Research

Past Research

During my postdoc I did synthetic work with CANPOLIN (Canadian Pollinator Inititative): Various projects involving pollinators and they plants they interact with across Canada

Network structure of plant-pollinator interactions

Plant-pollinator networks have been collected across Canada at many sites. We are asking various questions about how network (=species interaction) structure of these communities relates to the traits of the species and their phylogenetic history.

Pollinator biodiversity

What are the hotspots of pollinator diversity in Canada? How does pollinator biodiversity compare in pristine vs. human-altered landscapes? We will address these kinds of questions.

What is the influence of agriculture on spatially variable selection on floral traits in Helianthus (sunflower)?

Very little work has been done to incorporate the influence of crops into selection on floral traits. This is despite the fact that most species probably occur in close proximity to human disturbance of some kind, whether development, pollution, habitat fragmentation, or agriculture. I am using wild and cultivated Helianthus annuus to explore how agriculture influences selection on floral traits via biotic pathways of mutualists vs antagonists.

Variation in species interactions (meta-analyses, in prep.)

Visual description of research (C=competition, P=predation, M=mutualism):

How do plants balance multiple mutualists? Correlations among traits for attracting protective bodyguards and pollinators in cotton (Gossypium)?

Paper early view at Evolutionary Ecoloy here

Visual description of research:

Ant-plant mutualisms (meta-analysis)

See the publication in Ecology here

Visual description of research (location of ant-plant protection studies used in meta-analysis)

Ecological networks

See the publications in Functional Ecology and Oecologia here here

Visual description of research: