Katrina M. Gardner
Papers
2
Total Citations
13
H-Index
2
About
Katrina M. Gardner is a behavioral ecologist whose research illuminates the fascinating, fleeting world of amphibian sexual selection, with a particular focus on dynamic color change in Neotropical toads. Her work centers on how visual signals—especially the rapid, temporary shifts in color exhibited by male Yellow Toads (*Incilius luetkenii*) during explosive breeding events—evolve under the dual pressures of female mate choice and male-male competition. In her most-cited study (2021, 11 citations), Gardner demonstrated that female toads do not simply prefer brighter males, challenging assumptions about static color signals in a species capable of rapid chromatic transformation. Her subsequent experimental work (2024) used robotic models to reveal that males react similarly to rivals regardless of their color, suggesting that dynamic dichromatism may serve functions beyond simple mate attraction. By combining field observations with innovative robotic playback, Gardner has provided rare empirical insight into how temporary, elaborate visual traits function in the chaotic context of mass breeding aggregations. Her contributions are foundational for understanding the evolution of dynamic signals, bridging behavioral ecology and sensory biology in one of nature’s most spectacular, short-lived displays.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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