Andrés López-Sepulcre

Assistant Professor

Overview

I am interested in a variety of ecological and evolutionary questions, especially involving the relationship between both disciplines and the theory of eco-evolutionary feedbacks. For the most part, I do my research on Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and the tropical streams they live in, but I am curiosity-driven and sometimes foray into other species and systems. My background is largely quantitative but I like to approach questions in an integrative manner, through a combination of mathematical models (statistical or theoretical) long-term data, and manipulative experiments in the field, laboratory, and semi-natural environments (mesocosms).

Research Focus

Current research questions include:

  • How does adaptation to density and resource availability affect nutrient cycling? How does in turn affect the evolution of guppy life history, stoichiometry, trophic ecology, and ecophysiology?
  • How does dispersal evolve as populations spread? How does this affect their invasiveness?
  • What are the demographic and evolutionary consequences of density-dependent selection?
  • How predictable and repeatable are rapid evolution and its ecosystem effects?
  • How do eco-evolutionary feedbacks function in urban environments?

Publications

Please see current list of publications here