Insect
ecology and management

Many aspects of arthropods' life are linked to spatial and temporal choices - where/when to feed, where/when to lay eggs, and where/when to minimize risk of predation. 

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In commercial fields, greenhouse settings, experimental field plots , we perform studies of how arthropods are spatially distributed, and we use this information to guide more mechanistic studies conducted under experimental laboratory conditions. As an example of the latter, we use Ethovision XT to conduct choice and no-choice bioassays with host plants with different qualitative and quantitative traits. We combine these with life table studies to also quantify performance of arthropods on the same host plants.

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We are very interested in learning more about the ability of arthropods to perceive and respond to environmental heterogeneity and use that information to develop innovative sampling and management practices and to understand ecological foodweb patterns.