Why do some animals exhibit greater (insert trait) than other animals?
Work in the lab strives to understand the factors underlying differences in traits related to life history (e.g., body size and reproduction), behavior (e.g., parental care and risk avoidance), and physiology (e.g., energy use, immunity, and oxidative stress). Our research examines interactions among environmental factors and animal traits in an array of taxa (from insects to snakes), has been funded by the National Science Foundation, and focuses on integrating two universal constraints on biological traits: the environment (complex interactions among temperature, nutrition, pollution, and water availability) and tradeoffs between traits (investment into one trait reduces investment into a different trait). Our lab is student-driven-- meaning students design and implement experiments, and they often present their findings at local or national meetings and become co- or lead-authors on resultant papers. We reside in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of the Pacific and use three study systems to investigate widespread questions in biology.
Work in the lab strives to understand the factors underlying differences in traits related to life history (e.g., body size and reproduction), behavior (e.g., parental care and risk avoidance), and physiology (e.g., energy use, immunity, and oxidative stress). Our research examines interactions among environmental factors and animal traits in an array of taxa (from insects to snakes), has been funded by the National Science Foundation, and focuses on integrating two universal constraints on biological traits: the environment (complex interactions among temperature, nutrition, pollution, and water availability) and tradeoffs between traits (investment into one trait reduces investment into a different trait). Our lab is student-driven-- meaning students design and implement experiments, and they often present their findings at local or national meetings and become co- or lead-authors on resultant papers. We reside in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of the Pacific and use three study systems to investigate widespread questions in biology.
Field crickets
Gryllus crickets are a tractable system (adults live only a few weeks in the field) for studying widespread aspects of animal biology—from physiological and life-history tradeoffs to decision-making to environmental sensitivity. Students typically develop lab-based projects that allow for careful manipulation of the environment (e.g., animals’ access to nutritional and thermal resources) and investment strategies (e.g., immune-challenging animals to increase investment into immune activation). However, manipulative, field-based projects on crickets are currently underway.
Research themes
- behavioral ecology - ecoimmunology - nutrition - physiological ecology - plasticity - thermal biology - tradeoffs
Questions
How do abiotic and biotic factors affect fighting behavior and lifetime reproduction? How does complex environmental variability influence immune function, energy and water balance, and the plasticity of tradeoffs?
Gryllus crickets are a tractable system (adults live only a few weeks in the field) for studying widespread aspects of animal biology—from physiological and life-history tradeoffs to decision-making to environmental sensitivity. Students typically develop lab-based projects that allow for careful manipulation of the environment (e.g., animals’ access to nutritional and thermal resources) and investment strategies (e.g., immune-challenging animals to increase investment into immune activation). However, manipulative, field-based projects on crickets are currently underway.
Research themes
- behavioral ecology - ecoimmunology - nutrition - physiological ecology - plasticity - thermal biology - tradeoffs
Questions
How do abiotic and biotic factors affect fighting behavior and lifetime reproduction? How does complex environmental variability influence immune function, energy and water balance, and the plasticity of tradeoffs?
Urban insects
Insects are the most abundant group of animals on the planet, and this success translates into their local abundance here in California’s Central Valley (and elsewhere!). The goal for most projects is to get students hands-on “field” experiences with local urban insects. We also founded a citizen-science outreach program (Backyard ANTology) designed to better characterize ant biology here in the Valley.
Research themes
- behavioral ecology - community ecology - nutrition - physiological ecology - thermal biology - urban ecology
Questions
How do abiotic and biotic factors influence sensitivity to high temperatures in urban ants? How does water availability influence urban insect communities across time and space?
Insects are the most abundant group of animals on the planet, and this success translates into their local abundance here in California’s Central Valley (and elsewhere!). The goal for most projects is to get students hands-on “field” experiences with local urban insects. We also founded a citizen-science outreach program (Backyard ANTology) designed to better characterize ant biology here in the Valley.
Research themes
- behavioral ecology - community ecology - nutrition - physiological ecology - thermal biology - urban ecology
Questions
How do abiotic and biotic factors influence sensitivity to high temperatures in urban ants? How does water availability influence urban insect communities across time and space?
Colubrid snakes
These non-venomous snakes are important mesopredators in many terrestrial ecosystems. Their body size and lifespan allow for repeated sampling to assess how behavior and physiology are influenced by season, reproductive state, and age. Data collection (field sampling) occurs on Spring Island, SC, and samples are typically processed by students here on campus.
Research themes
- behavioral ecology - community ecology - ecoimmunology - parasitology - physiological ecology
Questions
How do seasonality, phylogeny, and invasive species affect community-wide refuge use? Do seasonality or phylogeny influence interactions between immune resistance and infection tolerance?
These non-venomous snakes are important mesopredators in many terrestrial ecosystems. Their body size and lifespan allow for repeated sampling to assess how behavior and physiology are influenced by season, reproductive state, and age. Data collection (field sampling) occurs on Spring Island, SC, and samples are typically processed by students here on campus.
Research themes
- behavioral ecology - community ecology - ecoimmunology - parasitology - physiological ecology
Questions
How do seasonality, phylogeny, and invasive species affect community-wide refuge use? Do seasonality or phylogeny influence interactions between immune resistance and infection tolerance?
Recent and current collaborators
Shelley Adamo - Dalhousie University
Tavis Anderson - National Animal Disease Center (USDA-ARS)
Alex Brashears - LaGuardia Community College
George Brusch IV - National Centre for Scientific Research at Chize, France
Michael Butler - Lafayette College
Dale DeNardo - Arizona State University
Susannah French - Utah State University
Bobby Fokidis - Rollins College
Jane Khudyakov - University of the Pacific
Olivier Lourdais - National Centre for Scientific Research at Chize, France
Tony Mills - The Spring Island Trust
Njal Rollinson - University of Toronto
Shelley Adamo - Dalhousie University
Tavis Anderson - National Animal Disease Center (USDA-ARS)
Alex Brashears - LaGuardia Community College
George Brusch IV - National Centre for Scientific Research at Chize, France
Michael Butler - Lafayette College
Dale DeNardo - Arizona State University
Susannah French - Utah State University
Bobby Fokidis - Rollins College
Jane Khudyakov - University of the Pacific
Olivier Lourdais - National Centre for Scientific Research at Chize, France
Tony Mills - The Spring Island Trust
Njal Rollinson - University of Toronto