Research Interests:
Biodiversity, evolution, arthropods
The Masta lab focuses on the processes and patterns of biological diversification, and we use varied approaches to understand how genes, organisms, and populations evolve. Current efforts are focused on illuminating the biodiversity of the understudied arachnids and bees of the Pacific Northwest, and the processes that have generated this biodiversity.
Current Projects:
- Survey of the bees of Portland and their floral associations
- Development of outreach materials on native bee diversity in the Portland region
- Diversification and phylogeography of pseudoscorpions