The basic thread that connects my various lines of inquiry is the study of the origin and maintenance of biodiversity. I want to understand the evolutionary processes that have operated (and continue to operate) at various temporal and spatial scales. This means first understanding and describing the patterns of biological diversity, and then using those patterns to test various process hypotheses.
 The Tree of Life
An obvious metaphor for evolution is the growth of a tree. The whole arborescent entity began as a single sprout that over time developed and sent forth new branches. The tips of those limbs, at any time, are real things (i.e., countable and independently recognizable), but they also change over time as they grow to become branches supporting future twigs.
Like the twigs on the tree, the species that we see on Earth now are connected back to their ancestor at the trunk. They too are real things that will form the basis for future evolution.
Rather than trying to deal with the whole tree at once, my general MO is to study manageable parts. This involves both (1) phylogenetic analyses where I look at whole branches at once (working upwards from the roots) and (2) faunistic studies where I work to understand all the species in one area, regardless of the branches to which they might belong. But the goal to understand the whole tree underlies it all.
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