Research

A fundamental challenge in evolutionary biology is explaining how beneficial interactions influence diversification – especially in plants, where mutualistic partners like pollinators and seed-dispersers may have contributed to the rapid radiation of angiosperms. Yet, evolution does not occur in isolation: phylogenetic history constrains trait diversity, ecological interactions impose selection, and gene function mediates phenotypic responses to environment.

My research program addresses these complexities by connecting processes across biological scales, from the evolution of fruit traits to their consequences for plant–frugivore interactions, to the role of dispersal in community assembly. Specifically, my work asks: (1) how functional fruit traits evolve across angiosperms, (2) how these traits influence fruit-selection mechanisms and structure seed dispersal networks, and (3) how animal-mediated dispersal shapes plant community structure and assembly. I combine field ecology, genomics, and quantitative modeling to ultimately build a predictive understanding of how biodiversity emerges and persists through mutualistic interactions.