My Research

In my research, I try to understand how interactions among species, such as predation and competition, produce the structure that we observe in ecological populations and communities. Furthermore, I study how these interactions mold the course of species evolution. My approach is mechanistic. That is, I try to understand how traits of individuals, such as body size, life history, and behavior, influence the nature of species interactions and ultimately generate patterns in populations and communities. Taking this approach a step further, I then try to understand how ecological processes in communities may in turn shape the traits of individuals during evolution.
 
 

My study systems are freshwater animal communities, and for the past few years I have explored the ecology and evolution of freshwater amphipods in the genus Hyalella. These animals are quite variable in morphology, life history, and behavioramong the ponds, lakes, and streams that they inhabit, and appear to be undergoing adaptive radiation across North American habitats. I have explored both the ecology and evolution of this diversification event, with the goals of understanding how trait differences among populations influence the form and intensity of species interactions and how these ecological processes drive evolutionary change in species.

More broadly, I have interests in a number of sub-disciplines in organismal biology including population and community ecology, evolution, genetics, and behavior. For example, I have studied predator-prey interactions, competitive interactions, habitat selection, population genetics, mating behavior, and sexual selection.
 
 

Selected Publications