Staff Directory

My research examines the role of trees in cycling nutrients through ecosystems. My work has included projects on spatial patterns of soil nutrient availability, species differences in coarse root architecture, rain-mediated nutrient export from rainforest canopies, and the regulation of symbiotic nitrogen fixation by temperature, light, and nutrient availability.

Laura E. Boeschoten

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Jennifer Merritt is a postdoctoral researcher in E3B and the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. She is interested in innate behaviors such as avoidance of danger and care for offspring because they are critical for an organism’s fitness yet show remarkable diversity across the animal kingdom. Merritt's recent work focuses on the genetic basis of adrenal hormones in Peromyscus, as well as the molecular mechanisms by which these genes participate in the control of exploratory and parental behaviors, showcasing how evolutionary comparisons can be used to discover novel biology, and how evolution of cells outside the brain can contribute to the evolution of behavior.