Fluctuating asymmetries are small deviations in the expression of normally bilaterally symmetrical characters associated with developmental instability induced by such factors as population density, temperature extremes, food shortage, pollution, etc.  We are presently conducting an interspecific comparison of  fluctuating asymmetries in odonate wings related to habitat characteristics, emergence chronology, parasite burden, sex, and potential mating success.  This research involves a combination of field work, digital imaging, and image analysis in UMF's Spatial Ecology Lab.

For more information, contact Dr. Ron Butler