Fates of populations in modified habitats

Wild populations are facing unprecedented global change. We study the nature of this change through the lenses of ecology, evolution, and conservation. In particular, we ask whether populations experiencing environmental change are adapting or becoming maladapted. Our work is guided by an overarching goal of developing understanding of the fate of natural systems influenced by human activities.

About
We are a group of field biologists in the Biology Department at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT. We investigate the consequences of environmental change on wild populations, especially amphibians. We are particularly interested in understanding how populations adapt or fail to adapt to environmental change, especially in the contexts of roads and runoff pollution.  

Lab news

Summer / Fall 2019
Mia won an award to attend the annual Evolution meeting. Richard received an award from Microsoft to participate in a workshop and hackathon on our urban biodiversity project. Faruk received an SCSU travel award to present his work the Genetic Society of America meeting. Great work to these students!

Our QCBS/CIEE working group special issues on maladaptation our now out in Evolutionary Applications and The American Naturalist. 
April 2019
Congratulations to Lauren, Richard, and Mia for receiving Elm City Innovation fellowships to support their research projects!
Congratulations to Joe, Alina, Faruk, Silvia, and Tracy on their summer REU support from Dartmouth College!
Congratulations to Mary for defending her thesis! 
April 2018
Picture
Lauren Frymus joins the lab as a new master's student, and just received a GSGA Fellowship to boot. Welcome and congratulations, Lauren!
May 2018
Picture
Road salt research led by undergrads Lauren Frymus and Faruk Senturk featured on the front page of the New Haven Register. Congrats Lauren and Faruk!
February 2018
Faruk Senturk was awarded the SCSU Undergraduate Research Grant to study the physiology of (mal)adaptive responses to road salt pollution. Congratulations Faruk!
November 2017

​Check out our new special issue about evolutionary toxicology published in Evolutionary Applications
September 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed visit to Binghamton University. Many thanks to the Hua Lab for hosting! 
March 2017
See Jason Daley's insightful story about our research on roads and evolution.
Read and listen to Thomas Häusler's great coverage of our work on Swiss Public Radio.
Hear Patrick Skahill's public radio piece about our work on roads and evolution.

See story in Quartz about our recent paper on road-induced evolution.
March 2017
Read Mary Bates' PLOS BLOGS coverage of our Frontiers paper.
Our work on road evolution featured in Mongabay.
Our paper on the need for evolutionary perspectives in road ecology is featured on the cover of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
with @JRichardson_44

Videos