Richard “Dick” Tracy, an emeritus professor in the Department of Biology, was recently named a 2025 Fellow of the Ecological Society of America. The Ecological Society of America’s fellows are recognized for their contributions to advancing or applying ecological knowledge.
“I have been an ecologist for nearly 60 years, and to be recognized as a Fellow in the ESA is a humbling and much-appreciated honor,” Tracy said of the honor.
Tracy’s work focused largely on reptiles and amphibians. One of his most heavily cited publications was about evolution and ecology in reptiles, published in the 1970s in Biological Reviews. Tracy also discovered three new species of toads in the Great Basin, including the Dixie Valley toad, the Railroad Valley toad and the Hot Creek toad.
“Those species are the natural heritage of the people of Nevada and the people of the USA, and they deserve respect and further study.”
The Dixie Valley toad is an example of the ways in which efforts to increase renewable energy production in Nevada can sometimes conflict with efforts to protect endangered species, as the toad’s habitat is collocated with a portion of one of the more geothermally active systems in the Great Basin. Other examples of potential conflicts between renewable energy projects and sensitive species preservation include wind projects in sage grouse habitats and industrial-sized solar-energy farms in desert tortoise habitats.
“We know so little about the biota of this wonderful state,” Tracy said. “Consider the fact that my students and I discovered three new species of toads in Nevada, and they are the first discoveries of new toads in North America in fifty years!”
Tracy said that studying the ecology of the Silver State benefits not only flora and fauna, but also the people.
“We have more mountain ranges and valleys between those mountains than any other state in the union, and each of those different ecological areas are home to many unknown or unstudied species,” Tracy said. “Those species are the natural heritage of the people of Nevada and the people of the USA, and they deserve respect and further study.”
Tracy is a renowned ecologist, and has been honored as a Guggenheim Fellow, a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a Fellow of the Association of Western Universities, among other honors.
“Recognition as an ESA Fellow is a special honor because it comes straight from peers in Dick’s field, who have the expertise to recognize outstanding scientific accomplishments and are very selective in doing so,” Anne Leonard, chair of the Department of Biology, said. “Dick’s studies on the ecology, physiology and conservation of species in Great Basin and desert ecosystems has uncovered key insights that well-represent the research excellence of the Department of Biology at the University. He also created a vibrant legacy as a mentor in the Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology graduate group, where he shaped the career paths of dozens of students who have now gone on to successful research careers of their own.”
Tracy has continued his scientific endeavors but has also branched over into a completely new field.
“Outside of working on my science as an ecologist, I am working on a publication that exposes a link between a blood anomaly in humans and Parkinson’s Disease,” he said.
Hereditary hemochromatosis is linked to Parkinson’s Disease, and studies have shown a connection between the overproduction of red blood cells, which leave iron deposits in the brain, and the neurodegenerative disease. Tracy said this connection is largely unknown to many physicians.
“This has been a harder project for me for two reasons: it is not my normal area of science, and my baby brother had hemochromatosis that led to Parkinson’s Disease and his death two years ago,” Tracy said. “I want to write a piece that shows that connection and how to prevent hemochromatosis from leading to Parkinson’s Disease.”
Additionally, Tracy continues to collaborate with his many former graduate students on scientific publications.
“That is my greatest pleasure, and I hope it never ends,” Tracy said.
Tracy will travel to Baltimore, Maryland for the ESA’s annual meeting and be formally recognized during an awards ceremony this August.
