Bee declines are of enormous societal relevance given the central role of bees as pollinators in both natural ecosystems as well as the human agricultural enterprise.  The goal of my research program is to understand the causes and implications of bee declines, for both native bees as well as managed honey bees.

Our work addresses topics such as the effects of land-use change on bee communities; the impacts of bee species losses on plant pollination in diverse natural communities; the conservation and landscape genetics of bees; and understanding and managing disease threats in bees.

We use a range of scientific approaches including comparative and manipulative field studies, controlled laboratory experiments, mathematical modeling, population genetics, stable isotope studies, and GIS and remote sensing. Our research is funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Agriculture.