Embedded Files
Welcome to my research website!
My primary interests are the ecology of organisms as they relate to environmental changes and stressors. In particular these include the impacts of disease and climate change. Much of my research has involved the development and analysis of datasets to understand the effects of disease transmission on populations, especially in the amphibian chytrid pathogen Bd, and environmental changes which serve as evolutionary pressures for populations adapting to shifting temperatures.
Research Interests:
Disease Ecology
Diseases can be a major stressor for populations. My research in this area has primarily focused on the scaling of disease dynamics from individuals to populations. I work to provide the empirical data to scale these dynamics within mathematical transmission models. My primary system is African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) and the chytrid pathogen Bd to study the temperature dependance of pathogen-host interactions.
(Image: microscope capture of Bd from my work in the Raffel Lab studying disease transmission among hosts)
Diseases can be a major stressor for populations. My research in this area has primarily focused on the scaling of disease dynamics from individuals to populations. I work to provide the empirical data to scale these dynamics within mathematical transmission models. My primary system is African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) and the chytrid pathogen Bd to study the temperature dependance of pathogen-host interactions.
(Image: microscope capture of Bd from my work in the Raffel Lab studying disease transmission among hosts)
Evolutionary Ecology
Climate change has continued to apply pressure on organisms in vulnerable ecosystems. This will continue to drive the evolution of populations as they adapt to changing surroundings. I worked to learn and apply data digitization strategies and analyze the aerial performance of arboreal gecko species. Results will serve to better understand how these gecko genera have adapted to life in the trees.
(Image: sample screenshot of digitization process from my work in the Heinicke Lab studying gecko descent trajectories)
Climate change has continued to apply pressure on organisms in vulnerable ecosystems. This will continue to drive the evolution of populations as they adapt to changing surroundings. I worked to learn and apply data digitization strategies and analyze the aerial performance of arboreal gecko species. Results will serve to better understand how these gecko genera have adapted to life in the trees.
(Image: sample screenshot of digitization process from my work in the Heinicke Lab studying gecko descent trajectories)
Amphibian & Reptile Ecology
Reptiles and amphibians play important roles in their ecosystems and can provide insights into the overall health of an area. These organisms can provide important study systems for understanding how ecosystems around the world function and change. These organisms provide unique study systems and insights into the impacts of environmental disturbances and stressors.
(Image: African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) from my work studying the temperature-dependance of Bd infection)
Reptiles and amphibians play important roles in their ecosystems and can provide insights into the overall health of an area. These organisms can provide important study systems for understanding how ecosystems around the world function and change. These organisms provide unique study systems and insights into the impacts of environmental disturbances and stressors.
(Image: African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) from my work studying the temperature-dependance of Bd infection)
Sample interactive image of the 3-dimensional gecko gliding trajectories obtained from my work in the Heinicke Lab. We tested 7 species as represented by the colors.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse