| Our research focuses on the ecology and evolution of symbiotic associations between animals and microbes. We utilize a cross-disciplinary approach incorporating ecological, evolutionary, behavioral, genetic, and microbiological approaches and employ molecular ecology and phylogenetic techniques to examine how microbes shape the biology of higher organisms. Our main study system is the quadripartite association between fungus-growing ants, their fungal cultivars, mutualistic bacteria, and specialized garden pathogens. |
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