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Dr. Jake Lasala

Staff Scientist & Program Manager

Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program

Today's Research for Tomorrow's Oceans
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Contact:

jlasala@mote.org

941-388-4441, ext 391

Biography:

Dr. Lasala has worked with sea turtles for over 16 years. His graduate research focused on identifying robust demographic metrics to complement survey data. Male marine turtles are elusive and much of our understanding of marine turtles populations are based off nest counts (# of females). Through paternity examination, Dr. Lasala used a proxy (breeding sex ratio) to quantify the minimum number of males that contribute to these populations. His current research focus addresses how individuals within populations utilize habitats and adapt to local and global environmental shifts. His research addresses longitudinal changings within and among populations, specifically by exploring which factors and behavior impact population dynamics and how individuals might adapt to a changing environment. He is the program manager of the Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program (STCRP) and is looking forward to collaboration projects in the future.

Education:

B.A. University of Chicago (Biology)

M.S. Georgia Southern University (Genetics)

Ph.D. Florida Atlantic University (Integrative Biology - Ecology and Genetics)

Current Publications

Amorim, L., Chieza, L., Lasala, J. A., Teodoro, S. S. A., Colombo, W. D., Barcelos, A. C., Guimarães, P. R. L., Fonseca, J. L. G., Marcondes, A. C. J., Santos, A., & Vargas, S. (2025). Reproductive strategies in loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta: polyandry and polygyny in a Southwest Atlantic rookery. PeerJ, 13, e18714. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18714
Souza-Guedes, D; Campos, JC; Bessa, F; FFCM; Lasala, JA; Marco, A; and Sillero, N (2025). The effects of warming on loggerhead turtle nesting counts. Journal of Animal Ecology, 00, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.14242
K. McNally, L. Flynn, M. Davila, C. Oakley, D. Vorbroker, J. Lasala (2024). Nesting Trends of Sea Turtles in North and Mid Pinellas County, Florida, USA, Over Three Decades. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 19(3), 440. https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_19/Issue_3/McNally_etal_2024.pdf
Redding OT, Castorani MCN, Lasala JA (2024). The effects of dune plant roots on loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta nest success. Ecology and Evolution, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11207
Aileen Lavelle, Jake A. Lasala, Melissa C. Macksey, Michelle S. Koo, and Carol L. Spencer (2023). Anthropogenic Effects on Loggerhead Turtle Nest Success and Predation in the Gulf of Mexico. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 18(3), 450-463. http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_18/Issue_3/Lavelle_etal_2023.pdf
Beth Brady, Carly Sarbacker, Jake Andrew Lasala, Maria Maust-Mohl, Kristi Ashley Collom, Linda Searle, Laura J. May-Collado, Eric Angel Ramos (2023). Manatees display diel trends in acoustic activity at two microhabitats in Belize. PLOS ONE, 18(11), e0294600. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0294600
Jacob Andrew Lasala, Melissa C. Macksey, Kristen T. Mazzarella, Kevan L. Main, Jerris J. Foote, Anton D. Tucker (2023). Forty years of monitoring increasing sea turtle relative abundance in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientific Reports, 2023(13), 17213. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-43651-4
Eric Angel Ramos1,2 | Beth Brady3 | Jake Andrew Lasala3 | Angus Liebschner4 | Sander Obbink4 | Zoe Walker4 | Maegan Rebello5 | Marcelo O. Magnasco1 (2023). Antillean manatee calves in captive rehabilitation change vocal behavior in anticipation of feeding. Zoo Biology, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21785
Perrault, J. R., Lasala, J. A., Manire, C. A., Coppenrath, C. M., Page-Karjian, A., Blew, A., & Stacy, N. I. (2021). Nonpigmented Versus Pigmented: Health Variables and Genetics Of Albino Florida Green Turtle Hatchlings Compared With Normally Pigmented Hatchlings From The Same Clutch. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 58(1.0), 15-29. https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-21-00031
Lasala, J.A., Hughes, C., Wyneken, J. (2020). Female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta L.) rarely remate during nesting season. Ecology and Evolution, 10.0(1.0), 163-174. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5869

Additional Publications

Lasala, J.A., Harrison, J.S., Williams, K.S., and Rostal, D.C. 2013. Strong male-biased operational sex ratio in a breeding population of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) inferred by paternal genotype reconstruction analysis. Ecology and Evolution, 3(14): 4736-4747.

Lasala, J.A., Hughes, C.R., Wyneken, J. 2018. Breeding sex ration and population size of loggerhead turtles from Southwestern Florida. PLoS ONE, 13: e0191615.

Lasala, J.A., Hughes, C., Wyneken, J. 2020. Female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta L.) rarely remate during nesting season. Ecology and Evolution, 10: 163-174.

Florida Sea Turtle License Plate Grant
Morris Animal Foundation Grant
National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation Award
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Marine Turtle Permit 216
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Marine Turtle Permit 226