Matthew P. Ayres

Matthew P. Ayres is a Professor of Biological Sciences and Associate Director of the Institute of Arctic Studies at Dartmouth College. He holds roles as Co-chair of the Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution, Ecosystems & Society and Visiting Professor at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. His research focuses on population ecology of forest insects, particularly pest dynamics and climate change impacts. Ayres earned his B.S. and M.S. from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and his Ph.D. in Entomology from Michigan State University.

Research interests include understanding spatiotemporal patterns in insect abundance, climate change effects on ecosystems, and invasive species management. Key projects involve bark beetle dynamics, forest pest-pathogen interactions, and Arctic ecosystem responses to warming. Ayres has authored over 200 publications, with recent work highlighted in Ecology Letters, Ecosystems, and Global Change Biology.

He received the 2004 Graduate Faculty Mentoring Award and actively serves on editorial boards for Ecological Applications and Population Ecology. Ayres collaborates internationally on initiatives like the Joint Science Education Project, engaging students in polar research.

His lab investigates topics ranging from beetle-fungus-mite symbioses to Arctic mosquito ecology, emphasizing field and experimental approaches. Current projects include studying southern pine beetle range shifts and evaluating impacts of invasive species like the European woodwasp.