Overview

My research questions are guided by foundational ecological theory and my own field observations of population, community, and ecosystem dynamics. I use a triangulation of approaches to advance knowledge surrounding mechanisms that contribute to the organization and maintenance of biological communities. First, I use observational studies and long-term monitoring to form testable hypotheses concerning the development and maintenance of community structure, and to evaluate the response of communities and ecosystems to environmental change. Second, I use orthogonally-designed field and laboratory experiments to test hypotheses and inform causal inference. Finally, I use a variety of quantitative and meta-analytic modeling approaches to advance broad theoretical frameworks that explain the drivers of community and ecosystem dynamics across coastal ecosystems, from the rocky intertidal to kelp forests, estuarine environments, and deep rocky reefs. These model systems are the focal locations of my research because they are amenable to a combination of observational and experimental approaches.