Research

My research addresses fundamental questions regarding how and why population densities vary through time and space. I am especially interested in the demographic consequences of biotic interactions, the reciprocal effects that interacting populations have on each other’s dynamics, and the ways in which demographic structure (individual variation in size, sex, or life stage) can influence population trajectories and interaction dynamics. While the central objective of my research is to advance basic understanding of population dynamics and species interactions on ecological time scales, I maintain strong interests in the connections between basic and applied science, and between ecological and evolutionary ideas.

With this conceptual foundation, my research can be further characterized by two major themes. First, my empirical work focuses on insects, plants, and their positive and negative interactions (mutualism and herbivory). Plants and insects provide wonderful empirical systems with which to develop and test theory since they are highly amenable to experimental manipulation. In addition, studies of plant-insect dynamics are relevant in a number of applied contexts, including native plant conservation, insect pest management, and the biological control of weeds.

Second, my work involves an interplay of mathematical tools (analytical models and computational simulations) and experiments (in the laboratory and field). I believe that such integrative approaches are necessary for reconciling and synthesizing ecological theory with data; these approaches also happen to be a lot of fun.

For more information on my current research use the links below

Impacts of consumers on plant population dynamics

Ecological costs of plant reproduction

Spatial spread of biological invasions