The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology embraces education and research on all aspects of biodiversity, including the history of life on earth, the evolutionary mechanisms that generate diversity, the ecological context in which all life has evolved, and the consequences of interactions among organisms, including humans. Faculty expertise ranges from bacteria to mastodons, from the tropics to the tundra, from the theoretical to the practical.

A greener EEB, click here for details

Featured research
illustration by John Megahan, Conus leopardus

Snail venom study gives insights into biodiversity’s origins

Professor Tom Duda and his former postdoc, Ed Remigio published a study in the February issue of Molecular Ecology on the evolution of venoms of predatory marine snails.

Understanding the role of genetics in the evolution of ecological specialization can provide tremendous insights into the origins of biodiversity.

However, studying the evolution of genes involved with ecological specialization is difficult because these genes are often not known. Duda and Remigio looked at the evolution of a specialized diet of the predatory marine snail Conus leopardus, a species that preys exclusively on marine acorn worms (hemichordates). The limited diet is associated with a decline in the number and diversity of toxin genes expressed in the venom of this species. (more)

 

Illustration by John Megahan, Conus leopardus

News
  • Asclepias syriaca, common milkweedHunter awarded NSF grant

    The National Science Foundation has awarded Professor Mark Hunter a $650,000 grant to study the causes and consequences of variation in plant defense as related to colonization by mycorrhizal fungi. (more)


  • Professor David MindellBest wishes to Prof. Mindell
    David Mindell, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and curator of birds in the Museum of Zoology, has accepted a newly created post as dean of science at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. (more)  

    Huijie Gan volunteering for 2008 Olympic Games
  • Olympic volunteer
    Huijie Gan, an incoming fall 2008 graduate student, has been volunteering for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. (more)

Events
  • Photo Video ContestEEB Student & Faculty Photo and Video Contest!
    Submit photos and videos of you doing engaging in your research! (see more information)

  • Admini golf photos
    EEB staff celebrated Administrative Professionals Day with a mini golf course through their offices. (see photos)

  • Come to his defense

    10 a.m., Monday, 5/19. Ben-Yang Liao presents "Expression evolution of mammalian genes.” Rackham West Conference Room.

  • The EEB Fall Weekend:  Meet, mingle, and explore!

    The 22nd annual EEB Fall Weekend (formerly known as the Retreat) will be held at the U-M Biological Station from Friday evening, Sept. 5, to Sunday, Sept. 7 at noon, (the first weekend after classes start). Mark your calendars. More information to come in late August. We hope to see you there!


  • Tuesday lunch seminars
  • TROPIBIO seminars
  • Thursday seminar series
    All resume fall term
  • Early Career Scientists Symposium 2009
    The topic for the next ECSS will be Conflicts in Ecology and Evolution. It will be held in March 2009.


 

 

2019 Kraus Natural Science Building
830 North University
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048

p: 734.615.4917 // f: 734.763.0544
internal: eeb administration

© 2006 Regents of the University of Michigan