Dr. Cheryl J. Briggs

Dr. Briggs' research focuses on how pathogens, parasitoids, and predators affect the dynamics of animal populations.

Dynamics of Emerging Infectious Diseases in California Ecosystems

Dr. Briggs uses a combination of theoretical models, field observations, and laboratory and field experiments to address questions dealing with species interactions and population dynamics.  She has studied a range of different ecological systems, mainly in California.   

In the Sierra Nevada mountains, a newly-identified fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (amphibian chytrid), is having devastating effects on populations of mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa). In some parts of the Sierra, the first appearance of the fungus in a watershed is followed by local extinction of the frogs within a few years. In other areas, populations of mountain yellow-legged frogs infected with the fungus are apparently persisting for many years.  The Briggs lab is attempting to understand the different outcomes of the disease through mathematical models, field surveys, and laboratory and field experiments.

Sudden Oak Death, another infectious disease, is dramatically altering the structure of California’s oak woodlands by killing the dominant tree species.  Dr. Briggs is involved in a project that is looking at the effect of this large-scale perturbation to the oak woodlands on the risk to humans of yet another disease: Lyme Disease.

The large-scale habitat alteration caused by Sudden Oak Death is having cascading effects on the species that use the oak woodlands, including the vertebrates that serve as hosts for the ticks that vector Lyme Disease to humans. Alterations to the vertebrate community structure can affect the tick abundance and the probability that a tick will be infected by the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. This project is in collaboration with two Lyme Disease researchers, and involves parameterization of mathematical models through intensive field surveys.

Insect Population Dynamics and Food Webs

The Briggs lab also studies insect parasitoid and predator systems, in both natural and agricultural settings. 

In one research project, Dr. Briggs is looking at pear psylla, an important pest in pear orchards. Pear psylla is attacked by a number of generalist predators, some of which also feed on each other, an interaction called intraguild predation.

Why a scientist?

I have wanted to be a scientist for as long as I can remember:  I recently found an essay that I wrote in the fifth grade about how I wanted to be a biologist when I grew up. 

As an undergraduate I took a diversion into engineering for a while because I was finding the biology classes that I was taking not to be quantitative or mathematical enough for me.  I returned to biology in grad school, where I found that my quantitative skills could be put to good use in the area of theoretical ecology.

What led you to the questions you are now investigating in your research?

As with most people who do mathematical modeling in ecology, I work on a range of different systems, in part because field ecologists frequently want to collaborate with modelers.  Each system brings with it its own unique questions, but models can help provide some generality, showing the similarities between the different systems.

How does your research affect your classroom and/or lab?

I teach population and community ecology, so the concepts that I teach are the same ones that I use in my research.

What do you enjoy most about your research? 

There are three things that I really enjoy about my research: getting out into the beautiful parts of California where I do my field work, being completely engrossed in my computer when I get deeply into a modeling problem, and working with really smart people.  My research allows me to combine all three of these.

January 2006

For more information, visit:

Briggs Lab Website

Briggs Faculty Page

 

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