Department of Ecology Evolution and Organismal Biology

Cotton’s roots trace to Yucatan Peninsula, where wild gene pool runs deepest
A research team led by Distinguished Professor Jonathan Wendel, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, confirmed cotton was domesticated from a diverse population native to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a potentially fruitful target for finding genetic traits that could strengthen the world’s most important fiber crop.

June 18, 2026
LAS researchers discover that pollinators help maintain plant biodiversity
A recent study by Brian Wilsey, professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology, shows that pollinators help maintain plant biodiversity, suggesting that significant decreases in pollinators could cause a “plant-pollinator extinction vortex.”

April 14, 2026
Solving bamboo’s enduring puzzles
Lynn Clark, Distinguished Professor in Liberal Art and Sciences, is one of the world's leading experts in identifying and classifying bamboo.

October 8, 2025
A new wrinkle in turtles: Their genomes fold in a unique way
A new study led by evolutionary biologist Nicole Valenzuela describes the three-dimensional architecture of turtle genomes, which fold in a configuration unlike any other animal observed so far.

November 11, 2024
Burgin selected as chair of Iowa State’s Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology
Amy Burgin comes to Iowa State from the University of Kansas. She will begin her appointment on Jan. 1, 2025.

June 19, 2024
Lab-grown liver organoid to speed up turtle research
The discovery will aid deeper study of turtle genetics, including the cause of traits with potential medical applications for humans, such as the ability to survive weeks without oxygen.

March 5, 2024
Iowa State’s herbarium offers window into plant history
Iowa State’s Ada Hayden Herbarium holds more than 700,000 preserved plant, fungal, and algal specimens, a valuable resource for research and instruction.

January 25, 2024
EEOB professor offers students unique animal research opportunity
Corinna Most, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, is helping make immersive animal behavior research more accessible for students.

November 20, 2023