Research in the Whitney Lab focuses on the ecology and evolution of plants and their animal associates (including pollinators, seed dispersers, herbivores, and ant guards). Major themes include: - Causes and consequences of interspecific hybridization - Invasion biology -Maintenance and effects of genetic diversity - Evolution of genome size and polyploidy - Evolution of flower color Our recent projects have been located in grasslands, deserts, forests, and alpine habitats. We employ a variety of techniques, including experimental field and greenhouse studies, techniques from molecular and statistical genetics, and phylogenetic comparative methods.