My research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of interactions among organisms. My work centers on how multi-species systems function and on evaluating methods that might predict how such systems will respond to environmental change, particularly in regard to the current epidemic of species extinctions and introductions occurring throughout the world and to global changes such as ocean acidification. I have conducted research on a wide variety of related subjects and retain active research interests in most of them, including the role of ecological factors on the evolution of life history and mating systems, and population viability models of endangered species. I work in several different systems, and study a range of taxa. My general approach develops and tests questions or models of broad theoretical interest, using field experiments, observations of large-scale species introductions, and between-system comparisons. Currently, my research focuses on rocky intertidal marine communities (particularly on Tatoosh Island, Washington) and rivers, which serve as model experimental systems for ecology.
Visit http://voices.uchicago.edu/woottonlab/ for details
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, California
- Integrative Biology
1992
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington
Ph.D. - Zoology
1990
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
BS (Honors) - Biology (Ecology, Systematics and Evolution)
1984
Ecological Network Inference From Long-Term Presence-Absence Data.
Ecological Network Inference From Long-Term Presence-Absence Data. Sci Rep. 2017 08 02; 7(1):7154.
PMID: 28769079
Intraspecific leaf chemistry drives locally accelerated ecosystem function in aquatic and terrestrial communities.
Intraspecific leaf chemistry drives locally accelerated ecosystem function in aquatic and terrestrial communities. Ecology. 2016 Aug; 97(8):2125-2135.
PMID: 27859211
Functional Traits for Carbon Access in Macrophytes.
Functional Traits for Carbon Access in Macrophytes. PLoS One. 2016; 11(7):e0159062.
PMID: 27415005
Historical baselines and the future of shell calcification for a foundation species in a changing ocean.
Historical baselines and the future of shell calcification for a foundation species in a changing ocean. Proc Biol Sci. 2016 06 15; 283(1832).
PMID: 27306049
Diversity of Riparian Plants among and within Species Shapes River Communities.
Diversity of Riparian Plants among and within Species Shapes River Communities. PLoS One. 2015; 10(11):e0142362.
PMID: 26539714
Processes affecting extinction risk in the laboratory and in nature.
Processes affecting extinction risk in the laboratory and in nature. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Nov 03; 112(44):E5903.
PMID: 26483511
What Can Interaction Webs Tell Us About Species Roles?
What Can Interaction Webs Tell Us About Species Roles? PLoS Comput Biol. 2015 Jul; 11(7):e1004330.
PMID: 26197151
Cascading effects of induced terrestrial plant defences on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem function.
Cascading effects of induced terrestrial plant defences on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem function. Proc Biol Sci. 2015 Apr 22; 282(1805).
PMID: 25788602
Local adaptation of stream communities to intraspecific variation in a terrestrial ecosystem subsidy.
Local adaptation of stream communities to intraspecific variation in a terrestrial ecosystem subsidy. Ecology. 2014 Jan; 95(1):37-43.
PMID: 24649644
Assessing predictions of population viability analysis: Peregrine Falcon populations in California.
Assessing predictions of population viability analysis: Peregrine Falcon populations in California. Ecol Appl. 2014; 24(6):1251-7.
PMID: 29160650
Mercer Award
Ecological Society of America
1994
Young Investigator Prize
American Society of Naturalists
1992
Miller Fellowship
University of California, Berkeley
1990 - 1992