Boston University Department of Biology

Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution

The program in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution (EBE) includes exciting and innovative courses and cutting-edge research opportunities in behavioral ecology and sociobiology, molecular ecology and evolution, community ecology, biochemical ecology, population biology, tropical ecology, ecosystem ecology, and conservation biology. Integrative and cross-disciplinary research is strongly encouraged and a broad organismal perspective is emphasized. Faculty research investigates a broad array of organisms, including microbes, protists, fungi, plants, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals living in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems in both temperate and tropical regions.

The group has a particularly strong track record of training international students and conducting research in tropical regions around the world. We have recently expanded our expertise in community and ecosystem ecology with faculty conducting research on temperate forests in New England. Faculty laboratories and other shared facilities on campus are well equipped for microscopy, molecular genetics, stable isotope analyses, mass spectrometry, and other methods necessary for modern integrative research.

The EBE program is greatly enriched by its affiliation with faculty from the Center for Ecology & Conservation Biology, the Marine Program, and the departments of Geography & Environment, Earth Sciences, and Anthropology. Field research and training opportunities are available at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazonian rainforest of eastern Ecuador and the Sargent Center for Outdoor Education in southern New Hampshire. Many of our faculty also have affiliations with other research centers supporting field-based research.

Faculty with Related Research

• Jelle Atema
  Sensory biology, chemical signals, receptor physiology, animal behavior, behavioral ecology, chemical ecology, biomimetic robotics
• Peter Buston
  Animal behavior, evolutionary ecology, biological oceanography
• Ian P. Callard
  Endocrinology and reproduction
• John Finnerty
  Evolution of development, developmental genetics, phylogenetics, evolutionary genomics, invertebrate zoology; coral conservation
• Adrien Finzi
  Forest ecology and biogeochemistry
• Wally Fulweiler
  Biogeochemistry and Marine Ecology
• Stjepko Golubic
  Microbial ecology, fossil microorganisms, stromatolites, bioerosion, phycology, cyanobacteria
• Les Kaufman
  Marine biology, evolutionary ecology, and conservation biology
• Thomas Kunz
  Behavioral and physiological ecology, reproductive biology, evolution, and conservation biology of bats
• Phillip S. Lobel
  Ichthyology; behavioral ecology and taxonomy of fishes
• Sean P. Mullen
  Adaptation and speciation; hybrid zones; the evolution of mimicry and wing pattern variation in butterflies; evolutionary genetics; comparative and population genomics; bioinformatics
• Richard B. Primack
  Plant population biology; impact of climate change on plants and birds; tropical forests; conservation biology; rare plant species
• Chris Schneider
  Ecology, evolution and adaptive diversification of reptiles and amphibians; systematics; population and comparative genomics; tropical biology and conservation
• Michael D. Sorenson
  Avian behavioral ecology, speciation, population genomics, and molecular systematics
• Pamela Templer
  Plant and microbial ecosystem ecology; biogeochemistry
• James F. A. Traniello
  Behavior, ecology and evolution of social insects; neuroethology; social brain evolution; behavioral development and senescence; evolution of division of labor
• Karen Warkentin
  Phenotypic plasticity; behavior; integrative biology of early life stages; hatching; vibrational information; amphibians; sex, gender and sexuality