Research Interests
The focus of my research is the ecology and evolution of plant resistance to herbivores. Specifically, I have begun to elucidate the factors which promote or constrain evolutionary changes in plant resistance at the population level. Because herbivores are considered pests on economically important plant species, and because plant and herbivore interactions are often mediated by parasitoids and predators (such as birds), research in this area often has direct application to management and conservation issues. When possible, I have designed my research to incorporate both basic and applied aspects of the questions under study.
Seasonal and geographic abundance of oak herbivores and their associated parasitoids.
This is a project associated with an experiment being conducted by the Missouri Dept. of Conservation on the impact of various forest management plans on forest productivity and biodiversity. We are monitoring herbivore faunas of four oak species on 9 plots in se Missouri four times during the summer. I was brought into this area of research after a project looking at the impacts of insectivorous birds on insect communities on oak, and in turn, the impact of plant growth. This initial work, mostly natural history, will provide the basis for more experimental studies in this system, looking at the combined and interactive impact of plant chemistry, parasitoids, birds on the herbivore community and subsequent plant damage.
Response of plant enemies (both fungi and insects) to native tree plantations in Costa Rica.
This a collaborative project between four Costa Rican scientists, me and Beth Braker (Occidental College). We are planting native tree species in mono- and polycultures in abandoned pasture, early secondary forest and primary forest to determine: a. how plant density affects plant enemy population levels, and b. how to best plant trees in abandoned lowland tropical pastures in order to make them productive and avoid further destruction of primary forests.
Quantification of plant resistance traits in Piper.
In collaboration with the phytochemist Kelsey Downum of Florida International University, I am describing the plant traits and genetic and environmental impacts on those traits which contribute to plant resistance. Our goal is to determine the causes of interaspecific variation in leaf herbivory levels in Piper arieianum, and thus the potential for various traits of this plant speciesto evolve in response to selection by its herbivore species.
Correlates of interspecific variation in leaf damage in Brazilian cerrado trees.
I have started a collaborative project with Brazilian scientists to repeat work of P. Coley but in a different tropical forest system. Our goal is to determine the main factors which account for interspecific variation in leaf damage and whether plant life history dictates different defense regimes. In a followup more focused study, we have chosen one plant species to determine the combined and separate effects of pathogen and insect attack on plant fitness.
Population dynamics of a tropical clonal understory treelet.
This is a longterm collaborative project with Nancy Greig looking at how clonality may or may not contribute to survival of understory plant species in the deep shade of a lowland tropical wet forest.
