We combine observational data with statistical modeling approaches to investigate questions
at the interface of ecological theory and conservation biology.
The primary goals of our research are to:
1) Identify mechanisms that structure tropical vertebrate communities across spatial scales
2) Understand how tropical mammals and birds respond to global change
3) Apply results to biodiversity conservation
Community and MacroecologyWe study the drivers of variation in communities across taxonomic groups, ecological systems and spatial scales, with emphasis on tropical mammals and birds and the resources they require.
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Global Change BiologyHabitat loss and climate change are two of the most critical threats to biodiversity worldwide. We study how these aspects of global change affect patterns of tropical vertebrate diversity and local extinction risk.
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Conservation BiologyWe conduct research in collaboration with TEAM, a global biodiversity monitoring network and partnership between Conservation International, the Smithsonian Institute and the Wildlife Conservation Society
(Photo: Benjamin Drummond) |
News
February 2019: New article published online in the Journal of Tropical Ecology: Differences among regions in environmental predictors of primate community similarity affect conclusions about community assembly
January 2019: New article published in Oryx: Detecting tropical wildlife declines through camera-trap monitoring: an evaluation of the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring protocol
Lydia gives a talk in the Machine Learning Lunch Series at Rice entitled "Image data and analysis for tropical conservation"
November 2018: Dr. Jennifer Moore joins the lab as a postdoc. Welcome, Jennifer!
New article entitled "Distributional shifts in a biodiversity hotspot" published in Biological Conservation
October 2018: Lydia attends the 10th International Symposium of Integrative Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China and presents on the impacts of global change on terrestrial mammals in tropical forest protected areas.
New article entitled "Effects of environmental stress on primate populations" published in Annual Review of Anthropology:
Paper entitled "Local temperature and ecological similarity drive distributional dynamics of tropical mammals worldwide" accepted by Global Ecology and Biogeography
August 2018: Dan Gorczynski joins the lab as a PhD student in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Program at Rice and the EEB Worden Fellow. Welcome, Dan, and congratulations on your fellowship!
Lydia gives keynote address at the 2018 BioSciences at Rice Symposium
July 2018: Lydia officially joins the BioSciences faculty at Rice University
February 2019: New article published online in the Journal of Tropical Ecology: Differences among regions in environmental predictors of primate community similarity affect conclusions about community assembly
January 2019: New article published in Oryx: Detecting tropical wildlife declines through camera-trap monitoring: an evaluation of the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring protocol
Lydia gives a talk in the Machine Learning Lunch Series at Rice entitled "Image data and analysis for tropical conservation"
November 2018: Dr. Jennifer Moore joins the lab as a postdoc. Welcome, Jennifer!
New article entitled "Distributional shifts in a biodiversity hotspot" published in Biological Conservation
October 2018: Lydia attends the 10th International Symposium of Integrative Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China and presents on the impacts of global change on terrestrial mammals in tropical forest protected areas.
New article entitled "Effects of environmental stress on primate populations" published in Annual Review of Anthropology:
Paper entitled "Local temperature and ecological similarity drive distributional dynamics of tropical mammals worldwide" accepted by Global Ecology and Biogeography
August 2018: Dan Gorczynski joins the lab as a PhD student in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Program at Rice and the EEB Worden Fellow. Welcome, Dan, and congratulations on your fellowship!
Lydia gives keynote address at the 2018 BioSciences at Rice Symposium
July 2018: Lydia officially joins the BioSciences faculty at Rice University
