My work centers on the biology and conservation of some small turtles found in North Carolina.  Bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii), found in the western part of the state, are studied using mark-and-recapture, radio telemetry, and trapping methods.  I am one of the directors of Project Bog Turtle, a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve habitat, and advise state and federal agencies in conservation of the turtles. We also survey to locate new populations and monitor and study population densities in selected sites.  Additionally, I lead a Box Turtle Research Group which is initiating a project using citizen scientists to gather data about the declining box turtle (Terrapene carolina), once common throughout our state.   

Somers. A.B. and J. Mansfield-Jones. 2008. Role of trapping in detection of a small bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) population. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 7(1): 149-155.

Somers. A.B., J. Mansfield-Jones, and J. Braswell. 2007. In-stream, Under Stream Bank, and Streamside
Movements of a Bog Turtle, Glyptemys muhlenbergii. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 6(2); 286-
288. Online at: http://www.uncg.edu/~absomers/StreamMovementsBogTurtleCCB.pdf

Somers, A. B. and C.E. Matthews. 2006. The Box Turtle Connection: A Passageway into the Natural World.
139 pages. Online at: http://www.uncg.edu/~absomers/BoxTurtleBook.pdf

Matthews, C.E. and A.B. Somers. 2005. Using the Environment as a context for Integrating the Middle
School Curriculum. In: Etim, J. S. ed., Curriculum Integration K-12. University Press of America, New York.