My research interests fall at the interface
of ecotoxicology, conservation biology, and community, population,
behavioral, and disease ecology. I am particularly interested in
how anthropogenic changes, mainly pollution, climate change, and alterations ot biodiversity,
affect wildlife populations, species interactions, and the spread
of both wildlife and human diseases. These effects are undoubtedly complex and dependent
upon biotic and abiotic conditions. Consequently, my collaborators
and I have studied interactions among multiple natural and anthropogenic
stressors and are making efforts to integrate our research across
disciplines. Our goal is to understand, and develop solutions to,
environmental problems to enhance the likelihood of a sustainable
existence for both humans and wildlife. Much of my wildife research has
focused on amphibians because they are declining globally and much of my human disease work has focused on zoonotic bacteria and schistosomiasis. However,
I have worked with a diversity of host taxa and parasite taxa and I tend to be more motivated
by interesting questions, syntheses, and the quest for generalities
in than taxa-specific pursuits. When possible,
I try to integrate laboratory experiments, mesocosm studies, field
experiments, field surveys, and mathematical models to enhance
our understanding of natural systems.
Please see the links on the left for further discussions of the current
focal research areas in my lab. |