What do animals perceive about the world? How do they do so? And how do they use this information to make decisions?

Behavioral Ecology & Animal Cognition:

I am interested in the convergent evolution of intelligent behaviors and the species-specific ecological significance of these behaviors.

What are the fitness consequences of a given cognitive ability? An answer to this question necessitates testing animals outside of captivity.

What are the ecological and biological drivers that lead to the evolution of cognitive ability at the species level and the expression of those behaviors at the population level? To what extent is a behavior fixed or flexible? Are there seasonal differences or temporal patterns?

What are the discrepancies between cognitive abilities solicited in the laboratory and an animal’s natural repertoire of behaviors? Even when methodologies are identical, significant differences have been found between the behaviors of wild and captive subjects. Although in the wild you cannot control for all potentially confounding factors, in captivity we may be missing the bigger picture of how abilities and behaviors manifest themselves in the real world.

How can behavior inform conservation?

Conservation:

Any alteration to a species’ habitat has the potential to disrupt their social networks and thus, how they obtain and transfer critical information (such as where to find the resources necessary to maintaining healthy, stable populations). In this way, social species may be disproportionately at risk to declines in biodiversity.

Data we gather on how animals use and interact with their environments can inform population management, and guide habitat restoration and protected area design. It can also help us predict how species will respond to future environmental changes.

By showcasing the incredible behaviors of the species I work with, I aim to inspire a deep appreciation for these species and engage others in their conservation. But beyond their intrinsic value, it is also important to highlight the essential ecosystem services that wildlife provide human communities. Many of the issues that threaten wildlife (climate change, depleted fish stocks, plastic pollution) threaten our own ways of life as well, and I hope to establish lasting conservation incentives for all involved.