Research

Overview

Our current work on ecological interactions within an evolutionary framework focuses on testing hypotheses about the interactions between sexual selection, foraging ecology, and life history traits. We promote a newly unified view of sexual selection as a process that encompasses both pre-mating and post-mating reproductive episodes.

Our studies look at how traits such as visual and chemical courtship signals, copulatory courtship, sperm precedence, and nuptial gifts all work together to determine reproductive success. We are also interested in how such traits are altered by nutritional and life history constraints. Other current research in our lab explores the behavioral economics of shell use by terrestrial and marine hermit crabs. Our past research has provided insight into ecological processes that regulate the structure of coral reef communities.

Select any topic in the sidebar to learn more about our current and past research.