Ecology, Ecosystems, and Conservation

 

We are interested in the ecological and evolutionary processes that create and sustain biodiversity, and we often work at the challenging interface between organismal and ecosystems ecology.  Working at this interface gives us novel perspectives on how human impacts on ecosystem processes affect wildlife, and how the conservation of animals relates back to ecosystem function.  Our current research programs focus on (1) the impacts of nonnative species, climate, and land use on the ecology of native wildlife, (2) the influences of animals on ecosystem processes, and (3) the application of ecological principles to inform the conservation and management of wildlife.  Most of our work focuses on amphibians and reptiles, though we dabble in birds and invertebrates.  We participate as a member lab of the Center for Integrative Conservation and the Coweeta LTER, and we work in collaboration with the Savannah River Ecology Lab, Jones Ecological Research Center, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Orianne Society.