How do indirect interactions structure plant-insect communities and drive the evolution of plant traits? This is the question I am excited to pursue with my thesis research. In the common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), I study the function of flowers in an asexual species. In the absence of a need for pollinators, does the genetic variation provided by a low level of outcrossing maintain floral display? Or do flowers convey a fitness benefit by attracting predators, a form of indirect defense against herbivores? In another project with spotted Joe Pye weed and white boneset (both of Eupatoriinae), I am interested in how competition among neighboring plants is impacted by associational susceptibility and resistance to herbivores. Understanding the relative strength of such neighbor effects could help explain the ecology and evolution of plant growth and defense traits.
I also work in community outreach and science education, hoping to increase public access and understanding of science. I like to practice talking science, from teaching second-graders about insect communication to guiding high-school students through their science projects. My other pursuits include political advocacy and helping recruit a more diverse cohort of new ecologists. In my free time I experiment with baking, read science fiction and fantasy, and explore virtual worlds like Breath of the Wild. Oh yeah, and I work on this website!
