

Eric Liebgold
Research Interest
My research interests involve conservation, ecological, and evolutionary questions relating to populations and the interplay between animal movements, genetic structure, and habitat. In my lab, we are currently studying IUCN endangered spotted turtles and state endangered tiger salamanders as well as declining species of ground-nesting warblers. Our current focus is on mark-recapture population size estimation, population connectivity, and habitat.
Prospective undergraduate and Master’s students are encouraged to read more about our lab and join us!
My lab page can be found at http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~ebliebgold/
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Teaching Philosophy
Here is a video of my Ecology (BIOL 310) class in action starring students from Fall 2017:
https://vimeo.com/263008677
And a video from Ornithology (BIOL 405) in Spring 2018: https://vimeo.com/271607574
And here is a video showcasing wildlife seen with students in many classes I have taught over the last few years: https://vimeo.com/271593440
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Selected Publications
Grant, Alexa Hope and Liebgold, Eric B. (2017) Color-biased dispersal inferred by fine-scale genetic spatial autocorrelation in a color polymorphic salamander. vol. 108. pp. 588-593. Journal of Heredity.
Grant, Alexa H., Ransom, Tami S. and Liebgold, Eric B. (2018) Differential survival and the effects of avian predation on a color polymorphic species, the red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus). vol. 52. no. 2. pp. 127-135. Journal of Herpetology.
Biddle, Joshua R. , Grant, Alexa Hope and Liebgold, Eric B. (2017) Factors affecting the growth of Red-backed Salamanders, Plethodon cinereus. vol. 73. pp. 89-93. Herpetologica.
Liebgold, Eric B., Kramer, Christian F. and Gina, Sorce-Dolezar M. (2018) The effects of genetic heterozygosity on home range size and growth in a salamander with limited dispersal. vol. 60. pp. 251-260. Population Ecology.
Biddle, Joshua R. , Grant, Alexa Hope and Liebgold, Eric B. (2017) Factors affecting the growth of Red-backed Salamanders, Plethodon cinereus. vol. 73. pp. 89-93. Herpetologica.
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Current Courses
Fall 2019BIOL 310 ECOLOGY (Fall 2019)Introduction to the interactions between organisms and their environment. Biotic and abiotic factors affecting individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems emphasized. Prerequisites: BIOL 210 and BIOL 211 or 212 or 213. Three hours lecture, three hours laboratory per week.BIOL 375 INTRODUCTION TO EVOLUTION (Fall 2019)As the unifying principle of biology, evolution integrates levels of biological organization, with a focus on biological changes over time and the evidence of the shared evolutionary history of all living things. Topics include speciation; extinction; population processes of selection and adaptation, genomics, and the molecular basis of evolution; sexual selection; life history evolution; and the application of evolution to medicine. Prerequisite: BIOL 210 and one of the following: BIOL 211, 212 or 213. Three hours per week.BIOL 415 RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY (Fall 2019)Independent student research under the supervision of a faculty member. May receive credit within the major for up to six credits combined of BIOL 415, 416, 417 and 420. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Schedule to be arranged individually. Forty-five contact hours per credit hour.BIOL 420 READINGS IN BIOLOGY (Fall 2019)Readings designed to permit in-depth study of selected topics. Students submit written reports of their findings at the end of the semester. Specific topics are indicated on students’ transcripts. Prerequisites: Sixteen hours in biology, permission of instructor.BIOL 515 RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY (Fall 2019)Independent student research under the supervision of a faculty member. Student may register for BIOL 515 more than once. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. Schedule to be arranged individually.BIOL 601 THESIS PREPARATION (Fall 2019)Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. Three credit hours.HONR 312 HONR RESRCH/CREATIVE PROJ (Fall 2019)Develop a research or creative project suitable for presentation at an undergraduate research conference or equivalent public venue. Work one-on-one with a faculty mentor from a department of the student's choosing and with Honors administrative faculty to complete and present the independent project. Prerequisites: Admission to Honors Program. One hour per week. (P/F)Winter 2020BIOL 299 INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BIOL (Winter 2020)Learn about and be introduced to a biological discipline in a foreign country. No previous biology coursework required. Includes a minimum of 10 hours of lecture in the field and a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on lab work and/or field exercises abroad in addition to 15 hours of pre-/post-trip lecture. Repeatable for up to six credits under different subtitles. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Meets General Education IVA or IVB.BIOL 399 INTERNATIONAL FIELD STUDIES (Winter 2020)Experience a specific aspect of a biological discipline in a foreign country. Pre-tour lectures, post-tour discussion and other activities required. May be taken twice under different subtitles. May not receive credit for both BIOL 399 and BIOL 570 with the same subtitle. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Fifteen hours pre-trip experience, at least 50 hours field activities over a minimum of 10 days, two-hour post-trip discussion session.Spring 2020BIOL 375 INTRODUCTION TO EVOLUTION (Spring 2020)As the unifying principle of biology, evolution integrates levels of biological organization, with a focus on biological changes over time and the evidence of the shared evolutionary history of all living things. Topics include speciation; extinction; population processes of selection and adaptation, genomics, and the molecular basis of evolution; sexual selection; life history evolution; and the application of evolution to medicine. Prerequisite: BIOL 210 and one of the following: BIOL 211, 212 or 213. Three hours per week.BIOL 405 ORNITHOLOGY (Spring 2020)Study of birds. Topics include form and function, systematics, speciation, behavior, communication, reproduction, migration, ecological topics including demography, population dynamics, community structure, and conservation. Field trips emphasize identification and natural history of local species. Prerequisite: BIOL 213. Three hours lecture, three hours lab per week.BIOL 415 RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY (Spring 2020)Independent student research under the supervision of a faculty member. May receive credit within the major for up to six credits combined of BIOL 415, 416, 417 and 420. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Schedule to be arranged individually. Forty-five contact hours per credit hour.BIOL 416 RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY (Spring 2020)Independent student research under the supervision of a faculty member. May receive credit within the major for up to six credits combined of BIOL 415, 416, 417 and 420. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Schedule to be arranged individually. Forty-five contact hours per credit hour.BIOL 420 READINGS IN BIOLOGY (Spring 2020)Readings designed to permit in-depth study of selected topics. Students submit written reports of their findings at the end of the semester. Specific topics are indicated on students’ transcripts. Prerequisites: Sixteen hours in biology, permission of instructor.BIOL 499 HONORS THESIS IN BIOLOGY (Spring 2020)Independent study in an area of biological science leading to an Honors thesis. Must be completed with a B or better. Prerequisites: HONR 490, approval of department chair and Honors program director. Corequisite: HONR 496.BIOL 505 ORNITHOLOGY (Spring 2020)Study of birds. Topics include form and function, behavior and communication, reproduction, migration, population dynamics, ecology and conservation. Field trips emphasize identification and natural history of local species. Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. Three hours lecture, three hours lab per week.BIOL 515 RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY (Spring 2020)Independent student research under the supervision of a faculty member. Student may register for BIOL 515 more than once. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. Schedule to be arranged individually.
- Artistic Highlights