We study the dynamics of food webs and ecosystems.
Through analysis of interactions among predators, herbivores, plants and decomposers, we resolve the functional role of species within aboveground and belowground food webs and how those roles determine attendant ecosystem functioning. We combine empirical research with mathematical modeling and deal with a variety of ecosystems and study species, ranging from pumas and vicuñas in Argentinian grasslands, lions in Kenyan savannas, to insects and their spider predators in aboveground and belowground food webs in Connecticut grasslands.
Lab News
- Congratulations to masters student Nat Sommer for being accorded Honorable Mention in the 2019 NSFGRP competition!
- Congratulations to doctoral student Rob Buchkowski who successfully defend his PhD Dissertation! We will miss Rob when he leaves to begin his NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at Western University in Ontario.
Recent Publications
Monk, J.D., E. Giglio, A. Kamath, M.R. Lambert and C.E. McDonough. 2019. An alternative hypothesis for the evolution of same-sex sexual behavior in animals. Nature Ecology and Evolution doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-1019-7
Hammerschlag, N., O.J. Schmitz, A.S. Flecker, K.D. Lafferty, A. Sih, T.B. Atwood, A.J. Gallagher, D.J. Irschick9., R. Skubel and S.J. Cooke. 2019. Ecosystem function and services of aquatic predators in the Anthropocene. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 34:369-383.
Buchkowski, R.W., O.J. Schmitz and M.A. Bradford. 2019. Nitrogen recycling in coupled green and brown food webs: weak effects of herbivory and detritivory when nitrogen passes through soil. Journal of Ecology 107:963-976.
Miller, J.R.B. and O.J. Schmitz. 2019. Landscape of fear and human-predator coexistence: applying spatial predator-prey interaction theory to understand and reduce carnivore-livestock conflict. Biological Conservation 236:464-473.
Schmitz, O.J. 2019. Fearful effects on ecological competitors. Nature 570: 43-44.
See all publications.
Hammerschlag, N., O.J. Schmitz, A.S. Flecker, K.D. Lafferty, A. Sih, T.B. Atwood, A.J. Gallagher, D.J. Irschick9., R. Skubel and S.J. Cooke. 2019. Ecosystem function and services of aquatic predators in the Anthropocene. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 34:369-383.
Buchkowski, R.W., O.J. Schmitz and M.A. Bradford. 2019. Nitrogen recycling in coupled green and brown food webs: weak effects of herbivory and detritivory when nitrogen passes through soil. Journal of Ecology 107:963-976.
Miller, J.R.B. and O.J. Schmitz. 2019. Landscape of fear and human-predator coexistence: applying spatial predator-prey interaction theory to understand and reduce carnivore-livestock conflict. Biological Conservation 236:464-473.
Schmitz, O.J. 2019. Fearful effects on ecological competitors. Nature 570: 43-44.
See all publications.
|
Contact Us
Schmitz Lab
Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies 370 Prospect Street Greeley Laboratory, Room 119 New Haven, CT 06511 USA Phone: (203) 436-5276 oswald.schmitz [at] yale.edu |
