A5078936577- Plant and animal studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- melanin and skin pigmentation
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Identification and Quantification in Food
University of Kentucky
2015-2024
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
2013
Swedish Veterinary Agency
2011-2013
Flagstaff Medical Center
2013
University of Cincinnati
2012-2013
Harvard University
2003-2010
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
2008
University of Georgia
2003
Convergence—the independent evolution of the same trait by two or more taxa—has long been interest to evolutionary biologists, but only recently has molecular basis phenotypic convergence identified. Here, we highlight studies rapid cryptic coloration in vertebrates demonstrate that can occur at multiple levels: mutations, genes and gene function. We first show different be responsible for convergent phenotypes even among closely related populations, example, pale beach mice inhabiting...
Additive Effects Although specific genes involved in animal coloration have been identified, the underlying selection for genetic variation color-specific adaptation is not well understood. Examining Agouti gene and other loci deer mice of Nebraska, where predation selects light-colored light environments dark-colored dark environments, Linnen et al. (p. 1312 ) find evidence multiple variants under affecting coloration. The color Sand Hills result a single large-effect mutation, but because...
Adapting Coat Color Simple phenotypic changes can often be the target of selection—for example, variations in coat color that provide protection against detection by predators. Linnen et al. (p. 1095 ) explore underlying molecular mechanisms behind production pale deer mice living on light-colored Nebraska Sand Hills. The live sand are significantly lighter than conspecifics nearby darker soils. This was found to due de novo at Agouti locus. Thus, rapid adaptive change does not always rely...
We investigate the pervasiveness of hybridization and mitochondrial introgression in Neodiprion Rohwer (Hymenoptera; Diprionidae), a Holarctic genus conifer-feeding sawflies. A phylogenetic analysis lecontei species group revealed extensive discordance between contiguous region spanning three genes (COI, tRNA-leucine, COII) nuclear loci (EF1alpha, CAD, an anonymous locus). Bayesian tests monophyly Shimodaira-Hasegawa (SH) topological congruence were consistent with introgression; however,...
Phylogenomic approaches have recently helped elucidate various insect relationships, but large-scale comprehensive analyses on relationships within sawflies and woodwasps are still lacking. Here, we infer the long-term biogeographic history of these hymenopteran groups using a large dataset 354 UCE loci collected from 385 species that represent all major lineages. Early Hymenoptera started diversifying during Triassic ∼249 Ma spread over ancient supercontinent Pangaea. We recovered Xyeloidea...
The interplay of gene flow, genetic drift, and local selective pressure is a dynamic process that has been well studied from theoretical perspective over the last century. Wright Haldane laid foundation for expectations under an island-continent model, demonstrating island-specific beneficial allele may be maintained locally if selection coefficient larger than rate migration ancestral continent. Subsequent extensions this model have provided considerably more insight. Yet, connecting...
Hybridization between recently diverged species, even if infrequent, can lead to the introgression of genes from one species into another. The rates mitochondrial and nuclear often differ, with some taxa showing biases for others introgression. Several hypotheses exist explain such biases, including adaptive introgression, sex differences in dispersal rates, sex-specific prezygotic isolation fitness hybrids (e.g. Haldane's rule). We derive a simple population genetic model that permits an...
Changes in gene regulation that underlie phenotypic evolution can be encoded directly the DNA sequence or mediated by chromatin modifications such as methylation. It has been hypothesized of eusocial division labor is associated with enhanced regulatory potential, which may include expansions methylation genomes Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps, and sawflies). Recently, this hypothesis garnered support from analyses a commonly used metric to estimate silico, CpG content. Here, we test using...
Divergent host use has long been suspected to drive population differentiation and speciation in plant-feeding insects. Evaluating the contribution of divergent genetic can be difficult, however, as dispersal limitation structure may also influence patterns variation. In this study, we double-digest restriction-associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing test hypothesis that contributes among populations redheaded pine sawfly (Neodiprion lecontei), a widespread pest uses multiple Pinus hosts...
Although empirical data indicate that ecological speciation is prevalent in nature, the relative importance of different forms reproductive isolation and traits generating remain unclear. To address these questions, we examined a pair ecologically divergent pine-sawfly species: while Neodiprion pinetum specializes on thin-needled pine (Pinus strobus), N. lecontei utilizes thicker-needled pines. We hypothesized extrinsic postzygotic generated by oviposition traits. test this hypothesis,...
A central goal of evolutionary biology is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic adaptation. While contribution protein-coding and cis-regulatory mutations adaptive traits has been well documented, additional sources variation - such as production alternative RNA transcripts from a single gene, or isoforms have understudied. Here, we focus on pigmentation gene Agouti, known express multiple transcripts, investigate role isoform usage in evolution cryptic colour...
Rapidly evolving taxa are excellent models for understanding the mechanisms that give rise to biodiversity. However, developing an accurate historical framework comparative analysis of such lineages remains a challenge due ubiquitous incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) and introgression. Here, we use whole-genome alignment, multiple locus-sampling strategies, summary-tree single nucleotide polymorphism-based species-tree methods infer species tree eastern North American Neodiprion species,...
Conifer-feeding sawflies in the genus Neodiprion provide an excellent opportunity to investigate origin and maintenance of barriers reproduction, but obtaining a phylogenetic estimate for comparative studies speciation has proved difficult. Specifically, nonmonophyly within discordance between individual gene trees, both which are common groups that diverged recently and/or rapidly, make it impossible infer species tree using methods designed trees. Therefore, this study, we relationships...
Theory suggests that sympatric speciation is possible; however, its prevalence in nature remains unknown. Because Neodiprion sawflies are host specialists and mate on their hosts, via shifts may be common this genus. Here, we test hypothesis using near-complete taxonomic sampling of a species group, comprehensive geographical ecological data, multiple comparative methods. Host-use data suggest contributed to the evolution reproductive isolation previous work has shown gene flow accompanied...
Pigmentation has emerged as a premier model for understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution, and growing catalog color loci is starting to reveal biases in mutations, genes, architectures underlying variation wild. However, existing studies have sampled limited subset taxa, traits, developmental stages. To expand sample loci, we performed QTL mapping analyses on two types larval pigmentation traits that vary among populations redheaded pine sawfly (Neodiprion lecontei):...
Abstract Though seemingly bizarre, the dramatic morphological and ecological transformation that occurs when immature life stages metamorphose into reproductive adults is one of most successful developmental strategies on planet. The adaptive decoupling hypothesis (ADH) proposes metamorphosis an adaptation for breaking links between traits expressed in different stages, thereby facilitating their independent evolution exposed to opposing selection pressures. Here, we draw inspiration from...