Evolution
Evolutionary Track of the Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology Graduate Program
The research interests of the graduate track in Evolutionary Biology encompass evolutionary ecology and population genetics, behavioral ecology, molecular systematics, and evolutionary physiology. We are also concerned with the application of knowledge from these disciplines to problems in biological control and conservation biology.
Current research in evolutionary biology uses techniques from mathematics, statistics, computer science, and molecular biology to supplement field and laboratory studies. Ph.D. students are also expected to gain a broad understanding of the domain of evolutionary biology through a series of graduate courses that integrate the history of the field with current controversies and new discoveries. Accordingly, all Ph.D. students take a course in Evolution and courses from two of the three areas of Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, and Population Genetics. Although Masters students are not required to take these graduate courses, most elect to take some of them.
Research projects of graduate students in Evolutionary Biology at UCR include field studies, laboratory studies, and purely theoretical work. The proximity of Riverside to a variety of different habitats, plus the availability of the extensive UC Natural Reserve System, facilitates the study of a wide variety of natural populations and communities.
Research interests of the faculty in Evolutionary Biology are quite diverse in terms of subject and taxon. Current research programs include theoretical and experimental population and quantitative genetics, population and community ecology, conservation biology, landscape ecology, life history evolution, sexual selection, behavioral ecology, evolutionary interactions of hosts and parasites, systematics, molecular evolution, ecological aspects of energy acquisition and utilization. We expect applicants to read carefully the research summaries of our faculty, and look at selected faculty publications, so that they have some insight into the research environment we can provide.