Conservation and Biodiversity

The Department of Biological Sciences maintains a strong tradition of field-oriented research of the world’s rich biota and the conservation efforts required to preserve this diversity. Fifteen faculty members in the department cover the broad spectrum of taxonomic groups and integrate studies of basic natural history of organisms with analyses of the evolution and maintenance of biodiversity. The program features conservation efforts that range from single species to landscape levels and biodiversity studies that range from the molecular level to the community level.

Studies of conservation and biodiversity at Auburn benefit from the presence of Peaks of Excellence associated with the Center for Forest Sustainability and Cell and Molecular Biosciences. The program also benefits from interactions with the Auburn Group in Ecology, the Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the Genomics and Sequencing Laboratory, the Molette Biology Laboratory for Environmental and Climate Change Studies and the Auburn Natural History Learning Center. Additionally, Auburn is a member of the Organization for Tropical Studies and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, with active research programs at the field stations run by these organizations. We encourage undergraduate and graduate students interested in developing careers in state, federal, and international conservation agencies to consider our program.