Research
My research focuses on how biogeography, evolutionary history, and climate mold the physiology and morphology of species and ultimately; (1) shape their distributions; and (2) mediate their coexistence in ecological communities.
I collect fine-scale data that reflects how species interact with one another and their environment, as the global processes I aim to understand play out at that same scale.
Much of my research experience has been in the tropics, usually focused on amphibians and reptiles, especially frogs! For several years I also worked on projects across the US, which I detail in the “Fieldwork” section of my website.​
Connecting Ectotherm Thermal Physiology to Distribution Patterns
1. What is the connection between thermal physiology and species distributions?
That is the question the first chapter of my dissertation addresses. I combined data on thermal physiology, occurrences, and abundances of Anolis lizards on the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. Results suggest that physiological traits are poor predictors of climatic occurrence limits, as well as the conditions that confer peak population abundances. Additionally, the range of temperatures a species tolerates physiologically does not scale to predict the range of environmental temperatures over which it occurs (see below).
2. Ecophysiology of Pristimantis frogs in Colombia.
My Master's research explored how thermal biology and habitat type shape the behavior and adaptation of Pristimantis frogs (Strabomantidae) across an elevation gradient (400–1350m) in Colombia. By documenting habitat preferences, environmental temperatures, and thermal physiology, we found that one species shifts its habitat preference from forest to modified habitat at higher elevations but maintains consistent thermal physiology along this broad gradient. These insights highlight how habitat selection (behavior) can mute adaptive evolution (the Bogert Effect) and allow species to access a wider range of habitast than their physiology would predict, even for thermoconforming nocturnal frogs.
Drivers of Ecological Community Structure
1. Interplay between evolutionary and community-level convergence.
This research examines how biogeography and evolutionary history shape amphibian and reptile communities across diverse climates. Based on data from 426 transects across Peru, the Caribbean, and Madagascar, we found that local climate conditions drive species richness patterns more than regional factors. Amphibian richness peaks in cool wet forests, while reptiles are more evenly distributed across habitat types. Ongoing analyses explore whether morphological convergence underlies these patterns.
2. Ecological opportunity and niche filling of insular reptile and amphibian radiations.
In addition to assessing ecological communities via terrestrial transect surveys, I look at how amphibians and reptiles use vertical habitat space across island regions. To sample the full vertical profile of the forest, I conduct tree-climbing surveys. Results suggest that while reptiles consistently occupy a broad range from forest floor to canopy, amphibian vertical habitat use varies by region. Terrestrial abundance in both reptiles and amphibians declines on larger islands. Canopy abundance in reptiles also decreases with island size, while surprisingly, amphibians show no clear pattern. These findings suggest that arboreal adaptations are rarer in some amphibians, reducing the influence of island size on their biodiversity.
