Professor of Biology, Hobart & William Smith Colleges mbrown@hws.edu
I am an ecologist who studies the fantastic Earth and the critical role humans play in shaping our familiar home.
I focus on understanding how organisms establish within ecosystems and the interactions among species in lake and island communities.
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Lakes are islands in a terrestrial landscape, which affords relative isolation and a wealth of ecological theory to understand the impact of environmental changes such as the arrival of non-native species, extirpation of others, and the accumulation of pollutants in the food web. Lakes can be studied in real-time or by the study of accumulated sediments over the lifetime of the lake – I use both of these field methods and mathematical models to capture ecological information.
Big questions I am currently investigating include:
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how is the establishment of non-native species influenced by and changing recipient environment?
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how do lakes and reservoirs change over time in response to multiple environmental stressors?
explore the places I work as a scientist by clicking on the maroon pins
Some of the model species I use to address these questions are North American non-native species such as:
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spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes) fishhook waterflea (Cercopagis) bloody red shrimp (Hemimysis).
Although the establishment of these species negatively impacts our lakes, their arrival provides a lens to view biological processes, such as establishment, species interactions, and evolution, which are otherwise difficult to elucidate. Some of my recent research explores the role of dormancy in species dispersal and persistence. My study systems include the Finger Lakes, Lake Superior, Lago Maggiore (Italy), and islands in the West Indies. I also teach students in study abroad programs that apply and encourage ecological curiosity throughout the world. My research and teaching is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, Fulbright, Fulbright-Hays, the Great Lakes Protection Fund, US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and the the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium.