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The McKindles Lab investigates how microbial interactions and environmental change shape community dynamics, adaptation, and ecosystem function. Using aquatic microbial ecosystems as model systems, we combine field studies, laboratory experiments, genomics, and long-term evolution approaches to understand how microbial communities assemble, persist, and respond to environmental change.
Why this Research Matters
Why this Research Matters
Microorganisms regulate nutrient cycling, ecosystem productivity, water quality, and the health of aquatic environments. Yet the mechanisms that govern microbial community stability, resilience, and adaptation remain poorly understood. Our research seeks to identify the ecological and evolutionary processes that drive microbial ecosystems and determine how they will respond to future environmental change.
Research Themes
Community Assembly and Species Interactions
Community Assembly and Species Interactions
How do microbes establish and maintain complex communities? We study interactions among cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms to understand how species interactions influence community structure and ecosystem function.
Adaptation and Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics
Adaptation and Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics
Microbial populations can evolve rapidly in response to environmental conditions. We investigate how environmental selection shapes adaptation, evolutionary predictability, and feedbacks between ecological and evolutionary processes.
Host-associated Microbiomes and Symbioses
Host-associated Microbiomes and Symbioses
Many microorganisms exist within networks of beneficial and antagonistic interactions. We examine how microbiomes influence host fitness, nutrient exchange, and resilience to environmental stress.
Ecosystem Resilience and Bloom-Bust Dynamics
Ecosystem Resilience and Bloom-Bust Dynamics
Aquatic microbial communities frequently undergo cycles of growth, collapse, and recovery. We use controlled microcosms and natural ecosystems to identify the mechanisms governing community persistence, resilience, and ecosystem stability.
Study Systems
Our research uses diverse microbial systems, including cyanobacteria, viruses, fungal parasites, heterotrophic bacteria, and freshwater microbial communities. Harmful algal blooms provide a powerful natural laboratory for investigating broader questions in ecology, evolution, and microbial interactions. See more about our study systems in the "Research Organisms" page.Â
Contact
Contact
email : Katelyn_McKindles@Baylor.edu
X (Twitter) : @kmckindl
Researchgate : https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Katelyn-Mckindles
GoogleScholar : Katelyn McKindles
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