Welcome to our new lab!  Our field-based research program focuses on exploring interactions between migration distance and life history traits in long distance migrants.  First and foremost, we are interested in quantifying the costs and benefits of long distance migration in terms of survival and lifetime reproductive success.  Second, we are also investigating how the potential reproductive benefits of long distance migration may be threatened by predicted changes in climate.  This aspect of our research combines an ecosystem approach with physiological experiments to study how the growth and survival of offspring may be affected by direct (reduction in energetic costs) and indirect (reduction in food resources) effects of temperature increases on the breeding grounds.  Please check out our research and people page for specific details on current projects!

Laura McKinnon, April 2018