About the Department
Although the name Department of Animal
Biology*
is relatively new, this area of biology has a long tradition of excellence at the
University of Illinois. Victor E. Shelford, a faculty member in the
Department of Zoology from 1914 to 1947, was instrumental in the development of
the field of animal ecology in North America. His emphasis on empirical
studies in both academic and research programs has continued to the present.
The School
of Integrative Biology focuses on an integrative approach to fundamental problems that can make a
significant contribution to the solution of outstanding scientific and societal problems.
As part of that School, the Department of Animal Biology's faculty teach and
conduct research in
- behavioral ecology
- population and community biology
- molecular evolution
- paleobiology
- population genetics, and
- phylogenetic systematics.
Current research involves a wide range of
organisms, from protozoans through mammals. Affiliate faculty from the
Illinois
Natural History Survey provide opportunities for graduate research in such
applied areas as fisheries and wildlife management, conservation biology, as
well as in ecology, behavior, and evolution.
Research facilities include laboratories
well equipped for molecular biology, a modern avian behavior laboratory,
greenhouses, and nearby
research areas with mature forest, restored tall-grass prairies, and
extensive areas for manipulative studies.
*formerly Department of Ecology,
Ethology & Evolution
Updated
09/26/05 | 
