Current Research Projects

Rose Amrhein

Play Behavior in Green Monkeys

Rose Amrhein: I am broadly interested in the effects of environmental influences on primate social behavior. My current research aims to investigate the hypotheses of the origins of play behavior from an anthropogenic lens. Specifically, I am looking into how different human environments and behaviors shape the structure and intensity of play behaviors in green monkeys in the Caribbean. I plan to expand this research to include other social behaviors and illustrate how the human/monkey interface impacts overall primate fitness.
Matt Elder

Voting in American Bison

Matt Elder joined the lab in January 2019. Before coming to Louisville, he earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Virginia Tech, and an M.S. in Biology from James Madison University. His M.S. thesis focused on oyster reef restoration and the potential for micronutrients to stimulate population growth. For his current project Matt is studying American Bison (Bison bison) behavioral ecology, specifically group decision making behavior and social hierarchy in bison in the Midwest. Broadly Matt is interested in behavioral ecology, conservation and restoration ecology, and really anything having to do with animals
Alissandra Ayala

Pollinators and the Urban Heat Island Effect

Alissandra Ayala: I'm interested in investigating whether the Urban Heat Island Effect is having an impact on the mutualistic relationship between flowering plants and pollinators via phenological shifts. The pollinators I am focusing on are bees and syrphid flies! I am also interested in how insect diversity changes across an urban-rural gradient.