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.
The Ecotoxicology/Physiological Ecology (EPE) AOE broadly focuses on the study of organism-environment interactions, mechanistically linking integrative function at the individual level to its abiotic and biotic environment. A highly integrative AOE, students and faculty utilize cutting-edge techniques and diverse approaches from disciplines such as biomechanics, energetics, genomics, behavior, pharmacology, and geochemistry to investigate ecological questions in topic areas such population biology, conservation, environmental health, and evolution. While students may study a wide range of taxa (microbes to megafauna) in diverse types of ecosystems (e.g., tropical, polar, aquatic, montane, paleoclimates), this AOE especially serves students interested in applying experimental approaches and/or measuring sub- to whole organismal metrics to inform their research questions.
