Recent Courses
OBEE 124 - Field Ecology
OBEE 197 - Selected Topics in Organismic Biology, Ecology, and Evolution
OBEE 268 - Seminar: Population Biology
Research Areas
Research Interests
My research is concerned with questions that I regard as central in ecology:
What controls species' distributions and densities, and what are the determinants of the various components of species diversity? What are the factors that regulate community organization and structure, and what is the relative importance of biotic versus nonbiotic interactions in governing the limits of e.g. species' habitat ranges, foraging patterns, morphological attributes and other niche parameters?
I try to answer these questions in four main areas of research.
1.In describing and interpreting the patterns of species diversity in continental bird faunas, I have worked most recently in NW Mexico, S Africa, and in SW Australia, and have been particularly concerned with elucidating the affects of the areal extent and contiguity of different habitat types in contributing to patterns of a- and b- diversity.
2.In investigating the statics and dynamics of plant populations on small continental islands off the British Columbia coast, I attempt to separate the
constraints of specific habitat requirements from the biotic influences of competitors in contributing to species' incidence on and turnover within
islands of various sizes.
3.In examining the structure of desert vegetation, I have studied the spacing patterns within and among the shrub species, and the extent to which
plant growth form diversity is regulated by climate and contributes to diversity patterns within the vegetation.
4.In measuring interspecific competition, I have quantified direct interactions within and among bird species via territoriality, and have studied
interspecific territoriality particularly among European sylviine warblers by relating species numbers to the habitat's resources. I also study the
behavioral aspects of territoriality, including such products as convergently similar songs and plumage.
My graduate students are broadly concerned with the same sorts of questions, from adaptive aspects of morphology and behavior to the ecology and
biogeography of diversity and distribution, using a wide range of organisms from plants and invertebrates to the higher vertebrates, and capitalizing on the
great variety of habitats within easy reach of UCLA.
Selected Publications
Cody, M.L., "The Unified Neutral Theory of Biodiversity and Biogeograpy", (S.P. Hubbell, Princeton Univ. Press). Plant Syst. Evol, 231 : 259-260 (2002) .
Cody, M.L., Rebman, J. Moran, R., & Thompson, H.J., "The Plants. Ch.4 in Case et al., New Island Biogeography in the Sea of Cortez", Oxford University Press. Publish Date 9/02, 231 : 63-111 (2002) .
Cody, M.L.& Velarde, M.E., "The Land Birds. Ch. 10 in Case et al., New Island Biogeography in the Sea of Cortez", Oxford University Press. Date 9/02, 231 : 271-312 (2002) .
Case, T.J., Cody, M.L. and Ezcurra, E. (eds.), "New Island Biogeography of the Sea Cortez", Oxford University Press, 231 : - (2002) .
Cody, M.L. & Koehler, G., "Notes on Phyllobates lugubris O. Schmidt, 1857 in Nicaragua-Herpetozoa", Wien, 14 (3/4) : 170-171 (2002) .
Cody, M.L., "Growth Form Variations in Columnar Cacti (Cactaceae:Pachycereeae)", In: T.Fleming & A. Valiente Banuet (eds.) Columnar Cact and Their Mutualists. The University of Arizona Press, 8 : 164-188 (2002) .
Cody, M.L., "GNTP breeding bird monitoring project: the 2002 season", 23rd Ann. Rep. NPS/UW Research Center, 8 : - (2002) .
Cody, M.L., "Bird diversity components in Australian Eucalyptus and north-temperate Quercus woodlands", AUK, 118 : 443-456 (2001) .
Cody, M.L., "Patterns of endemism, distribution and density in the birds of Mediterranean-type ecosystems on two continents", J. Medit. Ecolody, 118 : 259-281 (2001) .
Cody, M.L., "Antbird guilds in lowland Caribbean rainforest, SE Nicaragua", Condor, 102 : 784-894 (2000) .