OUR RESEARCH

Anthropogenic stressors (e.g., climate change, habitat fragmentation, and pollution) are causing the first human-caused mass extinction event and widespread destruction of ecosystems across the globe. But we can reverse the damage caused by anthropogenic stressors by taking action through research and conservation management. Therefore, our research focuses on understanding the effects of anthropogenic stressors on adaptive life history and behavioral strategies that impact individual and population level fitness. In addition, we study and develop conservation management strategies to mitigate the impacts of these anthropogenic stressors on wildlife and the environment.

Our philosophy is to conduct collaborative, interdisciplinary research in both the field and laboratory that will have direct implications for improving environmental quality and the conservation of species of concern and their natural habitat.

Lab news

2024
  • Great job to Holly Keating, Nolan Burnett, and Alayna Furman on the department's float for the Homecoming Parade!
  • Welcome new graduate student Nolan Burnett to the team!
  • Dr. Liz and her husband welcomed a new little future wildlife biologist to their family!
  • Melissa Loftin received the Jack Seilheimer Outstanding WANR Award! Congrats Melissa!
  • Dr. Liz participated in a podcast mini-series with other conservation behaviorists in the field on "Anthropogenic Behavior Change" on the Deal with Animals Podcast. Check out the trailer here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZLE3guxwho9rUBZbr2ZGV. Check out the mini-series here: www.thedealwithanimals.com
  • Welcome new graduate students Klow Is, Izzy Sheppard, and Holly Keating, and new undergraduate student Xiana Pettis, to the team!
  • We received funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation for our work in Colorado with prairie dogs and ferrets!
  • Congratulations to Klow Si, Izzy Sheppard, and Holly Keating who have been accepted into the graduate program in the Department of Biological Sciences at EIU! Welcome (or welcome back) to the team!
  • We have a new publication on our work studying the impacts of pollution in the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology! See the publication here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00128-023-03846-x
  • Welcome new graduate student, Chinelo Ogwu, and undergraduate student, Liz Stock, to the lab!

For more news on our team, see the Lab News site!

Contact

For more information, contact Dr. Elizabeth Peterson (Principal Investigator) at [email protected].