A5051102328- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Forest ecology and management
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Horticultural and Viticultural Research
- Plant and Fungal Interactions Research
- Seedling growth and survival studies
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Tree-ring climate responses
- Insect and Pesticide Research
University of California, Los Angeles
2015-2024
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
2023
Yunnan University
2023
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
2023
UCLA Health
2022-2023
University of California System
2010-2023
California Department of Conservation
2022
International Union for Conservation of Nature (Bangladesh)
2022
Institute of the Environment
2004-2017
Terasaki Foundation
2015-2016
Analyses of fine‐scale and macrogeographic genetic structure in plant populations provide an initial indication how gene flow, natural selection, drift may collectively influence the distribution variation. The objective our study is to evaluate spatial dispersion alleles within among subpopulations a tropical shrub, Psychotria officinalis (Rubiaceae), lowland wet forest Costa Rica. This insect‐pollinated, self‐incompatible understory dispersed primarily by birds, some species which drop...
▪ Abstract For many years biologists have debated whether mast seeding (the synchronous intermittent production of large seed crops in perennial plants) results from weather conditions or is an evolved plant reproductive strategy. In this review, we analyze the evidence for underlying causes masting. absence selection higher lower variability, plants will vary tandem with environment (resource matching). Two selective factors often favor evolution masting: increased pollination efficiency...
Analyses of fine-scale and macrogeographic genetic structure in plant populations provide an initial indication how gene flow, natural selection, drift may collectively influence the distribution variation. The objective our study is to evaluate spatial dispersion alleles within among subpopulations a tropical shrub, Psychotria officinalis (Rubiaceae), lowland wet forest Costa Rica. This insect-pollinated, self-incompatible understory dispersed primarily by birds, some species which drop...
We conducted an 8—yr study of flower and acorn production in three species oak east—central Missouri: white (Quercus alba), red (Q. rubra), Black velutina). The goal was to evaluate whether mast—fruiting, the synchronous large seed crops followed by small crops, is simply a response weather conditions or actually evolved reproductive strategy. In this paper, we address four specific questions: (1) Are annual fluctuations crop size result acorns individuals? (2) and/or high survival those...
Summary The tree of life is highly reticulate, with the history population divergence emerging from populations gene phylogenies that reflect histories introgression, lineage sorting and divergence. In this study, we investigate global patterns oak diversity test hypothesis there are regions genome broadly informative about phylogeny. We utilize fossil data restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing ( RAD ‐seq) for 632 individuals representing nearly 250 Quercus species to infer a...
Abstract Pollen dispersal is a critical process that shapes genetic diversity in natural populations of plants. Estimating the pollen curve can provide insight into evolutionary dynamics and essential background for making predictions about changes induced by perturbations. Specifically, we would like to know whether exponential, thin‐tailed (decreasing faster than exponential), or fat‐tailed slower exponential). In latter case, rare events long‐distance will be much more likely. Here...
Gene flow is a key factor in the spatial genetic structure spatially distributed species. Evolutionary biologists interested microevolutionary processess and conservation impact of landscape change require method that measures real time process gene movement. We present novel two-generation (parent-offspring) approach to study (TwoGener) allows us quantify heterogeneity among male gamete pools sampled by maternal trees scattered across estimate mean pollination distance effective...
Abstract Rapid climate change jeopardizes tree populations by shifting current zones. To avoid extinction, must tolerate, adapt, or migrate. Here we investigate geographic patterns of genetic variation in valley oak, Quercus lobata Née, to assess how underlying structure might influence this species’ ability survive change. First, understand lineages shape spatial patterns, examine historical colonization. Second, the correlation between multivariate nuclear and climatic variation. Third,...
Abstract The fragmented populations and reduced population densities that result from human disturbance are issues of growing importance in evolutionary conservation biology. A key issue is whether remnant individuals become reproductively isolated. California Valley oak ( Quercus lobata ) a widely distributed, endemic species California, increasingly jeopardized by anthropogenic changes biota land use. We studied pollen movement savannah at Sedgwick Reserve, Santa Barbara County, to...
Large—seeded trees whose seeds are dispersed by mammals often have high levels of seed dispersal but losses due to predation. Consequently, seedling establishment is influenced both the impact mammalian predators as well ability survive where dispersed. I examined relative roles seed/seedling predation and light environment in three populations tropical tree Gustavia superba. One population was located semideciduous forest on Gigante Peninsula two were Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. On...
DNA methylation in plants affects transposon silencing, transcriptional regulation and thus phenotypic variation. One unanswered question is whether could be involved local adaptation of plant populations to their environments. If alters phenotypes improve response the environment, then sites or genes that affect them a target natural selection. Using reduced-representation bisulphite sequencing (RRBS) data, we assessed climate associated with variation levels among 58 naturally occurring,...
As higher education institutions strive to effectively support an increasingly diverse student body, they will be called upon provide their faculty with tools teach more inclusively, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms where recruitment retention of students from underrepresented disadvantaged groups present long-standing challenges. Pedagogical training approaches creating inclusive involve interventions that raise awareness instructor social...
Abstract Phylogeography and ecological niche models ( ENM s) suggest that late Q uaternary glacial cycles have played a prominent role in shaping present population genetic structure diversity, but not applied quantitative methods to dissect the relative contribution of past climate vs. other forces. We integrate multilocus phylogeography, climate‐based s multivariate statistical approaches infer effects Quaternary change on contemporary variation valley oak uercus lobata Née). indicated...
Climate change over the next century is predicted to cause widespread maladaptation in natural systems. This prediction, as well many sustainable management and conservation practices, assumes that species are adapted their current climate. However, this assumption rarely tested. Using a large-scale common garden experiment combined with genome-wide sequencing, we found valley oak (Quercus lobata), foundational tree California ecosystems, showed signature of adaptational lag temperature,...
It has long been known that adaptive evolution can occur through genetic mutations in DNA sequence, but it is unclear whether analogous epigenetic mechanisms, such as methylation. If variation contributes directly to evolution, species under threat of disease, invasive competition, climate change or other stresses would have greater stores from which draw. We looked for evidence natural selection acting on variably methylated sites using population genomic analysis across three...
Abstract A central question in evolutionary biology is how gene flow and natural selection shape geographic patterns of genotypic phenotypic variation. My overall research program has pursued this tree populations through complementary lines inquiry. First, studies contemporary pollen seed movement, I have studied limited movement creates fine‐scale genetic structure, while long‐distance promotes connectivity. collaborators provided new tools to study these processes at a landscape scale as...