Position(s):
Associate Professor, Dept. of Bioscience & Biotechnology

Office: 234 Stratton Hall

Phone: (215) 895-2285 

Email: haltort@aol.com

Courses Taught

Biodiversity and Conservation
Population Ecology
Biostatistical Methods
Vertebrate Zoology
Introductory Ecology

My interests in ecology are broadly based on how variations of environmental resources are transduced through individuals into population dynamics of wild animal populations. I have used or currently am using freshwater turtles, terrestrial tortoises, sea turtles, freshwater fish, snakes, and small mammals as model organisms to determine how environmental variations affect the growth, habitat use, time allocation, nutrition, and reproduction of animals in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. By studying individual animals from populations, my goal is to determine how environmental variations affect population processes. This approach has allowed me to address fundamental questions in basic ecology, and to address fundamental issues in conservation biology as they pertain to biodiversity and recovery of threatened and endangered species.

Understanding human influences on the environment, and the concomitant changes that anthropogenic influences have on wild populations of organisms, will be increasingly important for future conservation and recovery of listed species. My goal is to enhance Drexel University’s status as a world-leading institution in ecology and environmental science by developing research programs at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

To view some of Dr. Avery's published work [...click here...]

Post-Docs and Graduate Students

Claire Coleman: The Impact of Habitat Fragmentation in the Barnegat Bay Estuary on the 
                        Mating System of the Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys 
                        terrapin)
Emily Davis:
Ashley Lavender: Physiological and behavioral effects of anthropogenic sound on the 
                          diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
John Wnek: Population and reproductive ecology of the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys
                  terrapin) in relation to anthropogenic changes in Barnegat Bay Sanctuary,
                  New Jersey.
Julia Stone:     
Karen Sullam: Nutritional Ecology of Diamondback Terrapins in Barnegat Bay

Personal/Laboratory Website(s):

Diamondback Terrapins at Barnegat Bay 
Photo Gallery