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comination.jpg​Ayal, Yoram (Retired), Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

The structure of desert communities; 
The effect of habitat productivity on community structure and trophic interactions; 
Insect-plant interactions and insect community structure in desert ecosystems; 
Insect parasitoid-host population interactions.

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Shirli%20Bar-David.jpgBar-David, Shirli, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Spatial ecology and spatial genetics and their implications for conservation biology and wildlife management; 
The spatial and genetic structure of populations, factors affecting range expansion, and movement patterns of individuals under different landscape scenarios.

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Item/Oded%20Berger-Tal.jpgBerger-Tal, Oded, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Conservation behavior: I am interested in all aspects of applying animal behavior knowledge and theory to improve conservation and management. Specific topics that are of current interest include the following: 

Post-release behavior of reintroduced animals 

Understanding the mechanisms and reversing the effects of wildlife habituation to humans 

The impact of noise pollution on wildlife behavior and population dynamics

Human-wildlife conflict 

Animal cognition and conservation

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/natural_science/LifeSciences/StaffImages/Item/Amos-Bouskila_2017_Web.jpgBouskila, Amos, Department of Life Sciences

Behavioral Ecology
Population Ecology
Community Ecology
Modeling and Game Theory 
Biodiversity Conservation

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Itamar%20Giladi.jpgGiladi, Itamar, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Plant population and community ecology 
Landscape ecology 
Ecology and evolution of seed dispersal 
Spatial ecology and Biodiversity


 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Dr.%20Hadas%20Hawlena.jpg 
Hawlena, Hadas, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Our research projects, although diverse follow, the same principles: 1) a focus on the organisms in natural settings; 2) a strong emphasis on an experimental approach; 3) interdisciplinary research integrating ecological and evolutionary theory, behavioral ecology, physiology, population dynamics, and molecular tools; and 4) consideration of the broader community.

The evolution and ecology of host-parasite interactions: We are appealed by the complexity of multiple hosts-multiple parasites interactions and wish to understand their reciprocal effects and how they coevolved with each other    

The evolution and ecology of symbiotic interactions: We are interested to understand the role that symbiotic bacteria play in the vertebrate host’s behavior and physiology, and whether they mediate the interactions between the hosts and their parasites.

  Microbial ecology: We are testing whether ecological theories that were developed and proved for macroorganisms apply also to parasitic bacteria. This approach allows us to understand whether microbes are driven by different mechanisms than well-studied animals, such as birds and mammals. 

Disease ecology: We apply our research to reveal the evolutionary and ecological factors that change the risk of infectious diseases, including vector-borne diseases to wild animals and people.


http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/natural_science/LifeSciences/StaffImages/Item/Moshe-Kiflawi_web.JPGKiflawi, Moshe, Department of Life Sciences

Marine Ecology
Population Ecology and Genetics
Behavioral Ecology

 


 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Burt%20Kotler.jpgKotler, Burt, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Community ecology, evolutionary ecology, and behavioral ecology 
Optimal foraging, tradeoffs of food and safety, optimal patch use, the effect of costly information 
Foraging games between predators and their prey 
Consequences of natural selection at the community level: mechanisms of coexistence among desert granivorous birds and mammals 
Applying foraging theory and mechanisms of species coexistence to conservation issues; behavioral indicators in conservation biology

Evolutionary ecology of cancer


 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Boris%20Krasnov.jpgKrasnov, Boris , Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Ecology and evolution of host - parasite interactions 
Macroecology 
Biogeography

 

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Yael%20Lubin.JPGLubin, Yael (Emerita), Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Arachnid ecology 
Behavioral ecology 
Life history 
Social evolution 
Dispersal

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/PublishingImages/Novoplanski.jpgNovoplansky, Ariel (Program Chairperson, Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies)

Evolutionary ecology of phenotypic plasticity in plants; 
Plant morphogenesis and developmental strategies 
Plant communication and environmental perception 
Plant community ecology

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/natural_science/LifeSciences/StaffImages/Item/Ofer_Ovadia.jpgOvadia, Ofer, Department of Life Sciences

Evolutionary Ecology
Life History Evolution
Population Ecology and Genetics
Behavioral Ecology

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Berry%20Pinshow.jpgPinshow, Berry (Emeritus), Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Physiological ecology 
Energy and water exchange between animals and the environment 
Physiology of thermoregulation and osmoregulation in desert animals - especially birds, bats and rodents 
Burrow architecture: How are burrows "designed", through natural selection on their builders to suite the builder's physiological needs, thus becoming become part of the organisms "extended physiology". 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/PublishingImages/NEWS/roll%20155-211.pngRoll, Uri​, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Conversion Science
 Interactions humans have with nature - how they affect it, and are affected and interact with it. 

 To explore these patterns I use theoretical & statistical models, the analysis of data at scales ranging from the local to the global, as well as data collected in the field on various organisms.​

This is done using an array of approaches from purely theoretic perspectives all the way to studies linked to on-the-ground implementation of conservation action.

 Arrangement and organization of natural phenomena in space at different scales

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/David%20Saltz.jpg Saltz, David, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Wildlife management and conservation biology 
Specifically population dynamics and spatial ecology 
Ungulate ecology 
Ecology of small populations 
Disease dynamics

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/natural_science/LifeSciences/StaffImages/Item/Nadav.jpgShashar, Nadav, Department of Life Sciences

Marine Ecology
Sensory Ecology
Restoration Ecology


 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Segoli%20Michal.jpgSegoli, Michal, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Insects behavioral and evolutionary ecologyInsects behavioral and evolutionary ecology 
Factors limiting the reproductive success of insects in the field 
Parasite-host interactions 
Endosymbiont-host interactions
Biological control of pests and diseases 

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Merav%20Seifan.jpgSeifan, Merav, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Community ecology 
Plant ecology 
Plant-animal interactions 
Pollination ecology 
Disturbance ecology 
Spatial ecology 
Biodiversity and species richness

 

http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bidr/SIDEER/MDDE/StaffImages/Georgy%20Shenbrot.jpgShenbrot, Georgy, Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology

Community and population ecology of desert animals (small mammals, lizards) 
Biogeography of arid zones 
Taxonomy of small mammals (Rodentia, Insectivora) and lizarsd (Agamidae) 
Conservation ecology, protection of rare species


 

http://lifeserv.bgu.ac.il/wb/yziv/media/Yaron%20with%20a%20Meriones.jpgZiv, Yaron  (Program Chairperson, Department of Life Sciences)

Macroecology
Spatial Ecology
Landscape Ecology
Community Ecology 
Biodiversity Conservation