Research
Postdoctoral Research
Postdoctoral Research
My postdoctoral work focuses on how the microbiome influences the physiology and thermal ecology of lizards. In the Logan lab, I performed work to assess how microbiome composition correlates with lizard heat tolerance plasticity in the face of rapid environmental change. I am also characterizing microbial isolates from lizard guts across both cool mainland habitats, and warmer island habitats. This work is done with slender anoles in the lowland tropical rainforests of Panama at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
My postdoctoral work focuses on how the microbiome influences the physiology and thermal ecology of lizards. In the Logan lab, I performed work to assess how microbiome composition correlates with lizard heat tolerance plasticity in the face of rapid environmental change. I am also characterizing microbial isolates from lizard guts across both cool mainland habitats, and warmer island habitats. This work is done with slender anoles in the lowland tropical rainforests of Panama at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
In the Trevelline lab, my work is focused on how manipulating the developmental microbial exposure of lizards affects their growth, physiology, and thermal tolerance. I will also work to understand how the microbiome affects invasion ecology of lizards. This work is done with invasive wall lizards in Ohio.
In the Trevelline lab, my work is focused on how manipulating the developmental microbial exposure of lizards affects their growth, physiology, and thermal tolerance. I will also work to understand how the microbiome affects invasion ecology of lizards. This work is done with invasive wall lizards in Ohio.
PhD Research
PhD Research
My PhD research has focused on interactions between amphibian hosts, their gut microbiota, and the external environment with a focus on temperature.
My PhD research has focused on interactions between amphibian hosts, their gut microbiota, and the external environment with a focus on temperature.
I have demonstrated that increasing environmental temperatures can alter the composition of amphibian gut microbial communities, and reduce their diversity. I have also shown that warming-induced changes in these bacterial communities may result in a loss of digestive function in a common salamander.
I have demonstrated that increasing environmental temperatures can alter the composition of amphibian gut microbial communities, and reduce their diversity. I have also shown that warming-induced changes in these bacterial communities may result in a loss of digestive function in a common salamander.
More recently, I have shown that experimentally depleting the diversity of the gut microbiome in green frog tadpoles results in hosts with reduced acute thermal tolerance, poorer survival under heat stress, and diminished locomotor capabilities at high temperatures compared to those colonized with a diverse microbiota. These findings highlight the importance of considering microbiota when predicting species' physiological responses to climate change.
More recently, I have shown that experimentally depleting the diversity of the gut microbiome in green frog tadpoles results in hosts with reduced acute thermal tolerance, poorer survival under heat stress, and diminished locomotor capabilities at high temperatures compared to those colonized with a diverse microbiota. These findings highlight the importance of considering microbiota when predicting species' physiological responses to climate change.
Museum Work
Museum Work
I have conducted research in both the herpetology and ornithology sections at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Much of this work focuses on finding new research uses for specimens that integrate the collections with my knowledge of the microbiome. More to come soon!
I have conducted research in both the herpetology and ornithology sections at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Much of this work focuses on finding new research uses for specimens that integrate the collections with my knowledge of the microbiome. More to come soon!
