Welcome to the Fortuin
Forest Invertebrate Conservation Lab
We are an interdisciplinary research lab focused on the preservation and management of biotic resources and ecosystem services in managed forests. With a focus on pollinators and pollination ecology, coupled with disturbance ecology, we are conducting investigations in the impacts of pesticides, catastrophic wind disturbance, and forest management practices on beneficial invertebrate communities and forest health, with the goal of promoting ecosystem resilience and sustainability in managed forests. We are based in the Department of Forestry within the College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University and are part of the Disturbance Insect and Conservation Ecology (DICE) lab, co-managed with Drs. Ashley Schulz and Kristy McAndrews. Contact Dr. Christine Fortuin for additional information about the work of the lab, or to inquire about student opportunities. Please explore the site links for more information about what we do.
Lab News / Recent Press
Lab News:
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John Omolewa, graduate student in the Forest Invertebrate Conservation Lab, won second place in the Mississippi Association of Entomology, Nematology and Plant Pathology annual student poster competition for his poster presentation, titled "Impact of Land Use Types on Pollinator Communities in Upland Oak Forests"
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Olivia Burdine, Undergraduate Research Scholar in the Forest Invertebrate Conservation Lab, won third place in the Undergraduate Research Symposium for her poster presentation, titled "Investigating Plant-Pollinator Network Associations of Northeast Mississippi and Alabama."
Press:
(Interview on Renew Television Series)
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Imidacloprid residue in the soil, including in orchards, harms wild bees - Fruit Growers News
Research Projects
Explore Our Current Focus Areas:
