DESCRIPTION:
The Program in Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology at BGSU is a multidisciplinary program conceptually based on the fields of Ecology and Evolution, and its applied aspects in Conservation Biology.
The unifying principles of Evolutionary Biology and its emerging relevance to address applied questions makes it a cornerstone for modern biological research. Through the study of evolutionary mechanisms, analyses of molecular evolution, and documentation of the diversity of life, evolutionary biology focuses on a wide range of basic and applied questions, from the study of the origin and maintenance of biodiversity to mechanisms of disease resistance, and the identification of natural products for biotechnology, among many others.
As the study of interrelationships between organisms and their environment, modern Ecology addresses critical basic and applied issues on the complexity of natural systems at different levels of the biological hierarchy. The science of Ecology identifies basic principles that govern both the spatial and temporal dynamics of natural systems.
Evolutionary and ecological principles are essential for understanding the response of natural systems to human impacts on the environment. The increasing effects of anthropogenic factors leading to the biodiversity crisis and global change call for comprehensive studies of their biological consequences. With strong foundations on basic evolutionary and ecological theory, the relatively new field of Conservation Biology focuses on the biological consequences of human impacts. As a multidisciplinary field, Conservation Biology studies the dynamics of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems in rapidly changing environments resulting from the direct or indirect effects of human activities.
Our research program in Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology at BGSU extends from molecules and populations to ecosystems and landscapes. Conceptually based on the basic foundations of Ecology and Evolution, our research and teaching program utilizes a wide range of cutting-edge techniques (e.g., molecular genetics, theoretical modeling, GIS, remote sensing, etc.) to address both basic and applied questions in Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology.
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