Ian Pearse, PhD

Ian conducts research at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem level scales. His work focuses on plant-insect interactions and involves work on endangered insects such as bumble bees, strategies to map and control invasive plants, the chemical ecology and behaviors that affect herbivory, and the boom and bust seed production dynamics of many trees (i.e. mast seeding). His work informs management decisions made by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Parks, and a variety of other groups. Ian is especially fond of oak trees and spends a considerable amount of time staring up into them with the vague excuse of counting acorns, gall wasps, or rates of herbivory.