Spencer Hall

Assistant Professor

Department Biology
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
Email: sprhall@indiana.edu
Phone: (812) 855-6009
Fax: (812) 855-6082
Web Page

Research Interests
I study interactions between species and their environment at population, community, and ecosystem levels. I use freshwater plankton to study these interactions. Plankton provide an ideal system because they interact strongly, are readily manipulated in the lab and field, reproduce quickly, and supply crucial functioning to freshwater ecosystems.  My research program hinges on development of mathematical models, experimental tests of those in both the laboratory and the field, and surveys of natural systems. Combined, these approaches help me rigorously test logical, relevant ideas.
Currently, I run two main research projects based at KBS:

(1). Community ecology of disease: We are studying the influence of infectious disease on population dynamics and community interactions. Our work also focuses on the determinants of spatial and temporal dynamics of bacterial and fungal epidemics in Daphnia. This work relies on combination of community ecology, physical limnology, and epidemiological modeling.

(2). Food web stoichiometry:  We are developing and testing theory focused around the intersection of ecological stoichiometry and food webs. The stoichiometric approach explores the consequences in mismatches in the elemental composition of grazers and plants. We use stoichiometric models to understand competition and coexistence among grazers, new roles for inedible producers in systems, plant-herbivore dynamics, and strength of trophic cascades.