Christopher Whelan
Adjunct Research Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
About
Research Interest
I am an evolutionary ecologist. I have broad interests in the evolutionary ecology of species in natural communities, their conservation, and how they function. My research has examined the ecology of human-dominated landscapes (including the urban environment), ecosystem services, plant-animal interactions, and the interplay of digestive physiology and foraging ecology. Over most of my career I have concentrated on birds. In their ecosystems, different bird species function in many ways. Many species are predators of vertebrates and/or invertebrates, some consume fruits and disperse seeds while others consume the seeds themselves (so they are seed predators), and many species consume carrion. Through these various ecological and ecosystem functions, birds often benefit people – though most of us are blissfully unaware of these important ecosystem services, even as we celebrate birds for their beauty, their songs, and their fascinating behaviors.
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