The Graduate Group in Ecology offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Ecology is a science that integrates numerous fields of study to attain deep understanding of natural and societal influences on the distribution, abundances, behaviors, traits, and ecosystem functions of organisms. In order to accommodate varied student interests, the Group has developed several 'areas of emphasis' with specialized programs of study: agricultural ecology, conservation ecology, ecological genomics and genetics, ecosystems and landscape ecology, ecotoxicology and physiological ecology, environmental policy and human ecology, integrative ecology, marine ecology, and restoration ecology. For further details, contact the Group office. The graduate group in ecology is an interdisciplinary graduate program that offers students a combination of both basic and applied ecology. Students gain advanced knowledge in one of the following areas: agricultural ecology, conservation ecology, ecological genomics and genetics, ecosystems and landscape ecology, ecotoxicology, environmental policy & human ecology, integrative ecology, marine ecology, physiological ecology, or restoration ecology. Students graduate with the qualitative and quantitative skills necessary for professional research and teaching in ecological theory and its applications.
Conservation ecology is the branch of ecology and evolutionary biology that deals with the preservation and management of biodiversity and natural resources. It is a discipline that is emerging rapidly as a result of the accelerating deterioration of natural systems and the worldwide epidemic of species extinctions. Its goal is to find ways to conserve species, habitats, landscapes, and ecosystems as quickly, as efficiently, and as economically as possible. The theoretical base of conservation ecology is synthetic, based not only on principles of ecology but on those of genetics, systematics, population biology, and other disciplines.
