Thomas Walla

Thomas Walla is a Professor of Biology at Colorado Mesa University, affiliated with the Department of Biology in the College of Science and Technology. His research and teaching are centered on tropical ecology, insect biology, and ecological interactions, with extensive fieldwork conducted in Ecuador.

His research interests include:

• Tropical Ecology and biodiversity along elevation gradients
• Insect-plant interactions, particularly caterpillar-plant relationships
• Parasitoid-host dynamics and trophic cascades
• Evolutionary ecology and latitudinal diversity patterns
• Development of metrics for measuring species interaction diversity

Walla's publications reveal a strong focus on ecological networks, herbivory, and tropical insect communities. His work spans from detailed natural history observations to large-scale global analyses, particularly in Neotropical systems. A recurring theme is the exploration of how species interactions drive biodiversity, with emphasis on caterpillars as central players in food webs.

He has led over 10 Tropical Field Biology courses to Ecuador, providing students with immersive research experiences in the Amazon. His teaching portfolio includes Insect Biology, Plant-Animal Interactions, Tropical Ecology, and Advanced Ecological Methods.

Walla collaborates with an international network of ecologists, including L.A. Dyer, H.F. Greeney, and P.J. DeVries. His research has been published in prestigious journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Biotropica, and Journal of Insect Science. No scientific awards are listed in the provided text. He maintains an active research program focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying tropical biodiversity.