Dr. Bo Zhang, an assistant professor of biology at Oklahoma State University, has received a National Science Foundation award to study how habitat fragmentation affects wildlife populations with different traits and how that information could help conservationists protect wildlife.

The $249,856 award to OSU is part of a $550,000 joint project, “Quantifying Fragmentation Impacts on Ecological Dynamics: A Trait-Based Framework.” Running from August 2026 through July 2029, the project pairs laboratory experiments and models with long-term field data to predict how animals cope with fragmented habitats. Zhang’s research could help determine which land to protect so that animals don’t get cut off from food and mates. That could mean smarter wildlife corridors and better use of limited conservation funds.

Habitat fragmentation occurs when roads, farms, development and other human activities break large habitats into smaller, isolated pieces. This can leave animals with less space to find food, reproduce and move from place to place. Zhang’s research focuses on predicting how species with different traits, such as dispersal or reproductive success, respond to fragmented landscapes.

Studying habitat fragmentation in the wild can be difficult and expensive, especially when researchers need to track its effects over months or years. To study these effects, Zhang’s lab uses small roundworms named Caenorhabditis elegans in controlled laboratory environments. Researchers change where the worms’ food, E. coli bacteria, is placed to create different fragmentation habitat setups using 3D-printed blocks. Zhang’s lab can control the conditions and test different patterns of habitat loss and separation.

“Our laboratory system created a unique and fun system to fulfill our research need,” Zhang said.

Working with mathematicians Zhisheng Shuai of the University of Central Florida and King-Yeung Lam of Ohio State University, Zhang’s team will develop mathematical models to predict how different habitat layouts affect animal survival. Zhang’s laboratory system enables researchers to use empirical results to improve models predicting how wildlife populations may be affected. Ultimately, researchers will also compare the models’ predictions with long-term field data from freshwater communities of small animals, such as insects and snails.

The findings could help conservationists design wildlife corridors and restore damaged ecosystems. Zhang’s team will also work with three state wildlife agencies to evaluate existing conservation areas and identify priorities for future conservation efforts.

“Ultimately, our project will provide a theoretical framework that can be implemented to solve wildlife management challenges,” Zhang said.

The award will support one to two graduate students, who will help create experimental environments, collect population data and conduct statistical analyses. Zhang said approximately 10 undergraduate students have also been recruited through the biology department to help conduct experiments. Two of the undergraduates are listed as co-authors on research publications.

The project will also create opportunities for undergraduates to participate in research through a course that combines laboratory experiments with mathematical modeling. The course will be open to all biology majors and is designed to reach many students. Zhang’s team plans to share the course materials with other institutions through presentations at the Association for Biology Laboratory Education.

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Story By: Colby Lewis | colby.t.lewis@okstate.edu