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Welcome to the webpage of the Mahler Lab

in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

at the University of Toronto.

We aim to understand how ecological and evolutionary factors combine to generate biodiversity over large spatial and temporal scales. To do this, we primarily conduct research on a natural macroevolutionary experiment: repeated adaptive radiations of neotropical Anolis lizards (i.e., “anoles”). These lizards provide a unique system for studying the role of ecology in macroevolution because they have diversified repeatedly in both similar and different ecological settings throughout the New World tropics. Research interests and activities in the Mahler Lab are diverse, but most projects employ phylogenetic approaches to gain insights into questions about phenotypic evolution, biogeography, and community ecology.

The Mahler Lab encourages applications from talented, independent, and motivated students with appropriate interests (either at the graduate or undergraduate level, although the latter must be enrolled at the University of Toronto). For prospective graduate students, individuals with strong interests in phylogenetics and macroevolution are especially encouraged to get in touch. I expect that most grad students in my lab will work on anoles, but I do also co-advise students with appropriate conceptual interests who work in other systems (e.g., poeciliid fishes, longhorn beetles). Prospective students should send an email to Luke Mahler (luke.mahler@utoronto.ca) explaining why they are interested in the lab, along with a resume or CV, and a recent university transcript.