Karen V. Root

Karen V. Root is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), where she also serves as Department Chair. Her research focuses on conservation biology, wildlife ecology, and population viability analysis, integrating GIS and quantitative techniques to address ecological challenges.

• Ph.D. from Florida Institute of Technology
• Specializes in habitat modeling, landscape ecology, and biodiversity conservation
• Teaches Conservation Biology in Practice, Wildlife Biology, and Fundamentals of Ecology

Her lab, the Conservation Biology & Population Ecology Lab, investigates species distribution, population resilience, and management impacts across ecosystems, particularly the Oak Openings Region of Northwest Ohio. Projects often involve mark-recapture studies, GIS analysis, and stochastic modeling.

Recent publications highlight land use effects on ecosystems, climate scenarios for turtle conservation, and invasive species management. She is President-Elect of the Society for Conservation Biology North America and has secured funding through the NSF Advance program for diversity initiatives in STEM.