Ph.D., Tufts University
Tel: (617) 552-0735
E-mail: eric.strauss@bc.edu
Director, Environmental Studies Program (www.bc.edu/schools/cas/envstudies/)
Web: www2.bc.edu/~strausse
Fields of Interest
Urban Ecology, Conservation Biology, Science Education
Academic Profile
The study of urban ecology provides rich opportunities to investigate the role of humans as ecosystem engineers and to contribute basic science scholarship to policies of sustainable city management. With foci on behavioral and community ecology, we conduct our research in two primary locations - the Boston Metropolitan Area and the Sandy Neck Barrier Beach Complex on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Utilizing methods that include mark-recapture studies, direct observation, radio-telemetry and bioacoustics, we are interested in elucidating the factors that influence the reproductive success and life history. Our study species include eastern coyotes (Canis latrans), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) and diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin).
Our long-term research efforts are strengthened by collaborations with the Urban Ecology Institute, the Urban Sciences Research & Learning Group and the Urban Ecology Collaborative. Each of these collaborative partners work to promote the stewardship of healthy urban ecosystems by improving our knowledge of urban ecological function, and by engaging communities in the process of urban restoration and transformation. In addition, we are committed to creating authentic connections between the scholarship of original research and the teaching of high school and college science. Our studies serve as curricula for courses taught at Boston College, our partner universities and collaborating high schools. As such, our methodologies are designed to incorporate student scientists of all ages into as many phases of the work as possible.
Representative Publications
Barnett, M., Lord, C., Strauss, E., Rosca, C., Langford, H., Chavez, D., and Deni, L. 2006. Using the urban environment to engage youth in urban ecology field studies. Journal of Environmental Education 37(2): 3–11.
Way, J. G., Ortega, I. M., and Strauss, E. G. 2004. Movement and activity patterns of eastern coyotes in a coastal suburban environment. Northeastern Naturalist 11: 237–254.
Way, J., Ortega, I., Auger, P., Strauss, E. 2004. Eastern coyote denning behavior in an anthropogenic environment. Northeast Wildlife 56: 18–30.
Way, J. G., and Strauss, E. G. 2004. Old-aged coyote in an urbanised landscape. Canid News 7.2 (online journal, PDF).
Lord, C.A., Strauss, E.G., Toffler, A. 2003. Natural Cities: Urban Ecology and the restoration of urban ecosystems. Virginia Environmental Law Journal 21: 318–385.
Way, J.G., Ortega, I.M., Auger, P.J., Strauss, E.G. 2002. Box-trapping eastern coyotes in southeastern Massachusetts. Wildlife Society Bulletin 30(3): 695–702.
Strauss, E. & Lisowski, M. 2000. Biology, The Web of Life, 2nd Edition. Menlo Park: Benjamin Cummings.
Wells, H., Strauss, E., Rutter, M., & Wells, P. 1998. Mate location, population growth and species extinction. Biological Conservation 86: 317–324.
Mansfield, T., Strauss, E., & Auger, P. 1998. Using decoys to capture spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata). Herpetological Review 29(3): 157–158.
Strauss, E. 1997. Biology Alive! Host and technical advisor for a five part television series on conservation and evolutionary biology. McLean Media/Addison Wesley. Menlo Park.
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