My research interests are broad, encompassing various aspects of ecology, life history, and behavioral ecology. My research, however, currently centers around two areas: predator-prey interactions and geographic variation.
My thesis work investigated the effects of predation risk on courtship display in a species of wolf spider, Hogna carolinensis. I am interested in the effects of predation risk on various aspects of behavior such as foraging, signaling, reproduction, and construction of retreats. I am also interested in the choices involved in the use of anti-predator mechanisms with respect to a particular predator. Most organisms possess multiple anti-predator or predator-avoidance mechanisms and must choose the appropriate one for any given situation. This choice is likely based on various factors concerning the assessment of the perceived predator and the current state of the organism being preyed upon.
I am currently investigating intraspecific variation within H. carolinensis. I am interested in the evolutionary relationships between wolf spiders. Wolf spiders are morphologically conserved, and have often been delineated in terms of qualitative characters that can be difficult (or impossible) to accurately distinguish. I am developing new quantitative techniques to describe morphological characteristics that may distinguish closely related species. My dissertation describes several novel techniques involving the use of digital images to quantify previously illusive characters.
Spiders as a group have been neglected by researchers through the years, despite being a diverse and probably very important group of organisms. Spiders function as both predators and prey in many ecosystems, exploiting almost all terrestrial biomes. Unfortunately, spider taxonomy is a shambles and little is known about many species that may be of key ecological importance.
I am also involved in a project examining geographic variation in morphological characters associated with Pseudotriton ruber, and its close relatives in the eastern United States. As a graduate student, I worked mostly with reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. However, I think that the type organisms used in a study should be determined by the questions being asked.
In addition to these topics, I am also interested in the effects of disturbance on invertebrate assemblages in various ecosystems. The effects of logging, fire, drought, and grazing on spiders and insects present in an ecosystem are relatively poorly understood, and merit closer examination.
Recent Publications
Nelson, M.K. & Formanowicz, D.F. (2005). The relationship between sprint speed and escape distance in a wolf spider, Hogna carolinensis. Journal of Arachnology, 33(1): 153-158. pdf version
