Department of Biology

Brent Burt, Ph.D., Univ. Arizona. Dr. Burt's research interests include avian systematics, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary theory. His primary research focus is the ecology and evolution of cooperative breeding in birds.

Michael Collyer, Ph.D., North Dakota State University. Dr. Collyer's research is both empirical and theoretical. His empirical research is concerned with understanding the ecological factors that promote and maintain phenotypic diversity. Much of this research emphasis focuses on aquatic organisms, especially threatened or endangered vertebrates, such as pupfishes in North American deserts. Dr. Collyer’s theoretical research involves developing quantitative methods for analyzing complex phenotypic change.

Dennis Gravatt. Ph.D., LSU. Dr. Gravatt uses his understanding of plant physiology to elucidate the mechanisms of plant responses to different growth limiting factors. He is particularly interested in the environmental and biochemical limitations on photosynthetic capacity in stressful environments.

Matthew Kwiatkowski, Ph.D., Arizona State University. Dr. Kwiatkowski’s research focuses on two main areas of reptile and amphibian evolutionary ecology. The first focus is on the spatial ecology of reptiles and amphibians in both natural and fragmented habitats, including urbanized areas. This includes analysis of movements, home range size, and habitat use, often utilizing GIS techniques. Molecular tools such as DNA microsatellites are also used to investigate gene flow and genetic structure among fragmented populations. The second component of Dr. Kwiatkowski’s research investigates mating behavior and how environmental variables influence sexual selection. Much of Dr. Kwiatkowski’s research is strongly linked to the conservation of reptiles and amphibians.

Don Pratt, Ph.D., Iowa State University. Dr. Pratt’s primary research is in plant systematics (evolutionary history and taxonomy), with an emphasis in the important weedy genus Amaranthus, as well as the closely related Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae plant families. Dr. Pratt’s current research emphasizes 1) the recovery of evolutionary histories (phylogenies) using molecular markers; and 2) using well-developed molecular based phylogenies to better understand the evolution of morphological characters. Examples include: the evolution of breeding systems in Amaranthus, the distinctive bract structures of the Amaranthaceae, and the dispersal units of the Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae. Dr. Pratt’s research includes both lab (DNA sequencing, molecular markers, and herbarium study) and field (plant collection) aspects.

Josephine Taylor, Ph.D., Univ. Georgia. Dr. Taylor uses light and electron microscopy to investigate host-pathogen interactions in fungal plant diseases. She is particularly interested in the characterization of fungal development and plant responses in resistant hosts.

James VanKley, Ph.D., Purdue Univ. Dr. VanKley's specialty is vegetation science, also known as synecology or community ecology. It includes the description, classification, and mapping of plant communities, the description of environmental factors that determine what plant species grow in a certain community, and the description of patterns of plant communities across the landscape.

Stephen Wagner, Ph.D., Clemson Univ. Dr. Wagner studies how microorganisms interact with their environment and other organisms. He emphasizes the use of beneficial microorganisms to help solve environmental problems.