Aeroecology

This book consists of a diverse collection of chapters that seeks to broaden our fundamental understanding of the ecological function and biological importance of the Earth’s lower atmosphere, which provides a huge living space for billions of animals moving within and across continents. Their migration, dispersal and foraging activities connect water and land habitats within and across continents. Drawing upon the wide-ranging experience of the authors, the book takes an inherently interdisciplinary approach that serves to introduce the reader to the topic of aeroecology, frame some of the basic biological questions that can be addressed within the context of aeroecology, and highlight several existing and emerging technologies that are being used to promote aeroecological studies. The book begins with several background chapters, that provide introduction into such topics as atmospheric science, the concept of the habitat, animal physiology, and methods of navigation. It then continues with a broad discussion of observational methods available to and used by aeroecologists. Finally, several targeted examples of aeroecological studies are presented. Following the development of the chapters, the reader is provided with a unifying framework for investigating how the dynamic properties of meteorological conditions at local, regional, and global scales affect the organisms that depend on the air for foraging and movement. Material presented in the book should be of interest to anyone wishing to gain a comprehensive understanding of the aerosphere itself and the myriad airborne organisms that inhabit and depend upon this environment for their existence. The material should be accessible to a diverse set of readers at all stages of training and across a range of research expertise. 

​Dr. Phillip Chilson is a Professor in the School of Meteorology and Advanced Radar Research Center at the University of Oklahoma and Director of the University’s Center for Autonomous Sensing and Sampling. He received a BS and PhD in Physics from Clemson University and an MS in Physics from the University of Florida. He has held positions at the Max-Planck Institut für Aeronomie in Germany, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Sweden, and the University of Colorado. Dr. Chilson’s current research interests include investigations of the atmospheric boundary layer, aeroecology, the advancement of remote sensing technologies, and the development of unmanned aircraft systems for atmospheric studies.

Dr. Winifred Frick is the Senior Director of Conservation Science at Bat Conservation International and adjunct faculty in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz.   She received a B.A. in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz and a Ph.D. at Oregon State University. Her research focuses on understanding how bat populations respond to natural and anthropogenic stressors and how science can be used to inform conservation decisions. She currently leads BCI's conservation science department and directs global bat conservation initiatives that target reducing threats and protecting globally endangered bats through research innovation and increasing capacity and local stakeholder involvement in conservation.

Dr. Jeffrey Kelly is the Director of the Oklahoma Biological Survey and a Professor of Biology at the University of Oklahoma. He received a BS in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine, an MS in Zoology from Oklahoma State University, and a PhD in Biology from Colorado State University. Dr. Kelly’s current research focuses on migratory macrosystems and interdisciplinary studies of human-wildlife conflicts in the lower atmosphere that emerge from rapid growth of telecommunication, energy, transportation, and commerce infrastructure in this habitat.

Dr. Felix Liechti is the director of the Bird migration research department at the Swiss Ornithological Institute, a private science foundation. He received is MS in Zoology at the University of Zurich, and a PhD in Biology from the University of Basel. Dr. Liechti's research focuses on quantifying the general patterns in bird migration in relation as well as investigating the individual patterns and flight behaviour of self-powerd Trans-Sahara migrants. Both topics aim on identifying the importance of environmental factors for the life history traits of bird migrants. This also includes contracted  research on to the impact of wind turbines on bird movements.