EEB Student Evaluation Seminar: Abrianna Soule, Ph.D. Student
Leveraging Metabolomics to Test the Latitudinal Biotic Interactions Hypothesis Across Scales
Abrianna Soule presents their preliminary seminar.

Description:
Chemical defenses are ubiquitous among plant life, with some species producing hundreds to thousands of unique compounds. Several hypotheses seek to explain investment in diverse chemical defenses both within and among species, including the Latitudinal Biotic Interactions Hypothesis (LBIH). The LBIH posits that the higher strength and frequency of biotic interactions towards the equator should select for investment in traits which mediate these interactions (e.g., plant defense), yet empirical tests show inconsistent patterns of defense investment across latitude. My dissertation will leverage advanced tools to fill in major research gaps in tests of the LBIH including defense tradeoffs, analytical variation, and insect defense, and stands to improve our understanding of chemical ecology at multiple scales.