Research

The Department of Ecology and Evolution hosts diverse faculty and student interests in the ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie patterns of life on earth.  The research interests of our faculty include population genetics, molecular evolution, quantitative genetics, animal behavior, plant and animal ecology, evolutionary theory, systematic paleontology, and related subjects.  A common theme in E&E is the application of quantitative techniques and current technologies to probe the conceptual foundations of ecology and evolution.

Researchers in E&E apply empirical and theoretical approaches across a wide variety of microbes, plants, and animals.  While some research is focused on demystifying the ever-increasing genomic databases for diverse taxa, other researchers probe the factors that define species or make use of field experiments to understand species interactions and fates.  Our focus is on the importance of basic science, while we also work to see sound applications of our research in the areas of genetically modified organisms, resource management, climate change, and the genetics of disease.