RESEARCH INTERESTS

Variety of pathways influencing biotic disturbances of forests (Ecol. Mon. 2013)

Biology, and ecology, and management of forest insects

I am in interested in how natural enemies, host quality and climate influence insect life history traits, ecology, and approaches to their management. I use laboratory and field experimentation and modeling in these studies which have included bark beetles, invasive wood-boring insects, leaf beetles, adelgids, and defoliating moths within the contexts of biological control, climate change, and pest management.

Population dynamics of insects in a changing climate

Resolving connections between climate, physiology, and insect population dynamics motivate this research area. My work combines elements of climate analysis, physiological experimentation, and spatio-temporal population modeling. I have explored this topic in the context of aggressive bark beetles and weed biological control  at local- to landscape-scales.

Trend in the coldest night of the winter across western USA (Landscape Ecol. 2015)

Spatial variation in southern pine beetle population dynamics is linked to local variation in pine basal area, not predator abundance (Ecography 2016)

Geographical variation and scale dependence in insect population dynamics

Spatial variation in population dynamics is common and may arise from interactions with natural enemies and host resources.  Moreover, the influence of these factors on insect population dynamics may change with scale (i.e., forests to regions). Recognition of spatial variation and scale dependence is relevant to management of insects. For example,  does natural enemy regulation vary in space? Why and what distance is it correlated? This research seeks to understand drivers of spatial variation that can be used to develop pragmatic solutions for managing native and nonnative insects.