We are community ecologists working at the interface of ecology, biogeography, and conservation. Our goal is to advance our understanding of the mechanisms that influence patterns of biodiversity so that we can ​address environmental issues and explore fundamental questions in eco​​logy. We combine large-scale observational studies, field experiments, functional and phylogenetic approaches, and advanced statistics and modeling. While we primarily focus on plant communities, we have recently begun exploring animal communities as well.​