Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Research

Welcome to the Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology research cluster in the Department of Biological Sciences at Wright State University. We study and teach about organisms, their evolution, and their relationship with their environment. We are passionate about our research and about our positive contribution to the world through teaching and conservation.  Our research and teaching spans a wide range of organisms, including microbes, algae, plants, nematodes, insects, benthic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. We study these organisms in a diverse range of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, from the campus woods to Ecuadorian tropical cloud forests and African Great Lakes. We also engage in laboratory-based experiments and analysis in such disciplines as genetics, ecosystem ecology, physiology, taxonomy, botany, and ecoinformatics. Our campus facilities include a greenhouse, aquarium room, plant, insect, and fish collections, and a forested, 75 hectare biology preserve. 

Brief descriptions of EEOB biology faculty research interests are listed below. For more thorough descriptions of research and training opportunities, please go to the individual faculty members page.

Research Interests

• Distribution and abundance of species over space and time
  Volker Bahn, Ph.D.
   
• Speciation genetics; morphological evolution; evolution of adaptive gene complexes
  Scott Baird, Ph.D.
   
• Induced plant responses to herbivores and pathogens and the chemical ecology of invasive plants, insects, and microbes
  Don Cipollini, Ph.D.
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• Chemosensitivity and effects of environmental temperature on poikilotherms
  Lynn Hartzler, Ph.D.
   
• Biogeochemical cycling at the aquatic--terrestrial interface; anthropogenic impacts
  Katie Hossler, Ph.D.
   
• Aquatic ecology; freshwater fish and gastropod assemblage and environmental trends; ecomorphology; conservation
  Stephen Jacquemin, Ph.D.
   
• Molecular evolution and genetic diversity; DNA bioinformatics; forensic DNA analysis
  Dan Krane, Ph.D.
   
• Evolution of populations/species; influence of natural selection on non-coding DNA
  Jefferey Peters, Ph.D.
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• Evolutionary biology, community ecology, and statistical modeling for exploring abiotic and biotic factors which influence host-microbe interactions
  Megan Rua, Ph.D.
   
• Phylogenetics, Evolution and Ecology of Parasitic Insects
  John Stireman, Ph.D.
   
• Interactions between attached algae and herbivorous fish in Lake Tanganyika
  Yvonne Vadeboncoeur, Ph.D.