Brian J. Enquist; Macroecology Lab
University of Arizona · Santa Fe Institute
Brian J. Enquist; Macroecology Lab
We develop predictive biodiversity science by linking plant functional biology, macroecology, and ecological theory to large-scale data, field research, and open infrastructure.
Brian J. Enquist is a Professor at the University of Arizona and an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. The Enquist Macroecology Lab studies how biodiversity is organized across scales, how plant form and function shape ecological systems, and how global change alters species distributions, ecosystems, and conservation risk.
- Research areas
- Macroecology, biodiversity science, plant functional biology, ecological scaling, conservation forecasting
- Study systems
- Global plant biodiversity, tropical forests, alpine and elevational gradients, long-term ecological field sites
- Core infrastructure
- BIEN, trait databases, species-distribution models, reproducible ecological data workflows
Research Areas
Plant form, function, and scaling
The lab uses metabolic scaling theory, allometry, and plant functional traits to explain why organisms vary in size, architecture, physiology, and performance across the tree of life.
Allometry · Metabolic scaling · Trait-based ecology · Ecophysiology
Biodiversity patterns and prediction
Research combines biodiversity databases, statistical models, and mechanistic ideas to map where species occur, identify why biodiversity is distributed unevenly, and forecast changes through time.
Macroecology · Biodiversity informatics · Species distributions · Global change
Conservation and open ecological infrastructure
The group builds data resources, analytical tools, and scenario-based assessments that support biodiversity monitoring, extinction-risk analysis, and conservation planning.
BIEN · Open data · Conservation forecasting · Decision support
What the Lab Does
The Enquist Macroecology Lab integrates theory, field ecology, biodiversity data, and computational workflows. In practice, that means the lab:
- develops ecological theory that connects organismal traits to ecosystem and biogeographic pattern;
- measures plant form and function across forests, mountains, and long-term field experiments;
- curates and uses large biodiversity resources such as BIEN and related plant-trait and occurrence databases;
- builds models to estimate species distributions, functional diversity, extinction risk, and ecological response to climate change; and
- creates open tools, data products, and training resources for biodiversity science.
Field Systems
Field research informs theory rather than decorating it. The lab works across long-term ecological sites in the Rocky Mountains, tropical forest networks, and plant functional trait courses and transects in the Andes and other biodiversity-rich regions. These study systems provide the measurements needed to test ecological scaling, understand biodiversity assembly, and improve predictive models.
People and Collaboration
The lab includes graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, undergraduate researchers, and collaborators working across macroecology, ecophysiology, biodiversity informatics, plant biology, and conservation science. Prospective students and collaborators can use this page as an entry point into the wider site.
Key Resources
Lab and research pages
Profiles and affiliations
Open biodiversity infrastructure
Contact
The lab welcomes inquiries from prospective students, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators in macroecology, biodiversity science, plant biology, and conservation forecasting. For direct next steps, visit the contact page or the join page.