I am studying the impacts of invasive species on the community using field survey and manipulative experiments. We are investigating how the recipient communities adjust and change due to colonization, and how the native species interact with the invasive species.
Communities are always invaded by many colonizing species, but not all are equally successful. We are trying to identify definable characters of invasive species that are potential threats to native biodiversity. Identification of such characters will allow us to identify the Keystone Invasive Species.
Although many exotic species are very benign in their native habitats, they become more aggressive in their adventive ranges. My laboratory is investigating how the evolution of breeding systems can lead to increased aggressiveness leading to the inordinate success of an invasive species.