Research

My research integrates field ecology, conservation genetics, bioacoustics, and spatial analysis to uncover biodiversity patterns, address conservation knowledge gaps, and develop evidence-based strategies to protect threatened species in tropical, data-poor regions. 

Core Research Areas:

• Amphibian and reptile biodiversity, systematics, and conservation in tropical ecosystems

• Conservation genetics, DNA barcoding, and environmental DNA (eDNA) applications

• Macroecology, species distribution modeling, and biodiversity informatics

• Tropical montane ecosystems, climate vulnerability, and biodiversity hotspots

Current Research Projects:

• Development and validation of eDNA primer systems for amphibian biodiversity monitoring in tropical montane ecosystems

• DNA barcoding, phylogeography, and conservation genomics of West African amphibians and reptiles

• Passive bioacoustic monitoring of montane amphibian communities in Nigeria 

• Integrative taxonomic revision of the Phrynobatrachus steindachneri species complex

Selected Scholarly Profile: 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=SNldH7kAAAAJ

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chukwudi-Ikegwu

ORCID:  https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4739-7425