RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research is fundamentally driven by the question: what is the adaptive significance of behavioral and transcriptional plasticity in response to environmentally induced stress? To this end, we are examining various biotic (e.g., parasites and pathogens) and abiotic (e.g., humidity & temperature) environmental stressors. We are especially interested in how the evolution of sexual signals, mating strategies, and population divergence are influenced by coevolution with parasites and pathogens. Ongoing research activities utilize genetics and genomics approaches, laboratory experimental manipulations, and field observations of natural populations.
Sex, Disease, and Behavior
Sexually selected traits can evolve to become more or less elaborate through numerous pressures in their environment, including predators and parasites. Both the strength and direction of response to parasitism in populations, i.e., greater elaboration versus simplification or loss, depends largely on whether the parasite exploits the sexual signal to help it locate a host. Sexual ornaments are expected to become more pronounced in response to parasite introduction when they function as honest signals to the opposite sex of the health or genetic quality of their bearer. However, when sexually selected traits increase conspicuousness to not only the intended receiver (e.g., females) but also to unintended receivers, like predators and parasites, they may be reduced or even lost.
My research program utilizes variation in coevolutionary history of host populations/species with parasites of interest. When a single pathogen utilizes multiple host species, those host species often show dramatic differences in susceptibility, transmissibility, resistance, and tolerance in response to infection. My lab group explores both the mechanisms underlying these differences as well as the role of individual behavior (personality) in determining likelihood of infection and physiological response to infection in wild populations.
A major focus is currently on local Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) populations, which appear susceptible to infection with Mycoplasma gallisepticum, but, in contrast to a few other avian host species, do not develop conjunctivitis in response to infection. Our research focuses on 1) identifying the costs of experiencing infection even when this symptom is not present, 2) determining routes of disease transmission in this species, and 3) evaluating whether individual personality affects the likelihood of infection.
We are also pursuing studies of the coevolution of North American field crickets and the acoustically orienting parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea. Research will focus on both transcriptional and behavioral mechanisms that hosts employ within the natural range of the the interaction.
My research program utilizes variation in coevolutionary history of host populations/species with parasites of interest. When a single pathogen utilizes multiple host species, those host species often show dramatic differences in susceptibility, transmissibility, resistance, and tolerance in response to infection. My lab group explores both the mechanisms underlying these differences as well as the role of individual behavior (personality) in determining likelihood of infection and physiological response to infection in wild populations.
A major focus is currently on local Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) populations, which appear susceptible to infection with Mycoplasma gallisepticum, but, in contrast to a few other avian host species, do not develop conjunctivitis in response to infection. Our research focuses on 1) identifying the costs of experiencing infection even when this symptom is not present, 2) determining routes of disease transmission in this species, and 3) evaluating whether individual personality affects the likelihood of infection.
We are also pursuing studies of the coevolution of North American field crickets and the acoustically orienting parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea. Research will focus on both transcriptional and behavioral mechanisms that hosts employ within the natural range of the the interaction.