The Division of Ecology and Conservation Science (DECS) at the Illinois Natural History Survey investigates the distributions of aquatic and terrestrial communities and the processes that shape these biological communities. Moreover, scientists and programs within the Division provide critical data and robust information aimed at conserving and restoring the diversity of aquatic and terrestrial habitats found throughout the State of Illinois and the continent. We also explore distributions and functional relationships among many of the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems at multiple scales ranging from genes to entire ecosystems. The Division was created by merging our former Center for Aquatic Ecology and Conservation and the Center for Wildlife and Plant Ecology. This merger will fortify our traditional research strengths and take advantage of new multi-disciplinary opportunities in understanding the complexity of ecosystems (and ecological gradients.)
The Division of Ecology and Conservation Science is divided into three sections with separate but related emphases.
- Section for Wildlife and Plant Ecology : Staff in this section conduct basic and applied research on plants and wildlife and their habitats. Our staff conducts research on all aspects of wildlife and plant ecology, including basic ecological studies of individual species and communities; monitoring trends in Illinois wildlife and plants; landscape analyses; evaluation, delineation, restoration, and mitigation studies of wetlands; human dimensions of wildlife management; and integrated studies of wildlife health issues.
- Section for Aquatic Ecology and Conservation: Staff in this section research, assess, and monitor the aquatic resources of Illinois and the organisms that inhabit them. To assure the optimum and sustained use of our aquatic resources for educational, aesthetic, recreational, and economic benefit to the citizens of the state, we produce scientific and technical information that can be used in the development of a wide array of management plans, as well as the dissemination of the resulting information to scientists, state and local government agencies, sportsmen, and other users.
- Section for Field Stations and Ecosystems Science
A few highlights of the kinds of scientific research we conduct include:- Hunter use, preference, and harvest surveys
- Epidemiology of wildlife-borne diseases
- Mapping of Illinois' "Green Infrastructure"
- Grassland, prairie, forest, and wetland bird ecology
- Processes shaping Lake Michigan's inshore fish and invertebrate communities
- Effects of recreational and tournament angling on bass recruitment
- Bio-energetics and trophic cascades in aquatic ecosystems
- Molecular ecology and population genetics of sport, non-game, threatened, and endangered fishes
- Coarse habitat analysis within large watersheds
- Ecology of large rivers and wadable streams
