General Information

Location and University

The City of Toledo in northwest Ohio is located at the mouth of the Maumee River on the western shore of Lake Erie. The greater metropolitan area, with a population of about 400,000, is characterized by glacial terrains, and agricultural and urban ecosystems. Local rivers, Lake Erie’s productive fisheries and wetlands, and the remarkable diversity of the Oak Openings savannas and woodlands, make the Toledo region an ideal natural laboratory for studies in ecology, geology, and environmental sciences.

The University of Toledo is a Carnegie Foundation Doctoral/Research University and a member of Ohio's State University System. The beautiful main campus is located in an outlying residential area of the city. After its merger in 2006 with the Medical University of Ohio, the University of Toledo is now the third largest public university in the state in terms of its operating budget. It has an enrollment of nearly 21,000 students, 4,650 of which are engaged in graduate studies with more than 50 of these in the Environmental Sciences Department.

Department Strengths*

► Biogeochemistry and Bioremediation

►Coastal Environments and Processes

► Community and Ecosystem Ecology

► Environmental Geology and Hydrogeology

► Field Biology and Plant Biotechnology

► Geophysics and Petrology

► Paleo-Ecology and Paleontology

► Soil Biology and Chemistry

► Glacial and Quaternary Environments

*Research in other areas is also conducted (see faculty specialties).

Degrees Offered

► Bachelors of Science in Biology

► Bachelors of Science in Geology

► Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science

► Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Studies

► Master of Science in Biology (Ecology-Track)

► Master of Science in Geology

► Doctor of Philosophy in Biology (Ecology-Track)

Facilities

The Department has modern well-equipped analytical laboratories, a wide variety of field equipment, state-of-the-art computer facilities, field vehicles and boats as well as a fully equipped and staffed machine shop. These facilities are located in the:

► Bowman-Oddy/Wolfe Complex (with most faculty offices, classrooms and research laboratories)

► Lake Erie Research Center (a teaching and research facility for aquatic ecology, hydrogeology and environmental science)

► Stranahan Arboretum (a 47 acre terrestrial lab for teaching, research and public outreach)

► Plant Science Research Center (a research facility for plant genetics and phytoremediation)

Environmental Sciences Faculty and Their Specialties

Full Time Faculty:

Jonathan M. Bossenbroek — invasion, landscape and watershed ecology

Thomas B. Bridgeman — aquatic ecology, plankton, Great Lakes limnology

V. Max Brown — igneous and metamorphic petrology (Environmental Science Undergraduate Adviser)

Mark J. Camp — invertebrate paleontology, building stones, Quaternary geology

Jiquan Chen — landscape ecology, ecosystem analysis

Daryl F. Dwyer — bioremediation and restoration, environmental microbiology

Timothy G. Fisher — geomorphology, glacial geology, Quaternary geology

Stephen L. Goldman — plant biotechnology (Director of the Plant Science Research Center)

Johan F. Gottgens — wetlands ecology (Ecology Graduate Coordinator and Adviser)

James A. Harrell — sedimentary petrology, archaeological geology (Geology Graduate Coordinator and Adviser)

Scott A. Heckathorn — plant ecological physiology, biochemistry and heat-shock proteins

David E. Krantz — geology and oceanography of coastal systems

Ann E. Krause — aquatic ecology, limnology

James Martin-Hayden — hydrogeology, hydrogeological modeling, aquifer protection

Christine M. Mayer — aquatic ecology, invertebrate-fish predator-prey interactions, organism-habitat modification, introduced species

Daryl L. Moorhead — systems ecology, energy and nutrient flows (Director of Stranahan Arboretum)

Michael W. Phillips — mineralogy (Department Chair, and Geology Undergraduate Adviser)

Stacy M. Philpott — insect community ecology, linkages between agroecology and conservation (Honors Adviser)

W. Von Sigler — environmental microbiology, environmental transmission of pathogens

Alison L. Spongberg — environmental geochemistry, soil science, secondary science education (Environmental Science Undergraduate Adviser)

Carol A. Stepien — conservation genetics of fishes and aquatic invertebrates, strategies of invasive species (Director of the Lake Erie Research Center)

Donald J. Stierman — earthquake seismology, environmental geophysics

Elliot J. Tramer — population dynamics of vertebrates and plants, avian ecology (Associate Department Chair, Director of the Environmental Sciences/Studies Programs, and Environmental Science Undergraduate Adviser)

Michael N. Weintraub — soil and ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry

Affiliated Faculty and Researchers:

Farhang Akbar-Khanzadeh – environmental health

Michael S. Bisesi – environmental health

Kim Brosofske – plant ecology

Thomas R. Crowe – forest ecosystems

Kevin P. Czajkowski – environmental remote sensing/GIS

Stuart L. Dean – structural geology

Jonathan M. Frantz – horticulture

Louis Glatzer – environmental biology

Michelle T. Grigore – conservation ecology

Harry Jol – geomorphology, ground penetrating radar applications

Charles R. Krause – plant pathology

Patrick Lawrence – environmental planning, remote sensing

James C. Locke – plant pathology

Steven McNulty – forest ecology

Sheryl A. Milz – environmental health

Asko Noormets – plant eco-physiology

Malcolm P. North – forest ecosystems

Yude Pan – forest ecosystems

Edward Roseman – fish ecology

Sairam Rudrabhatla – plant genetics, phytoremediation

Ge Sun – forest hydrology

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