Research
Research in the Ackerly lab focuses on the ecology and evolution of plant traits, with particular emphasis on leaf physiology, carbon balance and allocation, reproductive phenology, and the structure and function of plant canopies. We address these topics from two complementary perspectives: 1) functional studies evaluating the influence of particular traits on individual performance and the consequences for demography and population dynamics; 2) evolutionary studies of physiological and functional variation among species viewed in a phylogenetic context. Click on topics below for detailed descriptions of ongoing research projects.