Nature is simultaneously structured and random. For example, a walk in the forest might suggest that species occur haphazardly, but that same forest viewed from an airplane seems orderly and predictable. My work as an ecologist focuses on disentangling the predictable parts of nature from the random ones.

Specifically, I care about where and why species or groups of species (communities) occur - the ecology of biodiversity. This is no simple task. Patterns of species occurence are complex in space and time, so that even measuring where species are is difficult. Likewise, the processes that shape these distributions, which include habitat effects, competition, disturbance, history, and dispersal, interact in complex ways.

My research helps us measure patterns of biodiveristy accurately, and then understand the relative contributions of ecological processes in shaping those patterns. My teaching helps students understand the historical context from which current ecological questions emerged, and provides them with the quantitative tools to address those questions. I relate my perpectives on researching and conserving biodiveristy through publication in journals, and presentation at conferences and universities. I also share a few resources on this website, as a portal for further research into the complex. patterns and processes that shape nature. You can also view my CV if you like.