I am interested in many aspects of mammal ecology, particularly predator-prey interactions and rodent-borne disease. Specifically, I am interested in how predator-prey dynamics influence broad spatial scales and how that knowledge can be applied to conservation. I am also interested in the drivers of hantavirus prevalence and spillover infection in humans.
In the Orrock lab, I am currently studying how anthropogenic changes, such as urbanization and invasive plants, alter tick abundance and Lyme disease prevalence. Understanding how these changes affect disease vectors is important for understanding disease risk for both humans and wildlife.
Contact: eklocke@wisc.edu