Research
CURRENT PROJECTS
RARITY VALUE & OVEREXPLOITATION
Between unsustainable harvest, the transport of invasive species, and the spread of novel pathogens, wildlife trade is a threat to thousands of species worldwide. At particular risk are rare species for which demand is high; examples include elephant tusks for the ivory trade, pangolin scales, and sturgeon eggs. I use mathematical modeling techniques to improve our ability to identify the key biological and socio-economic factors that cause trade to drive species to the brink of extinction.
Photo credit: Gregg Yan
HERPETOFAUNAL EXPOS
Reptiles and amphibians make popular pets! While the majority of the trade is legal and above board, here in North America, herpetofaunal trade can include wild-caught species of conservation concern, contribute to the spread of zoonoses, and result in the establishment of invasive populations. I am using herpetofaunal pet expos as a “model system” for understanding how in-person surveys of wildlife markets can be improved to bolster our ability to monitor trade and identify species that are rare and/or of conservation concern.
ECOSYSTEM IMPACTS OF OVEREXPLOITATION
Species are not affected equally by human-caused threats, with extinction risk depending on ecological traits such as diet specificity, abundance, and life-history strategy. In the case of commercial wildlife harvest, however, extinction risk can also be driven by traits that are desired by consumers, such as attractive coloration, unique morphological characteristics, or rarity. Importantly, species traits are often clustered within taxonomic groups, meaning consumer demand for certain morphological traits can result in incidental demand for ecological traits. Part of my research centers on analyzing these links between morphological traits and ecological traits to determine how patterns of exploitation disrupt processes at the community and ecosystem levels.
TURTLE TRAFFICKING
Wild turtles in North America are at significant risk of poaching and illicit trade. Demand for turtles for consumption and as exotic pets pets is high in both domestic and international markets, and many turtle species exhibit relatively low fecundity, resulting in exploitation threatening populations with extinction. In conjunction with the Collaborative to Combat the Illegal Trade in Turtles (CCITT), a joint working group comprised of government, academic, and non-governmental biologists formed to tackle the turtle trafficking crisis, I am seeking to (1) coalesce and analyze multiple sources of North American turtle trade data and (2) pair these data with information on species traits and local population data to develop a more comprehensive understanding of which North American turtle species are at greatest risk from trade.
PAST PROJECTS
EXTINCTION SELECTIVITY
Why do some species go extinct while others survive? The question is simple, but the answer is complicated. As an undergraduate and research technician at Davidson College, I worked with Dr. Kevin Smith to try and shed light on this question using field experiments and novel applications of ecological theory.
TICKS AND BIODIVERSITY
The spread of tick-borne disease is an increasing threat to public health. This is not just a human health problem, but an ecological one, as tick abundance and pathogen prevalence is linked to the biodiversity of the surrounding ecological community. In 2019, I helped design an exploratory study, led by some fantastic Davidson College students, to characterize the ecological factors driving patterns of tick abundance and prevalence in the Piedmont of North Carolina.
Photo Credit: Madeline Seagle