Faculty Research: Robert Warner

Behavioral and Evolutionary Ecology

I am interested in the evolution of mating systems and life histories. Most of my own work focuses on coral reef fishes, but my students have studied a wide variety of vertebrates and invertebrates. Past topics include the evolution of sex change and other forms of hermaphroditism in animals, sexual selection and the development of secondary sexual characters, the dynamics of parental care allocation, the economics of territorial defense, and social effects on life-history allocations. Some of our current work is on gamete allocation in males and the resultant patterns of paternity. For the latter we have developed DNA microsatellite systems that will enable us to measure sperm contribution and paternity simultaneously. We are also developing dynamic models to represent sexual conflict and the factors affecting resolution. Field experiments to test these models focus on the function of courtship and intersexual aggression.

Nearly all of this work is done in the field, using manipulative experiments. Generally, we try to locate an organism that is phenotypically plastic in the trait of interest, and then use that plasticity to test alternative hypotheses. Current field sites are St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands; Corsica; and Catalina Island, California.

Population Biology

Our work here concentrates on the dynamics of recruitment in marine fishes. We are interested in just what determines variability in recruitment, the extent to which recruitment determines subsequent population dynamics, and the degree to which local populations of fishes are self-seeding. Past work has combined intensive, large-scale surveys of natural settlement with experiments altering initial settlement densities, in order to determine just when and where reef-based processes become important in determining population levels. Currently, we are using mass spectrometry to analyze trace metal concentrations in the otoliths of newly arrived fishes. This technique has promise in revealing specific environmental signatures, which would allow us to specify the source of new recruits. This work is currently being carried out in coastal California; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; and the Galapagos Islands.

This work ties in with several ongoing studies about the efficacy of marine reserves, and much of my attention has recently been focused in this area.

I am willing to accept students in any of these areas of study, and I should be taking a student next year. Ideally, a student should combine good quantitative, writing, and field skills. Prior experience is a definite advantage.

Robert Warner | Research | Publications | Curriculum Vitae

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