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Ecology faculty and research

Faculty associated with the Ecology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program at Penn State, together with a summary of their research interests in ecology. Faculty are listed in alphabetical order of last name. To see more information about a faculty member, click on his/her name.

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Name	Email/phone	Interests include
Abrams, Marc Professor of Forest Ecology and Physiology	agl@psu.edu 814-865-4901 (University Park)	Community, historical and physiological ecology of tree species; global change biology.
Barbercheck, Mary Professor of Entomology	meb34@psu.edu 814-863-2982 (University Park)	Soil ecology: biological aspects of soil quality in sustainable and organic agriculture systems, soil arthropod community ecology, ecology of entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi; Ecosystem ecology.
Bartell, Paul Assistant Professor of Avian Biology	pab43@psu.edu 814-867-2365 (University Park)	The regulation of biological clocks in birds at the systems level.
Baums, Iliana Assistant Professor of Biology	ibb3@psu.edu 814-867-0491 (University Park)	Molecular ecology and evolution of reef invertebrates.
Beckerman, Stephen Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology	stv@psu.edu 814-863-3869 (University Park)	Behavioral ecology; human ecology; rainforest subsistence systems; primitive warfare.
Bjornstad, Ottar Associate Professor of Entomology and Biology Adjunct Professor in Statistics	onb1@psu.edu 814-863-2983 (University Park)	Population dynamics, spatial ecology, ecology of infectious disease, computational biology.
Braithwaite, Victoria Professor of Fisheries and Biology	vab12@psu.edu 814-865-4675 (University Park)	Behavioral ecology, reintroductions and conservation, animal cognition and behavior.
Brittingham, Margaret Associate Professor of Wildlife Resources	mxb21@psu.edu 814-863-8442 (University Park)	Avian ecology; human impacts on bird populations.
Brooks, Robert Professor of Geography and Ecology Director of the Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center	rpb2@psu.edu 814-863-1596 (University Park)	Ecology, management, and restoration of wetland and riparian ecosystems.
Bruns, Mary Ann Associate Professor of Soil Science/Microbial Ecology	mvb10@psu.edu 814-863-0779 (University Park)	Functional ecology of biogeochemically important microbial populations.
Carline, Robert Adjunct Professor of Fisheries	f7u@psu.edu 814-865-4511 (University Park)	Population dynamics; behavior and physiology of fishes.
Carrick, Hunter Assistant Professor of Aquatic Ecology	hjc11@psu.edu 814-865-9219 (University Park)	Ecosystem ecology; effects of eutrophication on the biogeochemistry of lakes, streams, and wetlands; effects of food web alterations on microbial biodiversity and productivity.
Cole, C. Andrew (Andy) Associate Director, Center for Watershed Stewardship Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Ecology	cac13@psu.edu 814-865-3334 (University Park)	Ecosystem ecology: wetlands, hydrology, restoration, seed banks, plant communities, historical ecology.
Comas, Louise Assistant Professor/Research Associate (Horticulture)	lhc105@psu.edu 814-865-0697 (University Park)	Physiological ecology, plant functional roles in communities, evolutionary ecology, comparative biology of belowground plant form and function, root and fungal co-evolution.
Curran, William Professor of Weed Science	wsc2@psu.edu 814-863-1014 (University Park)	Management opportunities for herbaceous perennial and annual species; the effect of cover crops on weed emergence and herbicide efficacy.
Day, Rick Associate Professor of Soil Science and Environmental Information Systems	rday@psu.edu 814-863-1615 (University Park)	Using geographic information systems, terrain analysis, remote sensing and global positioning for environmental assessment and modeling, soil mapping, and land use planning; soil hydrology; water quality.
De Moraes, Consuelo Associate Professor of Entomology	czd10@psu.edu 814-863-2867 (University Park)	Ecology. Chemical ecology. Tritrophic interactions. Biological control. Plant signaling. Plant-insect-interactions. Plant defenses.
DePamphilis, Claude Professor of Biology	cwd3@psu.edu 814-863-6412 (University Park)	Plant molecular evolution and systematics. Evolutionary and ecological genomics.
Decoteau, Dennis Professor of Horticulture and Plant Ecosystem Health	drd10@psu.edu 814-865-5587 (University Park)	Air pollution effects on plants and terrestrial ecosystems.
Diefenbach, Duane Adjunct Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology	ddiefenbach@psu.edu 814-865-4511 (University Park)	Wildlife ecology, estimation of population parameters, and harvest management of game populations.
Drohan, Patrick Assistant Professor of Pedology	pjd7@psu.edu 814-863-4246 (University Park)	Soil formation and biogeochemistry due to land use and ecosystem change; soil and water degradation, and the remediation of soil physical and chemical properties in urban environments.
Eissenstat, David Professor of Woody Plant Physiology Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology	dme9@psu.edu 814-863-3371 (University Park)	Plant physiological ecology, ecosystem ecology, climate change biology, root and soil ecology.
Ferreri, C. Paola Associate Professor of Fisheries Management	cpf3@psu.edu 814-863-2095 (University Park)	Fisheries ecology; fish population dynamics; river ecology and management; watersheds; modeling; and policy and management.
Finley, James (Jim) Professor of Forest Resources	fj4@psu.edu 814-863-0402 (University Park)	Ecosystem management on mixed ownerships; forest management; private forest owner issues and education; sustainable forestry; human dimensions of natural resources.
Fisher, Charles (Chuck) Professor of Biology	cfisher@psu.edu 814-865-3365 (University Park)	Physiological and community ecology of deep sea hydrothermal vent and cold seep fauna.
Fleischer, Shelby Professor of Entomology	sjf4@psu.edu 814-863-7788 (University Park)	Population ecology and management of insects in agroecosystems.
Gallagher, Robert Associate Professor of Cropping Systems	rsg14@psu.edu 814-865-1547 (University Park)	Soil seed bank ecology. Plant-soil interactions. Agroecosystem development and management.
Gannon, Michael Professor of Biology	mrg5@psu.edu 814-949-5210 (Altoona)	Tropical and temperate bat ecology; tropical animal ecology; mammal ecology.
Grenfell, Bryan Alumni Professor of Biology	grenfell@psu.edu 814-865-6080 (University Park)	Population dynamics of infectious disease in humans and animals.
Hawkins, Lauraine Assistant Professor of Biology	lkh1@psu.edu 717-749-6237 (Mont Alto)	Ecology of fungi and small mammals; fungal-animal interactions.
Hedges, S. Blair Professor of Biology	sbh1@psu.edu 814-865-9991 (University Park)	Evolutionary ecology. Molecular evolution and systematics of vertebrates; biogeography; connections between biological evolution and Earth history.
Holen, Dale Associate Professor of Biology	dah13@psu.edu 570-963-2579 (Worthington Scranton)	Microbial food webs; the ecology of mixotrophic protozoans.
Hudson, Peter Director, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences Willaman Professor of Biology	pjh18@psu.edu 814-865-6057 (University Park)	Population dynamics of infectious diseases in wildlife and the dynamics of parasite community structure.
Isard, Scott Professor of Aerobiology	sai10@psu.edu 814-865-6290 (University Park)	Aerobiology, movement and dispersal of organisms, meteorology, field measurement.
Karsten, Heather Associate Professor of Crop Production / Ecology	hdk3@psu.edu 814-863-3179 (University Park)	Physiological ecology; community ecology; agroecology, grazing systems and cropping systems ecology.
Kaye, Jason Assistant Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry	jpk12@psu.edu 814-863-1614 (University Park)	Ecosystem ecology; global change biology; biogeochemistry of nitrogen and carbon cycling in managed and unmanaged ecosystems.
Kaye, Margot Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology	mwk12@psu.edu 814-865-4841 (University Park)	Vegetation dynamics, dendrochronology, disturbance history, paleoclimatology, environmental change.
Kim, Ke Chung Professor of Entomology Director, Center for BioDiversity Research	kck@psu.edu 814-863-2863 (University Park)	Biodiversity science; biodiversity assessment and monitoring; ecology of community assemblages; ecology of guilds; community ecology and coevolution of parasitic arthropods and vertebrates; conservation of transboundary ecosystems; forensic entomology.
Koide, Roger Professor of Horticultural Ecology	rxk13@psu.edu 814-863-0710 (University Park)	Plant ecology; ecology of mycorrhizal symbioses; agricultural ecology; community ecology of fungi.
Langkilde, Tracy Assistant Professor of Biology	tll30@psu.edu 814-867-2251 (University Park)	Population and community ecology: how the nature of interactions between species can shift over time, in response to changes in the environment and corresponding selection pressures.
Lin, Henry Associate Professor of Hydropedology/Soil Hydrology	henrylin@psu.edu 814-865-6726 (University Park)	Hydropedology; environmental soil and water sciences; scaling; watershed water quality; geospatial technologies; environmental modeling, artificial intelligence.
Lynch, Jonathan Professor of Plant Nutrition	jpl4@psu.edu 814-863-2256 (University Park)	Plant ecophysiology and agroecology; plant adaptation to nutrient stress; biogeochemistry of the Eastern deciduous forest; sustainable international development.
Macalady, Jennifer Assistant Professor of Geosciences	jlm80@psu.edu 814-865-6330 (University Park)	Microbial ecology; microbial role in weathering and soil processes; controls on microbial diversity; ecological interactions in microbially dominated systems (ancient earth analogs).
Mahan, Carolyn Associate Professor of Biology	cgm2@psu.edu 814-949-5530 (Altoona)	The study of biodiversity in threatened ecosystems; the effects of human-modified landscapes on wildlife; behavioral ecology of squirrels.
Marden, James (Jim) Professor of Biology	jhm10@psu.edu 814-863-1384 (University Park)	Physiological ecology, functional genomics, evolutionary ecology, and behavior.
Mescher, Mark Assistant Professor of Entomology	mcmescher@psu.edu 814-863-2867 (University Park)	The role of plant volatiles in mediating ecological and evolutionary interactions among plants, insects, and pathogens.
Mortensen, David Professor of Weed Ecology / Biology	dmortensen@psu.edu 814-865-1906 (University Park)	Assessing how climatic, physiographic and soil variation affects cropping systems performance.
Myers, Wayne Professor of Forest Biometrics	wlm@psu.edu 814-863-0002 (University Park)	Forest biometrics; remote sensing; quantitative landscape ecology; spatial analysis; geographic information systems; multivariate statistics; artificial intelligence; natural resource sustainability; international forestry.
Ostiguy, Nancy Associate Professor of Entomology	nxo3@psu.edu 814-863-2872 (University Park)	Integrated pest management; impact of pesticides on non-target species; sampling strategies.
Parks, Susan Research Associate	sep20@psu.edu 814-865-7683 (University Park)	Behavioral ecology and acoustic communication of marine mammals.
Patil, Ganapati Distinguished Professor of Mathematical Statistics Director, Center for Statistical Ecology and Environmental Statistics	gpp@psu.edu 814-865-9422 (University Park)	Statistical ecology, environmental statistics, and quantitative risk analysis.
Post, Eric Associate Professor of Biology	esp10@psu.edu 814-863-8162 (University Park)	Climate change and its effects on life history traits and population and community dynamics.
Saunders, Mike Professor of Entomology	mcs5@psu.edu 814-863-2979 (University Park)	Ecology and pest management of arthropods affecting vineyards; design and development of computer-based systems that capture, formalize, and represent qualitative and quantitative knowledge associated with managed and natural systems.
Shannon, Robert Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering	rds13@psu.edu 814-865-7153 (University Park)	Wetland biogeochemistry. Riparian wetlands. Constructed wetlands for waste treatment. Pollutant impacts on aquatic systems.
Shapiro, Beth Assistant Professor of Biology	bethshapiro@psu.edu 814-867-0224 (University Park)	Molecular ecology; Structure, demographics and evolution of large mammal populations; Ancient DNA.
Shea, Katriona Associate Professor of Biology	k-shea@psu.edu 814-865-7910 (University Park)	Biological invasions; theoretical applied ecology; life history theory.
Smithwick, Erica Assistant Professor of Geography	smithwick@psu.edu 814-865-6693 (University Park)	Landscape and ecosystem ecology. Disturbance ecology & disturbance synergies. Ecosystem simulation models. Climate change and ecosystem carbon storage. Fire and soil nitrogen. Microbial community composition and function. Spatial statistics.
Stauffer, Jay Distinguished Professor of Ichthyology	vc5@psu.edu 814-863-0645 (University Park)	Ecology and systematics of North American freshwater fishes.
Steiner, Kim Professor of Forest Biology Director, The Arboretum at Penn State	steiner@psu.edu 814-865-9351 (University Park)	The ecology, genecology, and physiological ecology of forest regeneration following disturbance.
Stephenson, Andrew (Andy) Professor of Biology	as4@psu.edu 814-863-1553 (University Park)	Ecology and evolution of plant reproduction. The role of inbreeding and genetic variation on the establishment and transmission of plant diseases.
Tamminga, Kenneth Professor of Landscape Architecture	krt1@psu.edu 814-863-2377 (University Park)	Ecological restoration and design; regional ecosystems planning; brownfields and degraded landscapes.
Taylor, Alan Professor of Geography	aht1@psu.edu 814-865-1509 (University Park)	Vegetation dynamics; fire and climate variation on community development; environmental conservation.
Tumlinson, James (Jim) Ralph O. Mumma Professor of Entomology Director, Center for Chemical Ecology	jht2@psu.edu 814-863-1770 (University Park)	Insect chemical ecology; plant-insect interactions; insect attractants.
Uhl, Chris Professor of Biology	cfu1@psu.edu 814-863-3893 (University Park)	Human ecology; sustainability studies; plant community ecology.
Wardrop, Denice Senior Research Associate Associate Professor of Geography and Ecology	dhw110@psu.edu 814-863-1005 (University Park)	Impacts of human disturbance on wetlands; plant community dynamics; theoretical applied ecology; landscape analysis.
Wilf, Peter Associate Professor of Geosciences	pwilf@psu.edu 814-865-6721 (University Park)	Paleobotany; paleoecology; extinction and recovery of past ecosystems; responses of organisms to climate change.
Zenner, Eric Associate Professor of Silviculture	eric.zenner@psu.edu 814-865-4574 (University Park)	Ecology, management and regeneration of forest ecosystems; community ecology.

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Ecology faculty and research

Jump to the subset of these people that work in: