Ecology and evolution of insects and microbes on native and exotic trees

I am a ecologist, entomologist and evolutionary biologist focused on questions related to insects and fungi that interact with plants, primarily forest trees. I use a variety of approaches and tools, including observational studies, field and lab experiments, modeling and molecular analyses to test hypotheses and search for strong inference in the systems I study. I approach ecological and evolutionary questions using a strong theoretical framework while producing and communicating products that will have applied value to conservation and to land and forest managers. In particular, I am interested in drivers of host use and community overlap among native and exotic tree species, patterns of population genetic diversity in native and introduced insects and fungi, and the role of complex interactions in driving forest insect population and community dynamics.

Increasingly, my work sits at the interface between field ecology and ecological and evolutionary genetics and genomics. I am particularly interested in understanding the patterns and consequences of global invasion of insects and microbes linked to the intentional cultivation of exotic trees, which inevitably results in the creation of novel ecosystems.