RESEARCHI am interested in understanding how interactions among organisms are mediated by biological compounds. My dissertation experiments will provide insight into phytochemically-mediated mechanisms which have contributed to plant success over evolutionary time with a focus on synergistic effects. To examine such synergistic effects in an anti-herbivory context, I am examining industrial hemp which meets the standards of the NDA hemp program. I am combining observational and experimental studies to characterize effects of chemical variation on naturally occurring insect communities associated with hemp, and to examine specific hypotheses about effects of plant chemistry on insect physiology. My research includes field collections, rearing experiments with herbivores and parasitoids, cultivation of hemp under experimental treatments, development of an infrared spectral library to characterize phytochemical diversity, and extraction of compounds to conduct Lepidopteran feeding experiments.
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