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Thesis
Human and Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) Interactions in Northwest Florida
University of West Florida Libraries
Master of Arts (MA), University of West Florida
2026
Abstract
This thesis explores human predation on gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in Northwest Florida and how anthropological research can be utilized for the conservation and management of species impacted by human actions. This research pulls together ideas from ecology, history, archeology, and conservation biology to present how this data can be utilized to better understand how and why gopher tortoises are listed as threatened today. Gopher tortoises have been consumed for 11,000 to 12,000 years and there is archaeological evidence of them being consumed in Pensacola since the Mississippian period. By utilizing gopher tortoise samples collected from various archaeological site in Pensacola, consumption trends across late precolonial through historic and early modern periods observed. These trends suggest gopher tortoises were a component of people’s overall diets throughout each period and may have been consumed in larger quantities during the Second Spanish and American periods. Through analysis of historical newspapers, the peak and fall of gopher tortoise populations was explored. By looking at early population counts and surveys of gopher tortoises and comparing them to local newspapers, two different baselines of gopher tortoise abundance were observed, suggesting shifting baseline syndrome. This research demonstrates and explores how archaeological and historical research can address shifting baseline syndrome and assist in more informed decision making about the future conservation and management of a species.
Details
- Title
- Human and Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) Interactions in Northwest Florida
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Contributors
- Ramie A Gougeon (Committee Chair)Frank S Gilliam (Committee Member)Jennifer Melcher (Committee Member)Cathy Parker (Committee Member)
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 106
- Copyright
- Permission granted to the University of West Florida Libraries by the author to digitize and/or display this information for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires the permission of the copyright holder.
- Identifiers
- 99381865661706600
- Academic Unit
- College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities; Anthropology
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Arts (MA)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), University of West Florida