The research in our lab focuses on the historical, ecological, and geographic factors that drives diversification and speciation, especially in amphibians. We take a highly integrative approach to answering basic questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. The use of GIS ecological niche modeling techniques, experimental ecology, behavioral ecology, DNA sequencing and phylogeographic analyses are all part of our toolkit. Our work is united by our interests in understanding the mechanisms driving patterns of biodiversity and species' ranges, at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Our work is geared toward a predictive science for use in conservation planning, especially in a world with rapid species extinctions and shifting range distributions.

*Please contact me if you are an interested graduate student, undergraduate, or postdoc to explore research opportunities in my lab.

**NEW CONTACT INFORMATION**During the 2011-2013 academic years Dr. Rissler will be serving as a Program Director in the Division of Environmental Biology, Evolutionary Processes Cluster at the National Science Foundation. Please contact her at rissler@as.ua.edu for University of Alabama business and at lrissler@nsf.gov for NSF business. Dr. Rissler can be reached at 703-292-7836.