Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology Ph.D.

This concentration leads to both Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Environmental Conservation (ECo) and is designed for students who want scientific training in the multi-disciplinary field of wildlife, fish and conservation biology. The focus of this concentration is broadly on animal ecology and conservation biology but encompasses specialized training in fields such as conservation genetics, population ecology and landscape ecology. The prime impetus for this concentration is the need for an adequate science base and professional training for decision-making regarding wildlife and fish resources.

Faculty affiliated with this concentration have expertise in vertebrate population ecology; endangered, threatened, and overabundant species; wetland and forest ecology; animal behavior and physiology; geographic information systems and remote sensing; aquatic toxicology; population dynamics and demographic modeling; and landscape and ecosystems ecology. A major strength of our program is the unique convergence of Universities, federal and state agencies in Amherst, unmatched in the Northeast. A series of cooperative agreements, memoranda of research understanding and sole-source vendor relationships with state and federal agencies provide a strong base of research funding. These agreements also provide important teaching and research relationships between our program and state and federal natural resource agencies. Wildlife research focuses on wetlands, biodiversity, animal habitat associations, landscape and systems ecology, remote sensing, human-wildlife conflicts, forest-wildlife relationships, and international conservation. Fisheries research focuses on marine, estuarine, and inland resources and specifically on population dynamics, relationship of ecosystem structure and production, the effect of organic and inorganic contamination on aquatic ecosystem function, and anadromous fish behavior, ecology and physiology. There are approximately 70 graduate students in the Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology Concentration. Through their research projects, graduate students often employ or provide volunteer opportunities for interested undergraduates (about 150 in the Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation concentration within the Natural Resources Conservation major). Graduate students are encouraged to participate in projects and activities of their colleagues to broaden their experience and to provide and receive ideas and suggestions for improvements.