Biography
Dr. Ivan Castro-Arellano is a Full Professor in the Biology Department at Texas State University. He earned his Ph.D. (2005) and M.S. (2000) in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas State University and his B.S. (1997) from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Dr Castro research focuses on the effects on anthropogenic disturbance on natural systems, with special emphasis on pathogen-host interactions. He has done work also on invasive and endangered mammal species. His projects have covered several pathogens like hantaviruses, Borrelia (and other tick-borne pathogens), Leptospira and Trypanosoma.
Research Interests
Dr. Castro research has focused on anthropogenic disturbance on natural systems, mainly on 3 areas: pathogen-host interactions, the ecology of activity patterns, and the impacts of natural resource use on wildlife. He is primary an ecologist and mammalogist, with a conservation-oriented view. His research has covered ecology questions of several pathogens like hantaviruses, Borrelia (and other tick-borne pathogens), Leptospira and Trypanosoma. His work also seeks to ascertain the role of activity overlap as a factor structuring mammal communities and how anthropogenic disruption of time use affects these assemblages, all within an evolutionary ecology framework. He developed a null model randomization algorithm for a specialized application in this research area. Finally, he has also worked on the effects that reduced impact logging and wind energy have on wildlife species.
Teaching Interests
Within the wildlife BS degree program at Texas State University, Dr. Castro has prepared and offered five different courses which are part of the core degree plan. These courses are: Techniques in Wildlife Management (BIO443/5435), Wildlife Management (BIO4423-5423), Biological Resources: Conservation and Planning (BIO4319), Wildlife and Recreation: Impact, Management, and Policy (BIO4304-5304), and Conservation of Large Mammals (BIO4324-5324). He has also developed and offered the graduate course Ecology of Infectious Diseases in Wildlife (BIO7414). He also developed and implemented a Study in America (SIA) program that has been offered during summer sessions from 2018 to 2022, and again in 2024 and 2025 (2026 group already formed). This SIA program consists of two courses (BIO4303/5304, Wildlife and Recreation, Impact, Management and Policy; BIO5351H/BIO5324, Conservation of Large Mammals) and it includes a 2.5-week field trip to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This Yellowstone SIA offering has been very popular among students and has always reached the enrollment cap. For 2026 the group will travel to Alaska, including Denali National Park.