Community and Ecosystems Ecology

I am an ecologist with broad training in community and ecosystem ecology and conservation biology.  My research interests span two broad areas of ecology: plant-herbivore-soil interactions and biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships. Within this overarching context, my research addresses questions of ecological and evolutionary significance, employing both theoretical and empirical approaches.  Wherever possible, it is my goal to design the empirical part of my research such that it leads to insights into strategies for the conservation of biodiversity and the ecosystems in which it is conducted.

Current research in the lab is grouped around three themes that examine a) how interactions and feedbacks between herbivores, fires, climate and biogeochemistry influence the structure, composition and stability of ecosystems, ii) the role of large herbivores in influencing patterns of energy and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, iii) the role of species diversity in regulating ecosystem function and the provisioning of ecosystem services to humans.  Most of our research thus far has been carried out in savanna ecosystems in India and Africa.  Besides being economically important biomes, savannas are also perfect model systems for the kinds of research questions that we are interested in.  More recently, research in the lab is expanding to encompass a wider range of ecosystem types including rainforests and grasslands.