Ontogenic Conflict

DCIM100GOPRO

 

Complex life-histories present natural selection with a unique challenge. How can selection optimize an individual that expresses such dramatically different phenotypes with a single genome? We are using wood frogs to test the competing hypotheses that frogs either trade off performance in juvenile and adult life stages, or that selection has overcome the constraints of metamorphosis to optimize the genome for this diverse array of behaviors, physiologies, and changing environments. This work is primarily in collaboration with Steven Brady.