Dramatic changes in global habitats and climates mean that many species are undergoing changes in their abundances and distributions, but the evolutionary and genetic consequences of these demographic changes and range shifts are poorly understood. In addition to ecological adaptation to altered habitats, potential evolutionary consequences include changes in the genetic and reproductive systems of wild and pest species, and novel group- and community-level effects on traits and fitnesses under shifting community compositions.
Thus our research group investigates the biotic consequences of global change from a multi-level perspective: from individual behaviours or gene functions to group interactions, regional dynamics, and global patterns.
Current Research Projects
Niche evolution in range shifting Scottish damselflies (Odonata)
Thus our research group investigates the biotic consequences of global change from a multi-level perspective: from individual behaviours or gene functions to group interactions, regional dynamics, and global patterns.
Current Research Projects
Niche evolution in range shifting Scottish damselflies (Odonata)
This project studies how climate change affects niche evolution in the context of changes in guild composition. In response to climate change, many insect species are rapidly range shifting in Great Britain, often to higher latitudes and altitudes, resulting in altered patterns of competitive interactions and parasite transfer within communities. We are interested in how climate change-mediated shifts in guild composition interact with the direct effects of climate to influence ontogeny, survival, parasite interactions, and mating systems within each species. We are especially interested in consequences of range shifts and species interactions on the joint evolution of cold tolerance and dispersal phenotypes, and we plan to apply these results to further understanding of phylogenetic community assembly rules.
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Going against the flow: The causes and consequences of introgression from the expanding range edge back to the core.
Range shifts represent unique demographic events that have the potential to create novel trait combinations, adaptations, and patterns of genetic architecture. Using modeling and experimental evolution, we are interested in identifying the conditions under which evolutionary events at expanding range margins can spread across the species range under a variety of reproductive and genetic systems. This project is in collaboration with Justin Travis.
Range shifts represent unique demographic events that have the potential to create novel trait combinations, adaptations, and patterns of genetic architecture. Using modeling and experimental evolution, we are interested in identifying the conditions under which evolutionary events at expanding range margins can spread across the species range under a variety of reproductive and genetic systems. This project is in collaboration with Justin Travis.
Genetic constraints on and consequences of the joint evolution of resource use and climate traits: an experimental evolution approach.
Global invasion of many pest species is facilitated by the joint evolution of novel tolerances to climates and host plants. This study employs experimental evolution in the model organism Callosobruchus maculatus to identify the constraints and consequences of these rapid evolutionary changes. Ultimately we plan to introduce range shifts and multi-species interactions into the design to obtain a holistic view of why species can or can't respond positively to the multiple, simultaneous, novel selection pressures in a recently-colonized environment. This project is in collaboration with Mike Ritchie and Jörgen Ripa.
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Effects of thermal mismatch between larval and adult life history phases on development, fitness, and population genetic structure of aquatic macroinvertebrates, in response to river regulation.
Climate change is placing increasing pressure on our freshwater resources, via increasing drought and increased demands for hydropower and water for irrigation and drinking. However, dams have profound effects on the thermal environments of rivers and streams, which may have large interactive effects with future climate change on the composition and resilience of freshwater macroinvertebrate communities. Along with Chris Gibbins, we are investigating how the thermal regimes imposed by dams interact with warming climates to affect insects with complex life cycles, from the level of individual ontogeny up to demographic, genetic, and geographic distributional consequences.
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Linking habitat and geography in the biogeographic origins of a biodiversity hotspot.
The California Floristic Province is a biodiversity hotspot with more than 5500 plant species, over 1/3 of which are endemic to the region. In collaboration with Kathleen Kay, we are interested in identifying the biogeographic factors responsible for high biodiversity and endemism, and to identify key ecological interactions that facilitate long-term persistence in California's highly variable climate and terrain. Results to date are reported in Lancaster and Kay (2013), which describes how California's biodiversity results from dramatic historical habitat shifts combined with low extinction rates since the Tertiary. In Goldberg et al (2011) we identify the critical role of California's unique habitat type, the chaparral, in generating and preserving California's plant biodiversity. This habitat type is currently threatened under anthropogenic habitat modification, but has historically provided both a refuge (during historical range contractions) and a birthplace (i.e., key speciation site) for many of California's plant species.
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