Research in the McBrayer Lab

Research in my lab involves the integration of ecology and evolution. Central to my research is the study of foraging mode evolution and its associated characters in lizards. Foraging mode describes the movement patterns animals use while gathering prey. At one extreme, sit-and-wait species remain at a site for some time and ambush prey as it comes within range. At the other extreme, active foraging lizards move almost continually throughout their environment seeking out prey. In the past, I have studied how skull morphology and feeding behavior have changed with these foraging modes. Steve Reilly, Don Miles and I recently completed an edited volume in which various experts take a look at the many different variables (energetics, locomotion, diet, chemoreception, etc.) that are related to foraging mode evolution. This volume highlights many important unanswered questions regarding lizard and snake foraging modes, particularly the need for data on key additional species and a better unstanding of the ecological tradeoffs associated with variation in foraging modes and movement patterns.

I am also interested in how the space that a lizard uses might be shaped by the distribution of its prey. Horned lizards (Phrynosoma) are relatively small lizards that have very large home ranges and a moderately catholic diet of ants. Roger Anderson (Western Washington University) and I are quantifying how large and variable the home ranges are in this species using radiotelemetry. We are also mapping the distrubtion of their primary prey (Pogonomyrmex ants) in and around their home ranges to understand how often (and how far) they move during daily foraging bouts.

Outside of foraging behavior, questions addressing organismal form and function are central to all research in the lab. In particular, testing hypotheses regarding the performance consequences of morphological variability and how this translates into ecological variation have been part of several of my graduate students projects. Also, the ecological consequences of sexual dimorphism in morphology, performance, and behavior have been investigated by my students and I.

I am always interested in attracting highly motivated undergraduates and graduate students to work on these or related projects. I have had many students work with me on a variety of projects in the past, thus, if you are interested in ecology, evolution, or animal behavior and would like to get involved in research, please contact me.