I am an aquatic ecologist studying a broad range of topics addressing basic and applied questions in freshwater ecosystems. Many of my research projects are focused on understanding how stressors individually and interactively affect stream ecosystems and their inhabitants. My research attempts to understand the mechanisms that underlie species' responses to stressors, ranging from physiological responses that may cascade through populations to dissenting the direct and indirect pathways through which stressors can alter habitat, water quality, and food availability. My focal study organism is not limited to a single organism, but includes any organisms found in and around freshwater environments, such as algae, macroinvertebrates, and fishes.
Stressors may be natural (e.g., floods, drought, and fires) or anthropogenic (e.g., urbanization, agriculture and energy development) in origin, and can individually drive ecological change, lead to a simple, additive multiple-stressor response, or interact in complex ways (i.e., antagonistic or synergistic). For conservation, it is imperative that we understand which stressors are present and how they may interact, as mitigation efforts can target stressor removal where necessary. Yet comparatively few studies have evaluated the interactive effects of multiple stressors, especially in freshwater ecosystems. Because of our limited knowledge of stressor interactions, managers and ecologists are increasingly under pressure to quantify and understand how stressors can interact to affect ecological change. By disentangling the interactive effects of multiple stressors, my research can better inform managers of the challenges and strategies needed to evaluate and mitigate stressor interactions.
Stressors may be natural (e.g., floods, drought, and fires) or anthropogenic (e.g., urbanization, agriculture and energy development) in origin, and can individually drive ecological change, lead to a simple, additive multiple-stressor response, or interact in complex ways (i.e., antagonistic or synergistic). For conservation, it is imperative that we understand which stressors are present and how they may interact, as mitigation efforts can target stressor removal where necessary. Yet comparatively few studies have evaluated the interactive effects of multiple stressors, especially in freshwater ecosystems. Because of our limited knowledge of stressor interactions, managers and ecologists are increasingly under pressure to quantify and understand how stressors can interact to affect ecological change. By disentangling the interactive effects of multiple stressors, my research can better inform managers of the challenges and strategies needed to evaluate and mitigate stressor interactions.
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon