My principal research interests fall in the general area of ecological genetics, the study of how selection molds the phenotypic and genetic variation within and among natural populations. What this really means is that I am interested in why animal populations differ from one another in body size, life history, and sexual behavior patterns. When I find such differences, I ask whether they are genetically based and, if so, whether they are maintained by divergent effects of natural selection that arise from different ecological circumstances. Some of the projects that I've undertaken within these general questions include investigating asking why least killifish (Heterandria formosa) population densities vary over two orders of magnitude and why sailfin molly (Poecilia formosa) males exhibit so much variation in the size and shape of their famous dorsal fins.

This type of work makes a contribution in two broader areas. First, it helps us understand the power and precision of evolutionary adaptation by uncovering such adaptation on very local scales. Second, it opens up an important window on comparative ecology by helping us understand how species cope with different ecological challenges in different locations. The principles derived from this type of work can be applied to a variety of situations, from understanding how fishery stocks respond evolutionarily to harvesting to understanding the subtle but important differences among ecological communities that might appear superficially similar.

My teaching interests have been similarly broad. I have taught a variety of courses at FSU, from undergraduate courses focused on the biology and natural history of fish and amphibians to graduate courses focused on statistical methods in ecology. I have guided the training of 11 doctoral students whose work has ranged from the community ecology of Amazonian frogs to the population genetics of sex ratios in wasps. The studies being conducted by my five current students are focused on the evolution of color patterns and vision physiology in bluefin killifish (Lucania goodei), how green treefrog tadpoles (Hyla cinerea) cope with many different predators, the larval ecology of gray (Lutjanus griseus) and lane (L. synagris) snapper, the comparative life histories of red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) populations, and comparative gene expression in larval spadefoot toads (Spea species). More information on some of these projects and my general approach to problems can be found in the materials on my personal home page.