Understanding and predicting biological responses to climate change

Climate change and hybrid zones

The majority of my PhD work focuses on how climate change affects the population genetics and dynamics of a butterfly hybrid zone - the Papilio glaucus / Papilio canadensis hybrid zone. To learn how changes in climate have, or may, influence this hybrid zone, I employ a number of approaches including the use of historically collected specimen and molecular genetics/genomics to unravel how this hybrid zone has changed historically, as well as growth chamber and field experiments combined with simulation modeling to explore how this zone will respond to future changes in climate.

Public participation in science (citizen science) is something that also really excites me and I have, and continue to be, involved in a number of projects related to this topic as well as activities related to outreach in science education.

more details, results and fun figures to come soon...