How will wildlife contend with human-induced rapid environmental change?
Dr. Bruce Robertson
My research focuses on understnading the direct and indirect impacts of human activities on biodiversity, animal behavior and species interactions with special emphasis on how rapidly changing environments may disrupt evolved relationships and trigger maladaptation. I am probably best known for my interest in better understanding the causes and consequences of maladaptive behavioral scenarios called ecological and evolutionary traps that have the potential to negatively impact populations of native species. I strive to answer questions that address important conservation issues, but that also provide fundamental insights into ecological theory. To this end, I combine field observations and experiments with quantitative modeling and advanced statistical approaches. I frequently engage in interdisciplinary collaborations which I believe spark novel approaches and insights. Much of my work focuses on birds, but I'm increasingly employing arthropods, mammals and plants as study organisms. For more information on my research programs, please click on the topical links below:
1. Ecological and Evolutionary Traps
2. Biofuels, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
3. Postfire Wildlife Ecology
Recent News:
April
* New manuscript accepted at Trends in Ecology and Evolution: "Ecological novelty and the emergence of evolutionary
traps."
* Invited to speak on the topic of bioenergy and biodiversity conservation at the annual meeting of the Wildlife Society.
(Images: Examples of animals exhibiting maladaptive responses to evolutionary novel objects and becoming trapped. A) a Cuban tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) ingests a decorative light that mimics the bioluminescent qualities of insect prey (photo: James Snyder), B) a black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) killed by the ingestion of small, often colorful floating garbage that appear as food items (photo: Chris Jordan), C) a giant jewel beetle (Julodimorpha bakewelli) attempting to mate with a beer bottle that produces supernormal strengths of coloration and reflection cues associated with female conspecifics (photo: Darryl Gwynne), D) mayflies blanket, mate and oviposit on a storefront window that strongly reflects horizontally polarized light, their primary habitat selection cue in locating natural water bodies (photo: Will Milne).
1. Ecological and Evolutionary Traps
2. Biofuels, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
3. Postfire Wildlife Ecology
Recent News:
April
* New manuscript accepted at Trends in Ecology and Evolution: "Ecological novelty and the emergence of evolutionary
traps."
* Invited to speak on the topic of bioenergy and biodiversity conservation at the annual meeting of the Wildlife Society.
(Images: Examples of animals exhibiting maladaptive responses to evolutionary novel objects and becoming trapped. A) a Cuban tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) ingests a decorative light that mimics the bioluminescent qualities of insect prey (photo: James Snyder), B) a black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) killed by the ingestion of small, often colorful floating garbage that appear as food items (photo: Chris Jordan), C) a giant jewel beetle (Julodimorpha bakewelli) attempting to mate with a beer bottle that produces supernormal strengths of coloration and reflection cues associated with female conspecifics (photo: Darryl Gwynne), D) mayflies blanket, mate and oviposit on a storefront window that strongly reflects horizontally polarized light, their primary habitat selection cue in locating natural water bodies (photo: Will Milne).
Contact Information:
Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Bard College, 32 College Drive, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, 12504;
Email: broberts@bard.edu; Phone: 845-752-2332
Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Bard College, 32 College Drive, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, 12504;
Email: broberts@bard.edu; Phone: 845-752-2332
