Welcome to
​the Rudgers Lab

Ecological theory has traditionally held that abiotic factors and antagonistic interactions are the primary determinants of population and community dynamics. In contrast, mutualistic interactions, in which both species benefit from their association, have received much less attention. Our research uses plants, microbes, and arthropods to explore how mutualistic interactions affect population dynamics, community structure, and evolutionary processes.  Mutualistic microbes, in particular, contribute an important, but often overlooked, layer of diversity in ecosystems, and their inclusion in ecological research can increase predictive power and improve management solutions to accelerate resilience to environmental change.

Castetter Hall 252, 265 and 282
Department of Biology MSC03 2020
The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001