Allison Durland Donahou

Alumni

Degree Obtained: Ph.D. (2020)
Major Professor: Dr. Jeff Hill

Allison Durland Donahou completed her Ph.D. under the advisement of Dr. Jeff Hill at the University of Florida’s Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory. For her dissertation, Allison analyzed the differences in life history traits and behaviors between domestic and wild type guppies to determine if these traits affect the organism’s invasiveness. Additionally, she conducted similar experiments with the African Clawed Frog. As part of the Hill Lab, Allison spent time in the field collecting and sampling non-native freshwater fish in Florida. While not from an aquaculture background, Allison was immersed in aquaculture at the lab and quickly learned about what it takes to keep fish alive and healthy!

Allison is from Seattle, but ran away to warmer, sunnier weather over ten years ago and never looked back. She received her B.A. from the University of San Diego in Marine Biology and her M.S. from Nova Southeastern University in Marine Biology and Coastal Zone Management. Her thesis work focused on sea turtle hatchling disorientation in Broward County.  In her free time, Allison enjoys adventuring in Florida’s waterways and parks with her dogs and trying new local restaurants and breweries.

Allison accepted a position to begin immediately after completion her Ph.D. as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at Florida Southern University in Lakeland, Florida.  She is teaching Introduction to Marine Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Biological Geography and GIS, and Biology of the Fishes.  She is also leading an undergraduate research program in marine and aquatic conservation ecology focusing on non-native fish. 

• Education

  Ph.D., 2020, University of Florida

  M.S., Marine Biology & Coastal Zone Management, 2014, Nova Southeastern University

  B.A., Marine Science, 2010, University of San Diego

• Selected Publications

  Lyons, T.J., Q.M. Tuckett, A. Durland-Donahou, and J.E. Hill. 2020. Risk screen of Lionfishes, Pterois, Dendrochirus, and Parapterois, for southeastern United States coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Biological Invasions 22:1573-1583.
  Read Here

  Durland Donahou, A., W. Conard, K. Dettloff, A. Fusaro, and R. Sturtevant. 2018. Faxonius rusticus (Girard, 1852): U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL,
  Read Here Revision Date: 4/9/2018.

  Durland Donahou, A. 2018. Procambarus acutus acutus(Girard, 1852): U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL,
  Read Here Revision Date: 2/26/2018

  Durland Donahou, A. 2018. Procambarus zonangulus Hobbs and Hobbs III, 1990: U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL,
  Read Here Revision Date: 1/29/2018

  Durland Donahou, A. 2018. Faxonius virilis (Hagen, 1870): U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL,
  Read Here Revision Date: 2/7/2018

  Durland Donahou, A. 2017. Cambarus longirostris. U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL,
  Read Here Revision Date: 6/27/2017

  Durland Donahou, A. 2017. Cambarus robustus. U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL,
  Read Here Revision Date: 6/22/2017

  Durland Donahou, A. 2014. Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchling disorientation in Broward County from 2006 to 2011. Master’s thesis, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

  Himes-Cornell, A., C. Package, and A. Durland. 2011. Improving community profiles for the North Pacific fisheries. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-230, 85 p.

  Himes-Cornell, A., C. Package, J. Sepez, and A. Durland. 2010. Improving community profiles for the north Pacific fisheries: hosting conversations with Alaskan fishing communities. AFSC Quarterly Research Reports, July-September 2010.

• Presentations

  Hill, J.E., Q.M. Tuckett, L. Lapham, and A. Durland Donahou. 2019. Risk screen for Florida of fishes on the federal injurious wildlife list. Final Report Submitted to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, Florida

  Goodman, C., C. Romagosa, J.E., Hill, Q.M. Tuckett, A. Durland Donahou, L. Lapham, and S. Johnson. 2019. Spatial extent, invasion potential, and management of the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) in Florida. Final Report Submitted to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, Florida

  Asp, E., M. DiMaggio, A. Durland Donahou, M. Hauville, J. Hill, L. Lapham, K. Lawson, T. Lipscomb, K. Lohr, J. Patterson, A. Pilnick, S. Ramee, K. Schulz, G. Sowaske, S. Thomas, Q. Tuckett, and R. Yanong. 2019. Traits and trait change in 48 of the world’s most highly-domesticated fishes. American Fisheries Society Florida Chapter Annual Meeting, Haines City, Florida.

  Durland, A., Q. Tuckett, and J.E. Hill. 2018. Predicting distributions of non-native freshwater fish: A role for climate indicators. Florida Non-Native Fish Action Alliance Meeting, Loxahatchee, Florida.

  Durland, A., Q. Tuckett, and J.E. Hill. 2018. Predicting distributions of non-native freshwater fish: A role for climate indicators. University of Florida Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Graduate Student Symposium, Gainesville, Florida.

  Durland, A., Q. Tuckett, and J.E. Hill. 2017. Predicting distributions of non-native freshwater fish: A role for climate indicators? American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Tampa, Florida.

  Durland, A. 2017. Predicting distributions of non-native freshwater fish: A role for climate indicators? University of Florida Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Graduate Student Symposium, Gainesville, Florida.

  Durland, A. 2016. The lionfish war: What else can be done? Spawning lionfish in captivity as a knowledge source for management. University of Florida Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Graduate Student Symposium, Gainesville, Florida.

  Durland, A. 2016. The lionfish war: What else can be done? Spawning lionfish in captivity as a knowledge source for management. Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting, Haines City, Florida.

• Awards

  2020 University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conversation Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year

  2020 American Fisheries Society John E. Skinner Memorial Award

  2020 Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Roger Rottmann Memorial Scholarship

  2020 Gator Student Subunit of the United States Aquaculture Society Travel Scholarship

  2019 University of Florida Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Aquatic Research Graduate Organization (ARGO) Scholarship

  2018 – 2019 University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Doris and Earl and Verna Lowe Scholarship

  2018 Travel grant from the Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society

  2018 University of Florida Graduate School Graduate Student Teaching Award Nominee

  2017 – 2018 University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Doris and Earl and Verna Lowe Scholarship

  2017 Travel grant from the Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society

  2017 Travel grant from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

  2016 Travel grant from the Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society

  2013 Iota Delta Epsilon Academic Honor Society member

  2007 – 2010 University of San Diego Dean’s List

  2006 – 2010 University of San Diego Alumni Scholarship