Richard Lindroth

Vilas Distinguished Achievement and Sorenson Professor Emeritus

Interests: Chemical ecology, climate change, trophic interactions, “genes to ecosystems” ecology, bioenergy

(608) 263-6277

I am a professor emeritus of ecology in the Department of Entomology, and hold affiliate appointments in the Departments of Integrative Biology; Forest and Wildlife Biology; and Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. During 2010-16, I also served as Associate Dean for Research and Associate Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Education

PhD Biology (Ecology Program), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. 1984.
B.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, Iowa State University, Ames. 1977.

Affiliations

Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, UW-Madison
Department of Integrative Biology, UW-Madison
Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, UW-Madison
Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, UW-Madison

Research Interests

Our research interests are broad, spanning the range from biochemical to ecosystem ecology, with a strong evolutionary perspective. A major emphasis is chemical mechanisms that mediate ecological interactions, with particular interest in plant-herbivore interactions. One focal area emphasizes the roles of genetics and resource availability in modulating plant defense characteristics, costs/benefits of defense, and consequences of variation in defense for multi-trophic interactions and ecosystem function. A second focal area investigates the effects of global environmental change (elevated temperature, enriched carbon dioxide, ozone) on plant-insect interactions, arthropod biodiversity, litter decomposition and nutrient cycling. A third focal area addresses the consequences of genetic manipulation of poplar as a biofuel for insect pest resistance.

Publications

Online Profiles

Recent Publications

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Selected Honors and Awards

2020 Hilldale Award in Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin
2019 Dalton Lecturer, George Fox University, Newberg, OR.
2018 Scientist in Residence, Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, Canada.
2017 Elected Fellow, Entomological Society of America.
2016 Vilas Distinguished Achievement and Sorenson Professor, University of Wisconsin.
2016 Elected Fellow, Ecological Society of America.
2011-12 Fellow, Academic Leadership Program, Committee on Institutional Cooperation.
2011-12 Vilas Associate Award, University of Wisconsin.
2010 Kellett Mid-Career Faculty Research Award, University of Wisconsin.
2009 Silverstein-Simeone Award in Chemical Ecology. Internat. Soc. of Chemical Ecology.
2008 Aspen-FACE (Free Air CO₂ Enrichment) “Pioneer” Award.
2007 Chairperson, Gordon Research Conference on Plant-Herbivore Interactions.
2006 Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
2005 “Distinguished Ecologist” Lecture Series, Mich. Tech. Univ. & USDA Forest Service.
2004 Vice chairperson, Gordon Research Conference on Plant-Herbivore Interactions.
1997 Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, New Zealand.
1997 AgResearch Research Fellowship, Grasslands Research Centre, New Zealand.
1996 H.I. Romnes Award, University of Wisconsin.
1994 Glenn Pound Award for Outstanding Research, University of Wisconsin.
1985 NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Environmental Biology.

Professional Societies

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Scientific Affiliation
Ecological Society of America
Entomological Society of America
International Society of Chemical Ecology