Meet the Scientist: Ambika Kamath

Ambika Kamath handling an anole in the field. Photo by Claire Dufour.

Where do you work and what do you do?

I currently work at the Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science at the University of California Berkeley as a postdoctoral fellow. I study a diversity of topics in behavioral and evolutionary ecology, including the collective behavior of social spiders and tent caterpillars, the intersections of behavioral ecology with the social sciences, and the socioecological consequences of individual variation in Anolis lizards. Prior to this, I did my Ph.D. in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, and was a postdoc at the University of California Santa Barbara.

What aspects of anole biology do you study, and what have you learned?

I study two aspects of Anolis biology—individual variation in habitat use, and individuals’ movement patterns in the context of mating systems, with the goal of building a nuanced understanding the microevolutionary processes of natural and sexual selection in these animals. I have learned that the actual lives of Anolis lizards—their daily ecological and social interactions—are much more dynamic and complex than previously expected. When viewed in the light of well-established patterns of adaptation and diversification across populations and species of anoles, this messiness becomes particularly fascinating—it prompts us to ask what processes govern the emergence of population-level and species-level patterns over longer timescales from organisms’ daily lives.

How and why did you start studying anoles?

I began studying anoles in 2009, as an undergraduate field assistant for Yoel Stuart and Alexis Harrison. I was initially fascinated by the questions about rapid adaptive evolution that could be asked in anoles, but very soon came to love the animals themselves!

What do you love most about studying anoles?

I love watching anoles! I find their behaviour endlessly entertaining, but also tractable enough to study fruitfully. I also love the challenge of catching them. And finally, anole researchers are a fantastic group of scientists, and I feel lucky to be part of the crew.

What is your favorite anole species?

I’d have to say Anolis sagrei. They’re robust, widespread, and really fun to watch.

Where can people learn more about you and follow you online?

I’m on Twitter at @ambikamath, and my website is ambikamath.wordpress.com.