Integrative Evolutionary and Conservation Biology

Our lab studies how ecological, genetic, and evolutionary processes shape biodiversity across scales from genes to landscapes. We focus on the distribution of trait variation, the genomic architecture underlying adaptation, and the ecological contexts that influence survival, reproduction, and geographic range limits. Our approach blends genomics, population and quantitative genetics, ecological niche modeling, and field-based research to address both fundamental and applied questions in biology.

We work across diverse systems, including terrestrial plants, aquatic species, and microbes. Projects range from QTL mapping of root traits in Arabidopsis to spatial habitat models in imperiled aquatic species. Increasingly, our work centers on species of conservation concern and emerging disease threats, using tools such as landscape genomics and niche divergence analysis to reveal patterns of adaptation and ecological boundaries that inform both evolutionary understanding and conservation action.

Conservation biology is a central focus of our research. We aim to generate data and models that inform real-world decisions, whether identifying suitable habitat for endangered species, assessing the risks of hybridization, or forecasting how climate change affects pathogen emergence and species interactions. We believe meaningful conservation decisions require insight into how species respond to environmental pressures, interact with other taxa, and maintain genetic and ecological distinctiveness. Whether modeling the spread of disease under climate change or guiding management of declining freshwater fauna, our goal is to produce science that is both biologically rigorous and actionable.