Rate My Professor Erik Noonburg

Noonburg's research focuses on ecological theory, population dynamics, foraging behavior, and mathematical modeling. He uses mathematical models to explore how individual behavior and life history variation influence population dynamics and how feedback from population dynamics affects individual reproductive success. His work spans marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats through collaborations with field biologists. He teaches undergraduate courses such as Disease Ecology and Ecoimmunology and graduate courses including Ecological Theory (PCB 6406), Experimental Design and Biometry (PCB 6456), and Environmental Science Colloquium (EVS 6920). Key publications include "Bad neighbors: how spatially disjunct habitat degradation can cause system-wide population collapse" with James E. Byers (Ecology, 2016); "Asymmetric competition and floater dynamics: a model" with Rindy C. Anderson (Ecology, 2020); "Born at the right time? A conceptual framework linking reproduction, development, and settlement in reef fish" with J.S. Shima et al. (Ecology, 2018); "Demographic heterogeneity and the dynamics of open populations" with A. Chen et al. (Ecology, 2015); "More harm than good: When invader vulnerability to predators enhances impact on native species" with J.E. Byers (Ecology, 2005); and "Scale dependent effects of biotic resistance to biological invasion" with J.E. Byers (Ecology, 2003). He has mentored graduate students in Integrative Biology and Environmental Science programs, including current Ph.D. and M.S. students.