Claudio Gratton

Education and Background:
Faculty, University of Wisconsin, 2003-current (full Professor 2013)
Post-Doc, University of Maryland, College Park, 1997-2003
PhD Entomology, University of California at Berkeley, 1991-1997
B.S. Honors Biology summa cum laude, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1988-1991

Affiliations:
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Agroecology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Research Interests:
My research group and I work broadly in the field of landscape ecology of arthropods in both agricultural and natural systems. We are interested in insect conservation in agricultural landscapes. Our work has examined the role of unmanaged “non-crop” lands in the agricultural matrix and their effects on the abundance and diversity of beneficial insects including predators and pollinators and their effect on the provisioning of ecosystem services in agricultural habitats. Recently, we have been part of bee and butterfly conservation efforts in the state. Our work studying insect landscape ecology and conservation has partnered us with Wisconsin potato, soybeans, cranberry, apple growers, and as well as rotational grazers. We focus our studies on understanding how land-use and land-cover interact with management in order to develop ways to enhance and conserve beneficial insects. Our research also extends to examining the ecosystem linkages between lakes and the adjacent terrestrial landscapes and the role of aquatic insects in creating those linkages.

Topics that interest me: Agroecology, conservation, ecosystem services,  natural pest suppression, pollination ecology and conservation, biological control, food webs, eco-informatics, ecosystem linkages and spatial subsidies.

Research Category: Organismal, Applied

Personal Interests: Soccer, photography, classical guitar, baking bread