Atuo's Ecology and Conservation Biology lab
Fidel Atuo (PhD): Fidel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He earned his B.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Calabar, M.Sc. in Conservation Biology from the University of Jos, and a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. He was a Postdoc in the Lab of Dr. Zach Peery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses broadly on conservation of globally rare and declining species, human-wildlife interaction, and predator-prey interactions (see research tab).
Loveleen Kaur- Loveleen graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2023 with a Bachelor's degree in Biology with Distinction. Originally from India, she came to Canada to follow her passion for wildlife conservation and ecological research. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in a research project where she conducted field experiments in Newfoundland to explore predator-induced morphological changes in marine snails. Her thesis, "Flat periwinkle snails develop thicker shells in response to European green crab predation, reflecting a defensive morphological adaptation", showed how invasive predators can alter native species' traits. During this work, she aimed to contribute to conservation by providing data that could guide management efforts to control invasive species and protect native coastal ecosystems. Currently, Loveleen is part of our lab, where her research focuses on how anthropogenic developments, including oil and gas infrastructure, interact with habitat characteristics to influence Mississippi kite occupancy and behavior at Packsaddle Wildlife Management Area in Oklahoma. Her conservation-oriented project aims to inform effective habitat management and support strategies that promote the coexistence of wildlife and energy infrastructure.
Lois David - Lois joined our research group initially as a Field Technician in early 2024, where she contributed to field-based ecological data collection and habitat assessments across multiple study sites. Her strong research aptitude and commitment to conservation science led her to transition into a graduate program in Fall 2025. As a master’s student, Lois is investigating how land-use change and altered disturbance regimes influence habitat availability and spatial distribution for the sub-Saharan endemic and globally threatened Northern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus), formerly known as the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, within a Sudan Savanna landscape. Her thesis integrates landscape ecology, remote sensing, and species distribution modeling to elucidate the ecological consequences of anthropogenic modification on this long-lived, territorial species—an important ecological indicator of savanna integrity.Lois holds a Bachelor’s degree in Plant Science and Biotechnology from the University of Jos, Nigeria, where her undergraduate research focused on the “Composition and diversity of seedlings in the gallery forest of Amurum Forest Reserve, Nigeria.” That study sought to project future forest structure and evaluate its potential ecological and socioeconomic benefits as a means of fostering local community support for forest conservation. Her growing expertise bridges vegetation ecology and avian conservation, with a particular interest in understanding how landscape processes shape biodiversity persistence in rapidly changing African ecosystems
Maria earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology, graduating with First-Class Honors from the University of Jos, Nigeria, in 2022. Her undergraduate research, titled “Avian species and abundance in urban green spaces and the surrounding environment in the Jos Metropolis,” examined how urban green spaces function as critical habitats that sustain avian diversity within rapidly urbanizing landscapes. Her study underscored the ecological and conservation importance of these spaces not only as refugia for birds but also as accessible platforms for ecological education and citizen science engagement that promote public participation in biodiversity conservation. Following her undergraduate training, Maria joined our lab in Fall 2024 as a master’s student. Her current research evaluates the environmental determinants of ecological niche partitioning and movement patterns among native bird species in Afrotropical Guinea savannas. By integrating field observations with spatial and behavioral data, her work aims to elucidate how habitat structure, resource distribution, and interspecific interactions shape coexistence and spatial ecology in these biodiverse yet increasingly altered savanna ecosystems.
Guardians of Nature: Our Alumni
Lucky Atabo- completed his graduate studies in 2025, investigating how reproductive rates and nest survival are influenced by the presence and activity of oil and gas infrastructure at Packsaddle Wildlife Management Area. He is currently pursuing graduate research at Missouri State University Oklahoma.
Nguvan Agaigbe: Nguvan completed her MS thesis "Distribution and space use of an upland game bird (Stone Partridge) in a Sudan Savanna landscape" in 2023. She is currently a PhD student in the laboratory of Dr. Barney Luttbeg at Oklahoma State University.
Aline Da Rocha Takanashi: Aline completed her MS studies in 2022 and is currently working as a Production Assistant with BioKyowa Inc. She investigated the impacts of oil and gas extraction on Mississippi Kite habitat use in a mixed-grass prairies for her Capstone project.
Jennifer (Jennie) Paul.
​
Undergraduate student research
-
Christopher Kirchhofer
-
Joshua (Josh) Koenig
-
Nick Freeman
-
Jarod Mercer
-
Riley Ryburn