
ANNIE CRESS
PhD student
Annie is a third year PhD student interested in untangling the ways both living organisms and
environmental conditions shape ecological processes. She is especially curious about the ways food
webs and community interactions drive ecosystem functioning. Currently, using wild, white-footed
deer mice and their helminth parasites as a model system, she is exploring how sublethal infections
shape the condition, diet, microbiome, and behavior of this widespread wild species. When she isn’t
linking small organisms to large ecosystem level processes, she enjoys playing pickleball, spending
time with friends, and introducing children to the fascinating world of ecology through outreach!
PhD student
Annie is a third year PhD student interested in untangling the ways both living organisms and
environmental conditions shape ecological processes. She is especially curious about the ways food
webs and community interactions drive ecosystem functioning. Currently, using wild, white-footed
deer mice and their helminth parasites as a model system, she is exploring how sublethal infections
shape the condition, diet, microbiome, and behavior of this widespread wild species. When she isn’t
linking small organisms to large ecosystem level processes, she enjoys playing pickleball, spending
time with friends, and introducing children to the fascinating world of ecology through outreach!
TAMARA RHODES
Summer research technician
Tamara recently graduated from UT Austin with a degree in microbiology. She's interested in
microbial ecology, and the role that microbes play in biogeochemical cycles! She also has a BDP
certificate in Environment and Sustainability.
Summer research technician
Tamara recently graduated from UT Austin with a degree in microbiology. She's interested in
microbial ecology, and the role that microbes play in biogeochemical cycles! She also has a BDP
certificate in Environment and Sustainability.
KAIRA JOSEPH
Undergraduate student
Kaira is a senior Biology major at UT with an interest in disease ecology and environmental health. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Undergraduate student
Kaira is a senior Biology major at UT with an interest in disease ecology and environmental health. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
NIRMITI KERKAR
Undergraduate student
Nirmiti is a senior Biology major interested in interactions among species and how they can affect the environment at large. In her natural habitat, she is often found napping in the sun, swimming when she should be working, and spending time with friends.
Undergraduate student
Nirmiti is a senior Biology major interested in interactions among species and how they can affect the environment at large. In her natural habitat, she is often found napping in the sun, swimming when she should be working, and spending time with friends.
SAVANNAH COFFELT
Undergraduate student
Savannah is a senior Biology major with a concentration in wildlife conservation at Fort Valley State University. She is interested in terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates and has a passion for endangered species recovery.
Undergraduate student
Savannah is a senior Biology major with a concentration in wildlife conservation at Fort Valley State University. She is interested in terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates and has a passion for endangered species recovery.
MADDIE SCHOUMAN
Undergraduate student
Maddie is a senior major in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity at the University of Michigan interested in disease ecology and conservation.
Undergraduate student
Maddie is a senior major in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity at the University of Michigan interested in disease ecology and conservation.
ZOE VANCE
Undergraduate student
Zoe is a Public Health Science major at the University of Michigan interested in environmental health sciences and epidemiology. She's currently contributing to our mouse-parasite project. Outside of school and field work, Zoe enjoys reading, hiking, and pickleball.
Undergraduate student
Zoe is a Public Health Science major at the University of Michigan interested in environmental health sciences and epidemiology. She's currently contributing to our mouse-parasite project. Outside of school and field work, Zoe enjoys reading, hiking, and pickleball.
Lab Alumni
Dr. Katie Harris, Postdoc (2024-2025), now a Pollinator Conservation Specialist at Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Samantha Schrodel, Summer Research Technician (2025)
Elise Bowman, UT Undergraduate in Environmental Science (2024-2025)
Samantha Schrodel, Summer Research Technician (2025)
Elise Bowman, UT Undergraduate in Environmental Science (2024-2025)
