Aside from this seaside mansion, my ambition is to foster a holistic view of insect systematics among my students and colleagues. In general, my research program aims to uncover systematically informative morphological and molecular characters. Once found, new methodologies for the analysis, description, and interpretation of these data will be explored. Trees resulting from these studies will be used to revise classifications and test evolutionary hypotheses. These objectives will be applied to any insect group dependent on student interest. This holistic view is practiced in many other laboratories, which gather and integrate different data types for their systematic studies. I include "Holistic" in the name of my laboratory to emphasize the philosophy of total- evidence and to down play "gel- jock" or "dead-bug scientist" stereotypes.

My research concerns economically important bark beetles (Scolytinae) and ecologically significant water striders (Gerridae).

Bark beetles pose a threat to forests worldwide with a species diversity of greater than 6,000. All plant parts, from root to fruit, are a potential food resource for larvae and adults. Ecologically, most species function as primary decomposers. The majority of species bore into unhealthy and dying trees (and their parts) and these cavities provide an entrance for other decomposers (e.g. fungus, bacteria, etc.) which are often transported by the beetles. Some species are able to utilize healthy trees augmented through the introduction of fungus and other diseases. These groups cause great economic destruction and give bark beetles their negative reputation. Even non-aggressive species can become potential killers in times of environmental stress. To compound the problem, the introduction of exotic species constantly threatens native forests. In North America, exotic species, including Ipini are often intercepted from shipping dunage and packing crates. However, some escape this vigilance and establish resident populations. The ability to detect and control both native and exotic species relies on solid understanding of systematics, phylogenetics and taxonomy. This trinity has not been achieved for most groups of bark beetles on a worldwide scale.

Currently, my research involves two destructive bark beetle groups; 200 species of the world-wide Ipini and the 13 species of North American pine cone beetles (Conophthorus).

Species of Ipini are among the most economically important bark beetles. For example, some outbreaks of Ips spp. affect as many as 25,000 acres a year. These beetles are also biologically interesting and have been used as model organisms in physiological, molecular and ecological studies. Thus, many species are well known to North American and Eurasian foresters, experimental as well as theoretical biologists, but their systematics and taxonomy have been little investigated in a phylogenetic context. Aside from the Ipini systematics, several studies within this group concerning population genetics and the development of new single copy nuclear genes for phylogenetic analysis are in progress.

Conophthorus beetles seriously impair regeneration of pine ecosystems following harvest, wildfires, and pest epidemics. Pine cone beetles often destroy 90% or more of the seed produced in plantations of economically important pines. Research is underway to develop Conophthorus behavioral chemicals for monitoring and control tools for integrated pest management programs, but taxonomic uncertainties among Conophthorus species limit the ability to develop and implement these tools. Most pine cone beetles are indistinguishable on the basis of morphology. Indeed, the morphological taxonomy is questionable. Taxonomists and pest control researchers have hence been forced to rely on surrogates such as host association and cuticular hydrocarbons to distinguish species. However, preliminary evidence from molecular data and pheromone assays does not support the use of these surrogates for making taxonomic determinations.

Water striders are conspicuous and integral taxa of aquatic communities. They are scavengers and predators of hapless arthropods caught on water surfaces. They are of some economic importance because they can serve as indicators of water quality. However, their benign behavior has limited their study as compared to destructive bark beetle species. In Europe and North America a good understanding of water strider species diversity has been achieved. However, refinement of higher level taxonomy is still necessary. Current collaboration with Jakob Damgaard addresses the taxonomy of gerrine water striders in a cladistic analysis of multiple data sets.

In contrast, systematics of the Neotropical fauna lags behind. The need for systematic studies coincides with a crisis of accelerated extinction of tropical biodiversity. Species diversity within the group Cylindrostethini is vastly unexplored. These are larger water striders that inhabit piedmont streams and lowland rivers. Speciation within this group is likely directed by the isolation of rivers and sexual selection. Given these processes, the species diversity of this group may be considerable larger then the number of currently known species. A revision of Platygerris is in progress.