fluorescent dye on hands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research

I currently have two areas of focus:
Large-scale spatiotemporal population dynamics of the gypsy moth
Effects of climate change on population dynamics of forest-defoliating insects


Large-scale spatiotemporal population dynamics of the gypsy moth

gypsy moth caterpillar

In collaboration with Derek Johnson (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and Andrew "Sandy" Liebhold (U.S. Forest Service), I am exploring large-scale patterns of forest defoliation across the northeastern United States from the last 30-80 years. We hope to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for fluctuations in gypsy moth abundance through time and space. A current focus is to investigate geographical and temporal variation in the periodicity (regularity) of gypsy moth outbreaks. One project involves examining changes in periodicity across an elevational gradient. A second investigates how the periodicity of outbreaks has changed over time during the twentieth century. Both projects will shed light on the roles that predators and pathogens play in gypsy moth population dynamics. Our approach is to combine time-series analysis, spatial statistics, and mechanistic simulation modeling.


Effects of climate change on population dynamics of forest-defoliating insects

pandora moth

Numerous studies predict that climate warming will increase the frequency and severity of outbreaks of forest-defoliating insects. The few studies that have examined the outbreak history of these species, however, show the opposite trend or no changes in population dynamics in recent decades. I plan to use time-series analysis and meta-analytic techniques to investigate the extent to which the frequency, severity, and periodicity of outbreaks of forest-defoliating insect species have been affected by climate change. I also will evaluate potential mechanisms whereby climate changes affect outbreak dynamics.