Research Interests

My primary research interestes are in stream and aquatic ecology. My research interests are guided by the broad consideration of how ecological processes and patterns are constrained by habitat structure and environmental variability at multiple spatial and temporal scales in aquatic ecosystems. Small scale research focuses on how spatial habitat heterogeneity influences productivity of primary producers and the foraging behavior of mobile invertebrate herbivores. At larger scales, my research focuses on testing general ecological theory predicting how the structure and functional organization of biological communities (invertebrates and fish) depend on habitat stability. We are interested in integrating ecological response across all levels of habitat constraint, from local patches to whole watersheds, using an interdisciplinary approach. This research provides a basis for predicting aquatic community attributes at geographic scales and for evaluating population and community responses to land-use alterations and regional climate changes.