Conservation Biology
M.S., M.P.S. & Ph.D.

This area entails study and maintenance of biological diversity at the level of genes, populations, communities, ecosystems and biomes; intellectual underpinnings include evolutionary theory, systematic biology, population biology and ecosystem science. Conservation biology seeks ways to integrate biological principles with social, economic and political perspectives to achieve conservation goals. The field is a response of the scientific community to the biodiversity crisis. Conservation biologists view nature’s diversity as important and having inherent value. Training in this field includes experience with the fundamental disciplines and theory of conservation biology, as well as specialization in conservation issues. Students are encouraged to explore the human dimensions of biological conser-vation through coursework in other departments of the college, and to acquire firsthand experience in the application of biological knowledge to problems by working for a conservation agency. Students find employment in a variety of government and private conservation agencies and in academic institutions. Many also work as administrators, policymakers, teachers and communicators. Current research areas in Environmental and Forest Biology include global climate change, endangered species biology, conservation genetics theory and practice, behavioral ecology, habitat fragmentation, restoration ecology, exotic species biology and control, forest and wetland ecosystem management, tropical ecology, ecological monitoring, conservation education and harvest management.

Participating Faculty

• Guy Baldassarre; gabaldas@esf.edu
  Wetlands, Birds, Waterfowl
• Martin Dovciak; mdovciak@esf.edu
  Plant Ecology
• John Farrell; jmfarrell@esf.edu
  Riverine Fish Ecology, Freshwater Coastal Wetlands, Great Lakes
• Melissa Fierke; mkfierke@esf.edu
  Forest Insects
• Jacqueline Frair; jfrair@esf.edu
  Vertebrate and Landscape Ecology
• Jame Gibbs; jpgibbs@syr.edu
  Genetics and Ecology in Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians
• Charles Hall; chall@esf.edu
  Systems Ecolog GIS
• Thomas Horton; trhorton@esf.edu
  Ecology, Fungal Communities, Mycorrhizal Relationships
• Robin Kimmerer; rwkimmer@esf.edu
  Plant Restoration Ecology, Bryology
• Donald Leopold; djleopold@esf.edu
  Wetlands, Restoration Ecology, Rare Species Conservation
• Karin Limburg; klimburg@esf.edu
  Riverine Fish and Estuarine Ecology
• Mark Lomolino; island@esf.edu
  Mammalian Diversity, Bio-geography
• Roy Norton; ranorton@esf.edu
  Ecology and Evolution, Invertebrates, Arachnids
• Dylan Parry; dparry@esf.edu
  Insects, Biological Control, Invasive Species
• William Porter; wfporter@esf.edu
  Wild-life Conservation, Habitat Management
• William Powell; wapowell@esf.edu
  Genetic Engineering in Plant Conservation
• Neil Ringler; neilringler@esf.edu
  Aquatic and Fisheries Restoration, Fish Ecology and Behavior
• Andrew Saunders; dasaunde@esf.edu
  Science Education and Environmental Interpretation
• Martin Schlaepfer; mschlaepfer@esf.edu
  Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and Ecology
• Kimberly Schulz; kschulz@syr.edu
  Aquatic Ecology, Plankton
• William Shields; wms1@syr.edu
  Conservation Theory, Genetics, Behavior in Birds and Mammals, Forensic DNA Analysis
• Donald Stewart; djstewart@esf.edu
  Tropical Fish Ecology and Systematics, Lake Systems Ecology
• Stephen Teale; sateale@esf.edu
  Insect Behavior, Pheromones
• Scott Turner; jsturner@syr.edu
  Physiological Ecology
• Brian Underwood; hbunderw@.syr.edu
  Wildlife Ecology
• Alexander Weir; alexw@esf.edu
  Conservation Mycology