Ecology, Evolution and Environment • Department of Biological Science • College of Science • University of Notre Dame

Ecology, Evolution and Environment

The Environment Begins in the Life Sciences

In the 21st century, rapid globalization and related global changes have placed environmental issues at the forefront of scientific inquiry. Emerging diseases, invasive species, chemical pollution, and global warming are but a few of the serious threats facing our planet's inhabitants. Environmental research and scholarship begin with understanding the relationship between organisms and their environment, whose core is in the Life Sciences. The Department of Biological Sciences has assembled a strong and interactive group of faculty who study the natural and human-modified environment. Our faculty apply ecological and evolutionary principles to address questions of major environmental importance. These questions are addressed in the laboratory and in the field, across North America and on other continents, and from the genome to the landscape.

Areas of Specialty

	Conservation Biology Applying population and community ecology to applied problems
	Population & Evolutionary Genetics Understanding the many ways organisms evolve
	Ecology of Aquatic Ecosystems Exploring the structure and function of freshwater systems
	Disease Ecology Uncovering the dynamics of vector-borne illness
	Physiological Ecology Studying organismal performance and behavior in nature
	Population & Community Ecology Quantifying the dynamics of species and species interactions