Karen Lips

Karen Lips’ research focuses on the conservation and ecology of amphibians (and reptiles), with interests at multiple scales including population, community, and ecosystems, especially as they are affected by emerging infectious disease and global change. Her lab has three major research sites: Panama, Illinois, and Appalachia. Much of this work is multidisciplinary, involving various collaborators from various fields. Many of the lab’s projects examine the interactions among amphibian hosts (tropical frogs, Illinois amphibians and Appalachian salamanders), the frog-killing fungus, and the environment to determine why some species decline, some go extinct, and others are not affected. Another group of projects determines the ecological impacts of amphibian population declines on other components of the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (TADS). Lips is also interested in science communication, policy and educational outreach.