Danielle Land

Danielle Land is a 2024-2028 Self Graduate Fellow pursuing a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas. She earned her B.S. in Biology from the University of New Mexico in 2021, with minors in Chemistry and Philosophy. Following graduation, she worked as a post-baccalaureate researcher in the Museum of Southwestern Biology’s Division of Mammals, where she developed expertise in specimen-based research, field collection, and molecular lab techniques. Inspired by this work, she went on to complete an M.S. in Biology at UNM in 2024, focusing on the evolutionary history and phylogeography of Eurasian shrews using genomic datasets and natural history collections.

Danielle’s current research integrates parasitology, evolutionary genomics, and museum-based science to investigate how carnivore communities are responding to environmental change. She is leading two complementary projects: one uses shotgun metagenomics of archived fecal samples to uncover helminth diversity in gray wolves (Canis lupus) and other carnivores from the American Southwest, while the other applies whole genome sequencing to examine the genetic basis of winter coat color variation in North American populations of least weasels (Mustela nivalis).

By leveraging the unique power of museum specimens, Danielle’s work captures both ecological processes and evolutionary mechanisms across space and time. Her research explores how parasite communities reflect host health and diet, how zoonotic risk may vary across landscapes, and how climate-driven range shifts may shape adaptive traits like seasonal camouflage. Ultimately, her goal is to better understand the complex and evolving relationships between mammals, parasites, and a rapidly changing world to generate data that inform future strategies in wildlife management, conservation planning, and public health policy.

Mentor: Dr. Jocelyn Colella, Curator - Mammalogy