PhD student
Originally from southern California, I attended the University of Washington, Seattle where I graduated with a BS in Environmental Science & Resource Management in 2016.
My doctoral research focuses upon the invasion biology of the odorous house ant Tapinoma sessile, a major urban pest that occurs throughout the continental USA. Although the ant is native to the forests of America, it has successfully invaded and colonized most urban environments across the country. The traits of urban colonies mirror those of invasive ants (e.g. Nylanderia fulva, Linepithema humile), so T. sessile represents a unique opportunity to study invasive characteristics within a native species.
Education (CV)
BS in Environmental Science & Resource Management, University of Washington, 2016
Contact Information
Email: alex93@tamu.edu
Publications (*co-first author)
Eyer P-A, Moran MN, Blumenfeld AJ, Vargo EL. (2021) Development of a set of microsatellite markers to investigate sexually antagonistic selection in the invasive ant Nylanderia fulva. Insects: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12070643
Eyer P-A*, Blumenfeld AJ*, Johnson LNL, Perdereau E, Shults P, Dupont S, Bagneres A-G, Vargo EL. (2021) Extensive human-mediated jump dispersal within and across the native and introduced ranges of the invasive termite Reticulitermes flavipes. Molecular Ecology: https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16022
Blumenfeld AJ*, Eyer P-A*, Husseneder C, Mo J, Johnson LNL, Wang C, Grace JK, Chouvenc T, Wang S, Vargo EL. (2021) Bridgehead effect and multiple introductions shape the global invasion history of a termite. Communications Biology: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01725-x
Blumenfeld AJ & Vargo EL. (2020) Geography, opportunity and bridgeheads facilitate termite invasions to the United States. Biological Invasions: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-020-02322-5
Eyer P-A*, Espinoza EM*, Blumenfeld AJ, Vargo EL. (2020) The underdog invader: Breeding system and colony genetic structure of the dark rover ant (Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr). Ecology and Evolution: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5917
Eyer P-A, Blumenfeld AJ, Vargo EL. (2019) Sexually antagonistic selection promotes genetic divergence between males and females in an ant. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1906568116