Dr. David Skelly

Biography

David Skelly is an Oastler Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, where he also serves as the Director of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. His research focuses on the dynamics and fate of animal populations and communities, with key themes including emerging diseases and the impacts of environmental change on wildlife. His work has involved studying limb deformities in amphibians, a phenomenon linked to the infectious agent Ribeiroia and the effects of chemical pollutants. Skelly's research has demonstrated that amphibians in urban environments are particularly susceptible to disease, including kidney infections from previously unrecognized trematodes. He has investigated how human activities rapidly alter landscapes, affecting freshwater wetlands and amphibian populations. Notably, his findings suggest that species like the wood frog can undergo rapid evolutionary changes in response to environmental shifts due to climate change. These insights underscore the complex interactions between ecological responses and environmental factors, significantly influencing estimations of the ecological consequences of climate change.

Research Interests