Janet Loxterman

Biography

Janet Loxterman, Ph.D.,Assistant Chair & Associate Professor Evolutionary Biology Education 2001, Ph.D. Biology, Conservation Genetics, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 1995, M.S. Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 1992, B.S. Behavioral Neuroscience, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 2002-2003, Postdoctoral fellow, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Conservation Genetics Unit, Olympia, WA 2001-2002, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK

Research Interest

My main research interests involve the combination of population genetics with conservation biology and ecology. Specifically, I am interested in the application of molecular genetic techniques to questions of conservation and ecological importance. I have worked with a variety of vertebrate species from both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Both ecological and genetic studies can have limitations when applied to questions of conservation importance. I try to overcome these limitations by combining ecological data with genetic information. Using both demographic and genetic data provides a more complete picture of the geographic population structure of a species, which is important in designing effective management plans. Hence, the unification of ecology, genetics, and conservation in the field of conservation genetics has unlimited applications to future problems facing biologists, including species protection, reintroduction programs, and habitat restoration.