As terrestrial animals, many people don’t think of the sky as a significant ecosystem. For birds, bats and some insects, this isn’t the case. A majority of their life is spent in the air, which makes understanding their relationship to the airspace an essential aspect of ecological research. This is the focus of Colorado State University’s Aeroecology Lab, otherwise known as the AeroEco Lab.
Housed in CSU’s department of fish, wildlife and conservation biology, the lab was established by Assistant Professor Kyle Horton in 2019. Specifically, lab members study the migration of birds with contributions from several undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students.
Directing the lab involves numerous responsibilities, Horton said, including mentoring students, designing and overseeing projects and writing grants. However, it all ties back to one central goal…