Current Adress:

Associate Professor
Department of Biology
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152

Amphibian disease ecology, evolutionary ecology, natural hybridization, conservation biology

Research in my laboratory focuses on the evolutionary ecology of vertebrates, particularly the genetic and ecological components of species interactions in amphibian systems. My focus is on pathogens as factors contributing to the global decline of amphibian populations, with the goal of understanding the constraining impact of diseases on adaptive evolution.

My research is directed at understanding: (1) the role of disease-mediated natural selection in amphibian communities, (2) the evolution of life history traits, and (3) the population ecology of species distribution edges. My research follows an experimental population biology approach, integrating laboratory, field, and molecular studies in testing hypotheses related to mechanisms of amphibian population decline.

Parris, M.J., E. Reese and A. Storfer. 2006. Antipredator behavior of chytridiomycosis-infected northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) tadpoles. Canadian Journal of Zoology 84: 58-65.

Parris, M.J., A. Storfer, J.P. Collins and E.W. Davidson. 2005. Life-history responses to pathogens in Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) larvae. Journal of Herpetology 39: 366-372.

Parris, M.J. and T.O. Cornelius. 2004. Fungal pathogen causes competitive and developmental stress in larval amphibian communities. Ecology 85: 3385-3395.

Parris, M.J., A. Davis and J.P. Collins. 2004. Single-host pathogen effects on mortality and behavioral responses to predators in salamanders (Urodela: Ambystomatidae). Canadian Journal of Zoology 82: 1477-1483.

Parris, M.J. and J.G. Beaudoin. 2004. Chytridiomycosis impacts predator-prey interactions in larval amphibian communities. Oecologia 140: 626-632.

Parris, M.J. and D.R. Baud. 2004. Interactive effects of a heavy metal and chytridiomycosis on gray treefrog larvae (Hyla chrysoscelis). Copeia 2004: 343-349.

Parris, M.J. 2004. Hybrid response to pathogen infection in interspecific crosses between two amphibian species (Anura: Ranidae). Evolutionary Ecology Research 6: 457-471.

Parris, M.J. 2001. High larval performance of leopard frog hybrids (Rana pipiens complex): effects of environment-dependent selection. Ecology 82: 3001-3009.

Parris, M.J. 2001. Hybridization in leopard frogs (Rana pipiens complex): terrestrial performance of newly metamorphosed hybrid and parental genotypes in field enclosures. Canadian Journal of Zoology 76: 2124-2129.

Parris, M.J. 2001. Hybridization in leopard frogs (Rana pipiens complex): variation in interspecific hybrid larval fitness components along a natural contact zone. Evolutionary Ecology Research 3: 91-105.

Parris, M.J., C.W. Laird and R.D. Semlitsch. 2001. Differential predation on experimental populations of parental and hybrid leopard frog (Rana blairi and Rana sphenocephala) larvae. Journal of Herpetology 35: 479-485.

Parris, M.J. 2000. Experimental analysis of hybridization in leopard frogs (Anura: Ranidae): larval performance in desiccating environments. Copeia 2000: 11-19.

Parris, M.J. 1999. Hybridization in leopard frogs (Rana pipiens complex): larval fitness components in single-genotype populations and mixtures. Evolution 53: 1872-1883.

Parris, M.J., R.D. Semlitsch and R.D. Sage. 1999. Experimental analysis of the evolutionary potential of natural hybridization in leopard frogs (Anura: Ranidae). Journal of Evolutionary Biology 12: 662-671.

Parris, M.J. 1998. Terrestrial burrowing ecology of newly metamorphosed frogs (Rana pipiens complex). Canadian Journal of Zoology 76: 2124-2129.

Parris, M.J. and R.D. Semlitsch. 1998. Asymmetric competition in larval amphibian communities: conservation implications for the northern crawfish frog, Rana areolata circulosa. Oecologia 116: 219-226.