Big Sur Why are there so many species of life on Earth? Why are they found where they are? How do they live together? How have they evolved? Why do they look the way they do? What do they tell us of the past and what do they suggest about the future? And how can they and humanity coexist in this finite world? These questions - and others - underlie my research. My primary focus is to understand the mechanisms which have given rise to our diverse world and the things we need to do to protect it. Just as with the parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant, the ability to detect large-scale pattern and identify potential mechanism is greatly enhanced by viewing systems through multiple lenses, preferably at different observational scales. As a result my biodiversity and ecology research represents a highly interdisciplinary course of studies that is vertically integrated from molecular genetics and taxonomy through biogeography, macroecology and theoretical ecology. All the while, I maintain an active field research program which spans thousands of study sites on three continents. To learn more, follow the fractal design link below or the "Research" link to the left.

Jeffrey C. Nekola