L. Embere Hall, Ph.D.
Ecology & Climate Change Research
Research program
I examine the extent to which organisms can buffer rapid environmental change. My work focuses on behavioral plasticity and variation in habitat selection as ways in which animals can mediate ecosystem variability. Animals in all major biomes on earth are encountering conditions for which there are no modern ecological analogs. In many cases, cues no longer correspond to adaptive fitness outcomes, phenotypes are mismatched to current conditions and resources are unavailable during critical developmental periods. Despite increased research on the rate at which species can adjust to environmental change, much remains to be learned about the benefits and limitations of behavioral plasticity. Even less well understood are the performance implications of flexible behavioral strategies in rapidly changing environments.
American pika foraging activity in response to temperature (Hall and Chalfoun 2019)
Primary research projects
Plasticity & climate change
Demographic implications of rapid change
Habitat selection & changing landscapes
Behavioral plasticity as a buffer against climate variation
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I examine the degree to which behavioral plasticity and use of microclimates may allow climate-sensitive wildlife to persist in changing conditions.
Fitness implications of changing landscapes
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In a rapidly changing world, understanding and predicting demographic responses to novel environments is critical. My work considers the long-term fitness implications of habitat choice in landscapes affected by urbanization and by climate change. I conduct my research using songbirds and mammals as models.
Ungulates and roadways
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In collaboration with agency and non-profit partners, I investigate the influence of roadways on ungulate behavior, habitat selection and reproductive success. Project images