Research:

Animal behavior, information, and spatial ecology

Animals live in an uncertain world. To reduce uncertainty, animals acquire and use various types of information in decision-making, including both personal (i.e., direct interactions with the environment) and social (i.e., the behavior of others) information. Information use is a process that has both spatial and temporal elements. By understanding how, why, and when individuals use information, scientists are gaining new insights into animal behavior and its influence on population and community dynamics across landscapes.

The Fletcher lab is currently investigating numerous aspects of information use and its consequences in changing landscapes, focusing on both birds and insects and decisions including habitat selection, movement, and reproductive allocation.

PIs, collaborators, and lab members: Rob Fletcher, Christine Miller, Katie Sieving, Raya Pruner, John Orrock (Washington University).