Research Interest
behavioral ecology, invasion biology, community ecology, climate change, behavioral plasticity, reproductive behaviors, parental provisioning, competition, Onthophagus dung beetlesFaculty Advisor(s)
SheldonDegree Pursuing
PhDResearch
Behavioral plasticity allows individuals to modify their behavior in response to environmental changes; therefore, behavioral plasticity may play an important role in biological invasions. I study how plasticity of reproductive behaviors influences invasion success, specifically by effecting survival and competitive ability. I use dung beetles of the genus Onthophagus as my study system.