Research Topics:
I enjoy designing citizen science programs for the investigation of social-ecological systems (also called coupled natural and human systems). I believe that to understand natural systems, we also have to understand human systems because our species has a pervasive influence on nature. Plus, I enjoy the interdisciplinary approaches of ecological and social science research together. Topics of interest to me include:
I enjoy designing citizen science programs for the investigation of social-ecological systems (also called coupled natural and human systems). I believe that to understand natural systems, we also have to understand human systems because our species has a pervasive influence on nature. Plus, I enjoy the interdisciplinary approaches of ecological and social science research together. Topics of interest to me include:
- inclusion in citizen science
- ecology of lightscapes and soundscapes
- avian incubation behavior and physiology
- eggs as bioindicators of contaminants
- synchrony and mismatch in phenology
- citizen science design
Citizen Stewardship & Human Dimensions
I'm interested in how people manage land and lifestyle for environmental and personal well-being, particularly in the context of their relationship with wild birds. Birdwatchers make stewardship decisions often such as with regard to nest box trails and backyard habitat. I'm curious how people make these decisions and how to design citizen science to improve and coordinate decision making. If you want to participate in citizen science, check out participatory research projects. Understanding human behavior associated with natural resource management, wildlife-dependent recreation, and citizen science provides useful approaches to real-world conservation problems. Citizen science bring people into closer contact with nature and might increase the coupled dynamic between natural and human systems. In collaboration with social scientists, I study the motivations and conservation attitudes associated with participation in citizen science, outdoor recreation, and habitat stewardship. Also, I'm exploring the use of avian citizen science to communities concerned with issues of environmental justice.
Citizen Science
I'm interested in the study, use, design, and frontiers of citizen science methods. I carry out research at large scales via citizen science projects. I study the phenomenon of citizen science, the motivations of participants, and its societal impacts. I've helped in the creation of several citizen-science projects, including NestWatch, CamClickr, Celebrate Urban Birds, and YardMap.
I'm interested in how people manage land and lifestyle for environmental and personal well-being, particularly in the context of their relationship with wild birds. Birdwatchers make stewardship decisions often such as with regard to nest box trails and backyard habitat. I'm curious how people make these decisions and how to design citizen science to improve and coordinate decision making. If you want to participate in citizen science, check out participatory research projects. Understanding human behavior associated with natural resource management, wildlife-dependent recreation, and citizen science provides useful approaches to real-world conservation problems. Citizen science bring people into closer contact with nature and might increase the coupled dynamic between natural and human systems. In collaboration with social scientists, I study the motivations and conservation attitudes associated with participation in citizen science, outdoor recreation, and habitat stewardship. Also, I'm exploring the use of avian citizen science to communities concerned with issues of environmental justice.
Citizen Science
I'm interested in the study, use, design, and frontiers of citizen science methods. I carry out research at large scales via citizen science projects. I study the phenomenon of citizen science, the motivations of participants, and its societal impacts. I've helped in the creation of several citizen-science projects, including NestWatch, CamClickr, Celebrate Urban Birds, and YardMap.
Egg color and patterns
I'm interested in the functional significance of eggshell pigments, patterns, and structure in relation to embryonic development, incubation behavior, and environmental contaminants. Egg colors arise from two pigments:
(1) biliverdin, an antioxidant pigment that creates blue-green coloration
(2) protoporphyrin, a pro-oxidant pigment that creates red-brown colors and speckling pattern (called maculation).
There are many hypotheses that attempt to explain the wide variation in colors and patterns among eggs. Egg colors function to camouflage eggs and potentially hold individual signatures or other signals. Some hypotheses suggest egg color functions as a signal of female quality or environmental conditions. These pigments are biosynthesis products of heme. Heme contains iron and plays a role oxygen transport in the blood. Consequently, for example, pigments levels could be related to anemic conditions, indicative of ecto-parasites. Others suggest pigments play a structural role, related to gas exchange or compensation for reduced shell thickness due to limited calcium. Another hypothesis is that speckling pigments might serve an antimicrobial function.
The mechanistic basis of pigment production is still poorly understood, though some environmental contaminants may interfere with these pathways. If we can better understand the physiological and chemical mechanisms underlying pigment production and deposition, we may be able to decrease the costs of using bird eggs as a community-monitoring tool to index human exposure to environmental contaminants.
I'm interested in the functional significance of eggshell pigments, patterns, and structure in relation to embryonic development, incubation behavior, and environmental contaminants. Egg colors arise from two pigments:
(1) biliverdin, an antioxidant pigment that creates blue-green coloration
(2) protoporphyrin, a pro-oxidant pigment that creates red-brown colors and speckling pattern (called maculation).
There are many hypotheses that attempt to explain the wide variation in colors and patterns among eggs. Egg colors function to camouflage eggs and potentially hold individual signatures or other signals. Some hypotheses suggest egg color functions as a signal of female quality or environmental conditions. These pigments are biosynthesis products of heme. Heme contains iron and plays a role oxygen transport in the blood. Consequently, for example, pigments levels could be related to anemic conditions, indicative of ecto-parasites. Others suggest pigments play a structural role, related to gas exchange or compensation for reduced shell thickness due to limited calcium. Another hypothesis is that speckling pigments might serve an antimicrobial function.
The mechanistic basis of pigment production is still poorly understood, though some environmental contaminants may interfere with these pathways. If we can better understand the physiological and chemical mechanisms underlying pigment production and deposition, we may be able to decrease the costs of using bird eggs as a community-monitoring tool to index human exposure to environmental contaminants.
Sensory Pollution
I'm interested in understanding the benefits to well-being of dark skies and natural soundscapes as ecosystem services for animals, including humans. I want to identify how lightscapes and soundscapes are ecological and evolutionary drivers of biodiversity, behavior, and natural history. The noise and bright lights iconic of big cities extend well beyond city boundaries -- and beyond the bounds of what occurs naturally. Artificial lights at night and noise from human activities are nearly ubiquitous features of all environments on Earth. Given how organisms have adapted to natural soundscapes and nightscapes, we expect some species to adapt to artificial noise and light; and other to not. Light and noise likely affects biodiversity, contributing to the reasons why only a few species thrive while most fail in the noisy, bright built environment.
I'm interested in understanding the benefits to well-being of dark skies and natural soundscapes as ecosystem services for animals, including humans. I want to identify how lightscapes and soundscapes are ecological and evolutionary drivers of biodiversity, behavior, and natural history. The noise and bright lights iconic of big cities extend well beyond city boundaries -- and beyond the bounds of what occurs naturally. Artificial lights at night and noise from human activities are nearly ubiquitous features of all environments on Earth. Given how organisms have adapted to natural soundscapes and nightscapes, we expect some species to adapt to artificial noise and light; and other to not. Light and noise likely affects biodiversity, contributing to the reasons why only a few species thrive while most fail in the noisy, bright built environment.
Research Tools:
Rhythm 2.0 software
In 2005, I co-developed a software program, Rhythm, to quantify incubation behavior from time series recordings. Almost 40 research papers have used Rhythm for data analysis. In 2015, the co-developer (Harold Mills, programmer) and I are carrying out an Open Notebook project to create Rhythm 2.0 software/web-ware, which will be free and open-source. We use a wiki platform to engage incubation researchers across the world in sharing ideas about the needed functionality so that Rhythm 2.0 will meet numerous research needs. We’ll crowdfund for the programmer salary.
In 2005, I co-developed a software program, Rhythm, to quantify incubation behavior from time series recordings. Almost 40 research papers have used Rhythm for data analysis. In 2015, the co-developer (Harold Mills, programmer) and I are carrying out an Open Notebook project to create Rhythm 2.0 software/web-ware, which will be free and open-source. We use a wiki platform to engage incubation researchers across the world in sharing ideas about the needed functionality so that Rhythm 2.0 will meet numerous research needs. We’ll crowdfund for the programmer salary.
