Ecologist | Naturalist | Artist
Research
My research centers on community and evolutionary ecology at various scales using birds, reptiles and amphibians, and plants. The overall goal of my research is to understand fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes in the Anthropocene
Ornithology
Much of my research has dealt with bird ecology. This has ranged from investigating breeding/parenting behaviors and feeding ecology to landscape-scale patterns of diversity and habitat associations. Methods used for this research included mist-netting, point counts, aviary experiments, and field behavioral observations.
Seed Dispersal
Another large aspect of my research has dealt with the mutualistic relationship between frugivorous birds (fruit-eating birds) and fleshy-fruited plants. This research used isotope enrichment to track long-distant seed dispersal, network analyses, and sorting through a lot of poop.
Plant Ecology
Because I conduct a lot of seed dispersal research, a small portion of the work I do centers on plant ecology. In the past I have aided in projects that look at the factors influencing plant germination and nutrient uptake. Currently, I am working on a project investigating the evolution of fruit traits that influence selection by birds.
Biogeography
The main research I am currently conducting deals with patterns of diversity in the Caribbean. Specifically, I am aiming to understand how and why island diversity is changing at the macro scale and develop new theory to include the role of the ever-increasing human activity of the Anthropocene.
Data Science
Much of my research, and research in general, require the use of data, and as technology advances, these data get bigger and bigger. Through my research and working with collaborators, I am working to improve how data is handled and curated in labs in order to increase the transparency and reproducibility of scientific inquiry. Currently, this work has culminated in a data management plan for the iEco Lab which can be broadly applied to various ecological research groups. You can find the iEco Data Management Plan HERE
