Dr. Peter Smallwood
Associate Professor of Biology
(804) 289-8803
psmallwo@richmond.edu
Topics: Animal Behavior (and Ecology), Environmental Studies, Environmental Policy, Spiders, Squirrels
With a grant from the National Science Foundation, Smallwood and several of his students studied how squirrel behavior affects oak forests. Where squirrels bury their acorns, how often they dig them up and rebury them, and whether they steal acorns from other squirrels are factors that determine how many oak trees grow, and where. Smallwood's research was conducted with Wilkes University and Penn State, and it was included in a BBC documentary on squirrels.
He also has devoted much research time to the topic of the mating habits of spiders. What he discovered was that male spiders are strongly attracted to fat females -- the very mates most likely to devour them. His findings were featured on CNN.com, ABCNEWS.com and in the Los Angeles Times and Canada's National Post.
He is increasingly becoming involved in environmental policy. He co-led the University's first graduating class of environmental studies in a class project where they got an important bill relating to invasive species passed by the Virginia General Assembly. For the 2003-04 academic year, he will serve as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional Science Fellow, where he will be assigned to the staff of a member of the House or Senate.
For more information on Smallwood, please visit the Richmond Research Institute.