Research Interests
Human-caused alterations to natural habitats often influence the organisms that live in and around these habitats. We study the effects of environmental stress in aquatic ecosystems, from individuals to ecosystems. Wetland organisms with complex life histories, such as amphibians, are frequently exposed to a wide variety of stressors during development. We are broadly interested in both the effects of stressors alone and the potential interaction between stressors in time and space. Understanding how stressors interact on a spatial and temporal scale is important for predicting species persistence, distribution, and behavior; changes in which can result in altered ecosystem function. We are particularly interested in the effects of climate change on wetland ecosystem function, mediated through biological changes. We address two general questions:
What are the individual- and population-level effects of multiple, potentially interacting, stressors in wetland organisms?
and
How do these effects scale up into ecosystem-level changes in function?
We use surveys, experiments, and computer models to answer questions about the effects of climate change and other human-driven alterations to aquatic systems. Our primary focus is amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders), though we work on all types of aquatic organisms.
What are the individual- and population-level effects of multiple, potentially interacting, stressors in wetland organisms?
and
How do these effects scale up into ecosystem-level changes in function?
We use surveys, experiments, and computer models to answer questions about the effects of climate change and other human-driven alterations to aquatic systems. Our primary focus is amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders), though we work on all types of aquatic organisms.