Michael R. Willig, Ph.D.

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
and
Center for Environmental Sciences & Engineering

University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-5210

Phone: (860) 486-1455
Fax: (860) 486-1753
E-mail: michael.willig@uconn.edu

Employment

Current Position:

• Director, Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering (http://www.cese.uconn.edu/)
• Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebwww/)

Other Positions:

• Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University (http://www.biol.ttu.edu/)
• Affilated Research Associate, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma (http://www.snomnh.ou.edu/collections-research/mammalogy.htm)
• Program Faculty, Environmental Engineering Program, University of Connecticut (http://www.engr.uconn.edu/environ/)

Relevant Employment History:

• 1976-1978: Research fellow at Brazilian National Academy of Science
• 1979: Visiting Professor at LaRoche College, Department of Natural Sciences
• 1981-1983: Assistant Professor of Biology at Loyola University
• 1983-1989: Assistant Professor of Biology at Texas Tech University
• 1989-1993: Associate Professor of Biology at Texas Tech University
• 1993-2005: Professor of Biology at Texas Tech University
• 1994-1996: Director of The Institute of Environmental Sciences, Texas Tech University
• 1995-1997: Chairman of Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University
• 2000-2002:  Program Director, Ecological Studies Cluster, Division of Environmental Biology, National Science Foundation
• 2004-2006: Division Director, Division of Environmental Biology, National Science Foundation.
• 2005-Present: Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of Connecticut.
• 2006-Present: Director of the Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering at University of Connecticut.

Education

• B.S. - University of Pittsburgh 1974
• Ph.D. - University of Pittsburgh 1981

Dissertation Title - A comparative ecological study of Caatingas and Cerrado Chiropteran communities: composition, structure, morphometrics, and reproduction. (Advisor - Michael A. Mares)

Research Interests

In general, my research is multidisciplinary and characterized by rigorous quantitative approaches to questions relevant to ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology, all considered from an evolutionary perspective. My investigative approach is based on both manipulative and observational experiments, as well as on modeling exercises. My research is strongly organismal in nature and is not limited by taxonomic constraints, as evidenced by publications concerning bacteria, fungi, plants, snails(for a user-friendly key to the gastropods of the Luquillo Experimental forest, see snail key), insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Nonetheless, the major thrust of my research has concerned terrestrial mammals, especially those in tropical regions.

I have broad experience conducting field research in a diversity of habitats, including both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Aquatic research has focused on phytotelmata, streams, and ephemeral lakes (e.g., playas). Terrestrial work has been conducted in semiarid tropical thorn-scrub, tropical grassland-savanna, temperate forest, sub-tropical forest, and tropical rain forest. As a consequence, I currently have or recently have had funded research programs in Paraguay (NSF), Brazil (USDA), Puerto Rico (NSF), Peru (NIH), and the U.S. (NSF).

Moreover, much of my research assumes broad temporal and synthetic perspectives as a consequence of my association with the Long-Term Ecological Research Program (LTER) in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico (http://luq.lternet.edu/) and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) in Santa Barbara (http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/fmt/doc?/frames.html). As my research has matured, especially during the last five years, substantial efforts at synthesis have been directed to research in biodiversity that is related to (1) disturbance ecology, (2) productivity-diversity relationships, (3) latitudinal gradients, and (4) conservation.

Finally, I am collaborating in the production of two edited volumes. One is in an early stage of gestation, and focuses on the status and role of theory in ecology, thereby providing insight into profitable directions for future research, especially that which achieves more than incremental increases in the understanding of ecological patterns and processes. The other is an synthesis of research in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico, which integrates population, community and biogeochemical perspectives, to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics associated with natural and anthropogenic disturbances.

Research Foci

Currently, my research program has a number of broad foci:

1. Biodiversity,
2. Conservation biology,
3. Community ecology,
4. Disturbance ecology,
5. Behavioral ecology,
6. Phylogenetic constraints and secondary sexual dimorphism.

Each link contains detailed information on recent and ongoing research by me and my graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and colleagues.

Publications

A complete list of publications follows, most with links to PDF files which can be downloaded for viewing. To see the publications, follow this link

Current Graduate Students

There are currently four graduate students in my lab. Two are completing their MS degrees at Texas Tech University, and will be defending their theses in the near future. Two are beginning their Ph.D. degree programs at the University of Connecticut. Each is conducting research concerning a quantitative aspect of ecology or conservation biology. Follow their links, or those of lab alumni (see below), to learn more about the graduate research in the lab.

Master of Science

• Lily Arias - Ecomorphological structure of an Amazonian phyllostomid bat assemblage. Texas Tech University.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Brian Klingbeil - Mammalian ecology. University of Connecticut.
• Laura Cisneros - Mammalian ecology. University of Connecticut

Current Post-Doctoral Fellows

Three Post-Doctoral Fellows are currently associated with the lab. Follow their links to learn more about post-doctoral research in the lab.

• Steve Presley (NSF-funded and UConn-funded)
• Ivan Castro-Arellano (NSF-funded and UConn-funded)
• Craig Zimmermann (NSF-funded and TTU-funded)

Lab Alumni

Over the past 20 years or so, more than 30 students have finished degrees in the lab, totaling 25 MS and 7 PhD Degrees. In addition, 10 post doctoral fellows have conducted research in association with the lab. Click on the link to learn more about the Willig Lab Alumni (Willig Lab Alumni).

Undergraduate Research

A substantial number of undergraduate research projects have been conducted in the Willig Lab. Support has been provided graciously by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Science Foundation, or Texas Tech University. Undergraduates have participated in projects both in the United States and Latin America.

To learn more about Undergraduate research, follow this link.