At the Crossroads of Ecology and Evolution
We study the eco-evolutionary dynamics of freshwater and coastal ecosystems. The study of eco-evolutionary dynamics focuses on bi-directional interactions occurring between ecology and evolution in nature. We examine how evolution shapes populations, communities, and ecosystems and how these ecological changes feed back to shape the trajectory of evolution. Because our research is at the interface of ecology and evolution, we utilize a diversity of techniques and approaches. In particular, we combine surveys of genetic, phenotypic, and ecological variation in nature with field and laboratory experiments to test the mechanisms underlying observed patterns. Our research addresses basic questions in evolutionary ecology and applied questions in conservation biology and fisheries management. We are located at the Coastal Science Campus at UC Santa Cruz.