Understanding how species interact with each other and with their environment (i.e., ecology) is critical for predicting the ways in which natural systems will respond to disturbance and change. I'm particularly intrigued by the question of whether interspecific interactions (e.g., predation, parasitism) mediate the response of focal species and communities to novel stressors. To address this question, I make use of a (growing) toolbox that includes Bayesian analysis, occupancy modeling, stable isotopes, and field experiments.

I did my Master's work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Dr. Zach Peery's lab, where I studied California spotted owl population and trophic ecology. My work focused on understanding (i) differences in owl population processes between public and private lands in the Sierra Nevada and (ii) the role of diet in mediating how owls respond to anthropogenic habitat variability (plus some side and collaborative projects).

I'm now a PhD student in the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado in Dr. Val McKenzie's lab. My PhD work shares many themes with my Master's, but with the focus shifted to how interactions between amphibians and their parasites are affected by host community structure and environmental change (e.g., drought).

Coincidentally, I'm also a human outside of research. When I'm not cursing at R or reviewer 2, I can often be found outside hiking, biking, skiing, or climbing. I also spend too much time showing folks photos of my pets, eating sourdough bread baked by my partner, quoting Lord of the Rings, and discussing the merits of pour-over coffee.

​Email: brendan.hobart@colorado.edu