Research
Dr. Forkner pursues a few major research foci, but students are free to choose their own agendas. Below you can read about some of our current projects.
Autumn Phenology
Ecologists generally assume that plant phenology - the timing of plant growth, flowering, leaf loss and other important life-history processes - is principally driven by abiotic factors such as day length and temperature. Data from our research support the hypothesis that insect herbivory generates substantial variation in plant phenology, particularly autumn foliar senescence. Our lab is examining how insects may both advance and delay plant senescence processes, resulting in variability in the vibrancy and duration of autumn leaf colors. This work is part of a larger project to document changes in the diversity and phenology of plant and herbivore communities with climate change.
Plants & Herbivores & Underground organisms
Interactions between plants and below-ground organisms alter nutrient availability and plant growth. They also alter secondary plant biochemical pathways with consequences for herbivores and many other above-ground consumers. Conversely, secondary biochemical pathways may dictate a plant’s ability to form mutualisms or defend from below-ground consumers. Our lab is examining how chemical defenses in species such as wild indigo (Baptisia), patridge pea (Chamaecrista), and milkweed (Asclepias) are altered by or dictate the presence of below-ground species. In the words of our cherished colleague, Dave Carr, "why study one trophic level, when you can study six?"
All our favorite species
In addition to our main research objectives, our lab has a mandate to promote the conservation of Virginia's native invertebrates. To that end, we investigate a wide range of invertebrates, including oak-feeding caterpillars and wasps, bumble bees and their gut microbes, mosquitoes, swallowtail and silk moth caterpillars, and fireflies and their prey. Many students investigate the evolutionary origins of color in larval and adult butterflies and moths. These projects have been funded in part by the Virginia Academy of Science and the Washington Biologists' Field Club. Contact Dr. Forkner if you have a favorite worthy of study.
Forest Sustainability
“Sustainable harvesting” is a buzz word in forestry and commercially marketed timber products. Yet, few studies document if harvest practices are truly sustainable over the lifetime of a forest – more than 100 years! This is the objective of The Missouri Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) - to compare the sustainability of different types of logging by studying biodiversity, coordinated changes in biogeochemical processes, and forest recovery. As a part of MOFEP, Dr. Robert Marquis at UM-St. Louis is investigating the influence of harvest regimes on oak insects. We have collaborated with Dr. Marquis on this research for more than a decade, and our project is unique in several respects. First, we examine the impact of disturbance at the landscape scale: that is, we ask “how do insects within intact portions of disturbed landscapes respond?” Furthermore, we examine the effects of disturbance on larval life-stages rather than charismatic adult Lepidoptera. It is in this stage that Lepidoptera cause the most damage to trees and potentially reduce the rate at which forests recover after logging.
We hate limits
We love forest hikes. We love being in the canopy even more. Ask about our past and current projects in the tree tops.
We have our heads in the clouds
Elevation impacts the adaptations and responses of organisms to climate change. Find out about our high altitude studies in temperate and tropical locations.
We take unique perspectives
We encourage studies on all organisms by researchers of all abilities. Ask about how our work fits your skill set.