Organisms of interest obviously include both plants and animals at the broadest scale, but among organisms studied are parasites, lichens, plankton, microorganisms, algae, insects, social insects, fishes, salamanders, oak trees, birds, small mammals, cattle, and humans. Research projects are directed by ASU ecology faculty on all the world's continents and in a wide variety of biomes. Many ecologists in the life science departments work in nearby desert environments, emphasizing a diversity of subjects varying from behavioral and species ecology to ecosystem function and from molecular genetics to conservation biology. A relatively large group focuses on southwestern aquatic and riparian environments, ecosystems that are both valuable and threatened in this arid region. Program of Study Completion of a Master of Science degree program requires approximately two years of study, while Ph.D. students devote at least four academic years beyond the bachelor's degree.
Students plan individual programs of study with their supervisory committees.
A wide range of courses is offered each semester, and students usually are required to take one or more graduate-level seminar courses. Master's students write a thesis and defend it in an oral examination. Ph.D. students take comprehensive examinations to qualify for doctoral candidacy, conduct original research leading to a dissertation, and defend their dissertation in a public lecture and final oral examination. Equipment for faculty and graduate student research includes atomic absorption spectrophotometers, carbon analysis systems, image analysis systems, excellent computer facilities, an automated wet chemistry system, electron microscopes , modern facilities for molecular genetic analysis, and other specialized instruments. A newly renovated animal resource center, a new stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer laboratory , and an environmental laboratory associated with ASU's Center for Science and Engineering Technology are also available.