Animal Survival In Inherited Habitats
Humans have known for centuries that offspring inherit characteristics from their parents. More recently, science explained this phenomenon with genetics; writing formulas that explain how certain traits get passed down generation to generation.
Now, a wildlife researcher at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is helping open the door on a new, poorly understood aspect of heredity that owes more to simple fate and geography than genomes.
Eric M. Schauber, associate professor of zoology and a member of the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory at SIUC, is part of team examining how inheriting favorable or unfavorable habitat affects the overall rise and fall of animal populations. Schauber’s work, which involves studying the relationships among mice and chipmunks, gypsy moths and ticks in several areas around the northeastern United States, promises to mathematically analyze how those variables impact natural selection in those populations.
Schauber theorizes that for some animal species, inheriting a piece of turf has as much impact on an animal’s survival as inheriting intelligence, fertility, camouflage or other genetically transferred characteristics. The ongoing study could eventually provide insight into managing endangered species populations, among other uses.
Morningside College NewsMorningside College students, faculty, staff recognized at ODK His research interests include the many aspects of community ecology, including predator-prey interactions and biodiversity. His research endeavors have included work in the biological roles of snake and spider venoms, insect community ecology,