Postdoctoral Fellows

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D., Universidad Autonoma, Madrid, Spain
Phone: (785) 864-2383
msbb@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor: Paulyn Cartwright

Research Interests: Ribosomal RNA gene sequences frequently present significant length heterogeneity even among closely related taxa, making it hard to objectively ascertain positional homology for alignment. Ribosomal RNA function is largely determined by its secondary structure, which is much more conserved across taxa than nucleotide composition. Hence, putative secondary structures of rRNA genes can be used as guidelines to sequence alignment. During my post-doc, my short-term goal is to apply this approach to phylogenetic reconstructions within the Medusozoa, aiming more specifically to resolve deep node relationships within the Hydroidolina. The development of secondary structure models for other cnidarian taxa will provide a unified framework for alignment of rRNA genes across the entire clade that will be used by all members of the Cnidarian Tree of Life consortium. The knowledge of secondary structure also allows the development of more sophisticated models for phylogenetic reconstruction that incorporate not only the lack of independence among different positions but also account for variation in substitution rates across stems and loops.

Recent Publications:

• Andrew R. H., M. Barbeitos and M. A. Coffroth. 2008. Temporal stability in symbiotic dinoflagellate diversity in the octocoral Briareum asbestinum Submitted to Marine Ecology Progress Series.
• A. M. Nawrocki, M. S. Barbeitos and P. Cartwright. 2008. Re-evolution of Medusae in Aplanulata (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa): Dollo's law Revisited. Submitted to Systematic Biology.
• Carla G-R., M. S. Barbeitos, J. A. Sánchez and H. R. Lasker. 2008. Phylogeography and morphological variation of the branching octocoral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
• Kishore S. M., S. Bhattacharya, M. Barbeitos, L. Mukherjee, J. Xu, F. O. Fackelmayer and R. Berezney. 2008. Identifying functional neighborhoods within the cell nucleus: Proximity analysis of early S-phase replicating chromatin domains to sites of transcription, RNA polymerase II, HP1gamma, matrin 3 and SAF-A. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 105:391–403.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D. Harvard University, 2008

phone: 864-3439
blackburn@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsors:
Rafe Brown and Linda Trueb

Research Interests: Systematics, character evolution, biogeography, Amphibians, Africa, evolutionary developmental biology

Recent Publications:

• Blackburn, D.C. 2009. Description and phylogenetic relationships of two new species of miniature Arthroleptis (Anura: Arthroleptidae) from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. Breviora (Museum of Comparative Zoology) 517: 1-17.
• Blackburn, D.C. 2009. Dispersal to or from an African biodiversity hotspot? Molecular Ecology 18: 1904-1915.
• Blackburn, D. C. 2009 Diversity and evolution of male secondary sexual characters in African squeakers and long-fingered frogs. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 96: 553-573.
• Blackburn, D.C., L. N. Gonwouo, R. Ernst, and M.-O. Rodel. 2009. A new squeaker frog (Arthroleptidae: Arthroleptis) from the Cameroon Volcanic Line with redescriptions of Arthroleptis adolfifriederici Nieden, 1911 "1910" and A. variabilis Matschie, 1893. Breviora 515: 1-11.

Recent Presentations:

• Kansas African Studies Center, Summer Teacher Institute, University of Kansas, June 2009.
• Public Lecture, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Gombe State University, Nigeria. April 2009..

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D. University of Utah, 2004
sbush@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor: Andrew T. Peterson

Research Interest: Evolutionary Ecology of Host-Parasite Interactions

Recent Publications:

• Bush, S. E., C. W. Harbison, D. Slager, A. T. Peterson, R. D. Price, and D. H. Clayton. In press. Geographic variation in the community structure of lice on Western Scrub-jays. Journal of Parasitology.
• Harbison, C. W., S. E. Bush, J. R. Malenke, D. H. Clayton. In press. Comparative transmission dynamics of competing parasite species. Ecology.
• Peterson, A. T., S. E. Bush, E. Spackman, D. E. Swayne, and H. Ip. 2008. Influenza A Virus Infections in Land Birds, People's Republic of China. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 14: 1644–1646.
• Clayton, D. H., R. J. Adams and S. E. Bush. 2008. Phthiraptera, the chewing lice. In N. J. Thomas, C. T. Atkinson, and D. B. Hunter (eds). Parasitic Diseases of Wild Birds. Blackwell.
• Bush, S. E. and J.R. Malenke. 2008. Host defense mediates interspecific competition in parasites. Journal of Animal Ecology 77: 558–564.
• Peterson, A. T., T. Brooks, A. Gamauf, J. C. T. Gonzalez, N. A. D. Mallari, G. Dutson, S. E. Bush, D. H. Clayton and R. Fernandez. 2008. The avifauna of Mt. Kitanglad, Bukidnon Province, Mindanao, Philippines. Fieldiana: Zoology 114: 1–43.
• Bush, S. E. and D. H. Clayton. 2006. The role of body size in host specificity: reciprocal transfer experiments with dove lice. Evolution 60: 2158–2167.
• Goates, B. M., J. S. Atkin, K. G. Wilding, K. G. Birch, M. R. Cottam, S. E. Bush, and D. H. Clayton. 2006. An effective non-chemical treatment for head lice: a lot of hot air. Pediatrics 118: 1962–1970.
• Bush, S. E., D. Kim, J. Lever, B. R. Moyer and D. H. Clayton. 2006. Is melanin a defense against feather-feeding lice? The Auk 123:153–161.
• Bush, S. E., and R. D. Price. 2006. Reconsideration of the longiceps species group of the feather louse genus Columbicola (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) with descriptions of two new species. Journal of Parasitology 92:949–952.

Recent Presentations:

• Bush, S. E. 2008. Evolutionary Ecology of Host Specificity: Feather-lice, Flies, and Flu. Departments of Entomology and Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• Bush, S. E. 2008. Teaching Veterinary Parasitology: The Heart of the Matter. Departments of Entomology and Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• Bush, S. E. 2008. Symposium co-organizer: “Evolutionary Ecology of Host-Ectoparasite Interactions,” American Society of Parasitologists, Arlington Texas.
• Bush, S. E. 2007. The role of host-parasite and parasite-parasite interactions in determining host specificity. Department of Biology, Utah State University, Utah.
• Bush, S. E. and J. R. Malenke. 2007. Host-defense mediates competition between ectoparasites. Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitology, Denver, CO.
• Clayton, D. H., S. E. Bush, and C. W. Harbison. 2007. The ecological basis of coevolutionary history: Lessons from lice. Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitology, Denver, CO.
• Clayton, D. H., S. E. Bush, and K. P. Johnson. 2007. Host defense reinforces host-parasite cospeciation. Annual meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union. Laramie, WY.
• Reed, M. S. E. Bush, D. H. Clayton. 2007. Impact of avian habitat quality on biodiversity of ectoparasites: Results from China. Utah Ornithological Society. Provo, UT.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D. 2007, Montpellier 2 University, France
Phone: (785) 864-4255
aldecomb@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsors: Thomas N. Taylor and Edith Taylor

Research Interests: Evolution of the tree habit; Gondwana floras; Permian and Triassic gymnosperms from Antarctica; Devonian and Carboniferous (pro) gymnosperms from Europe & Australia.

Recent Publications:

• Meyer-Berthaud B. and A. -L. Decombeix. 2009. Evolution of earliest trees: the Devonian strategies. Comptes Rendus Palevol. 8 (2-3): 155-165.
• Decombeix A.-L., S. D. Klavins, E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. In press. Seed plant diversity in the Triassic of Antarctica: a new anatomically preserved ovule from the Fremouw Formation. Review of Palaeobtaony and Palynology.
• Prestianni, C., A.-L. Decombeix, J. Thorez, D. Fokand, and P. Gerrienne. In press. The Famennian charcoal of Belgium. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.
• Decombeix, A.-L., E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. 2009. Secondary growth in Vertebraria roots from the Late Permian of Antarctica: a change in developmental timing. International Journal of Plant Science 170 (5): 644-656.
• Meyer-Berthaud, B., A. Soria, and A.-L. Decombeix. In press. The land plant cover in the Devonian: a reassessment of the evolution of the tree habit. In: Vecoli, M., G. Clement, B. Meyer-Berthaud (eds.). The terrestrialization process: Modelling complex interactions at the biosphere-geosphere interface. Geological Society of London, Special Publication.

Recent Presentations:

• Escapa I.H., A.-L. Decombeix, P. E. Ryberg, A. B. Schwendemann A.B., R. Serbet, E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. 2009. The Triassic floras of Antarctica: paleobiology and paleoecology of polar latitude communities Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
• Decombeix A.-L., E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. 2009. A permineralized gymnosperm trunk with preserved cortex from the Middle Triassic of Antarctica: anatomy and affinities. Botany and mycology, Snowbird, UT.
• Meyer-Berthaud B., A.-L. Decombeix, and J. Galtier. 2009. Assessing transitional changes in arborescent lignophytes at the D/C boundary. Lyell meeting: Late Palaeozoic terrestrial habitats and biotas: the effect of changing climates, Birmingham, U.K.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D. 2009, Universidad Nacional de Comahue
Phone: (785) 864-4255
iescapa@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor: Thomas and Edith Taylor

Research Interest: Mesozoic floras from Gonwana; Evolution of sphenophytes and conifers; Phylogenetics.

Recent Publications:

• Cúneo, R., I. Escapa, V. de Seoane, A.-L.Artabe, and S. Gnaedinger. In press. State of the Art on Cycads and Bennettitaleans from the Mesozoic of Argentina. In: Delevoryas, T. (ed.). Plants in Deep Mesozoic Time: Morphological Innovations, Phylogeny, Ecosystems. Indiana University Press.
• Rolando, G.-J. and I. Escapa. In press. Uso combinado de Morfometría Geométrica, Cladística y Modularidad en la evolución de los homínidos: implicancias y dificultades metodológicas. Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural.
• Escapa, I., B. Axsmith, E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. In press. Modifications of the transfer technique for studying complex plant structures. Review of Paleobotany and Palynology.
• González-José, R., I. Escapa, W. Neves, R. Cúneo, H. Pucciarelli. 2008. Cladistic analysis of continuous modularized traits provides phylogenetic signal in hominid evolution. Nature 453: 775-778.
• Escapa, I. R. Cúneo, and B. Axsmith. 2008. A new genus of the Cupressaceae (sensu lato) from the Jurassic of Patagonia: implications for conifer megasporangiate cone homologies. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 151: 110-122.
• Escapa, I., R. Cúneo, and G. Cladera. 2008. The Jurassic flora from Cañadón del Zaino, Sierra Taquetrén, Chubut: new evidence for its age. Ameghiniana 45: 633-637.
• Axsmith, B., I. Escapa, and P. Huber. 2008. An araucarian conifer in the Jurassic of eastern North America. Palaentologia electronica 11: 1-7.
• Escapa, I. J. Sterli, D. Pol, and L. Nicoli. 2008. Jurassic tetrapods and flora of Cañadón Asfalto Formation In Cerro Condor area, Chubut province, Argentina. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina 64: 613-624.

Recent Presentations:

• Escapa, I. and R. Cúneo. 2008. Morphological phylogeny for the conifer genus Araucaria. XXVII International Meeting of the Willi Hennig Society. Tucumán, Argentina.
• Escapa, I. and R. Cúneo. 2009. Osmundaceae in the Mesozoic of Gondwana: new evidence from the Jurassic of Patagonia, Argentina. Botanical Society of America Annual Meeting. Snowbird, Utah.
• Cúneo, R., R. Andreis, G. Cladera, and I. Escapa. 2009 Low density araucarian woodlands from the Jurassic of Patagonia. Botanical Society of America Annual Meeting. Snowbird, Utah.
• Escapa, I., A.-L. Decombeix, P. Ryberg, A. Schwendemann, R. Serbet, E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. 2009. Triassic floras of Antarctica: paleobiology and paleoecology of polar latitude communities. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting. Portland, OR.,
• Escapa, I., E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. 2009. Misconceptions, potential problems and methodological advances in cladistics analyses: relevance for the study of fossil plants. XIV Simposio Argentino de Paleobotánica y Palinología. Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Escapa, I., A.-L. Decombe, E. L. Taylor, and T. N. Taylor. 2009. The Triassic genus Telemachus: paleobiology and evolutionary significance of an enigmatic conifer. XIV Simposio Argentino de Paleobotánica y Palinología. Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D. 2008, University of Texas-Austin
Phone: (785) 864-5789
tracyah@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor: Mark Holder

Research Interest: Computational Phylogentics, patterns of species diversification, models of protein evolution, and methods for divergence time estimation

Recent Publications:

• Heath, T.A., S.M. Hedtke, and D.M. Hillis. 2008. Taxon sampling and the accuracy of phylogenetic analyses. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 46:239–257.
• Heath, T.A., D.J. Zwickl, J. Kim, and D.M. Hillis. 2008. Taxon sampling affects inferences of macroevolutionary processes from phylogenetic trees. Systematic Biology 57:160–166.

Recent Presentations:

• Heath, T.A. and D.M. Hillis. 2007. Factors contributing to systematic biases in phylogenetic tree shape. Evolution 2007, Christchurch, New Zealand.
• Heath, T.A., D.J. Zwickl, J. Kim, and D.M. Hillis. 2007. The effect of reduced taxon sampling on phylogenetic tree imbalance. The Annual New Zealand phylogenetics Meeting—Doom07, Whakapapa, New Zealand.
• Heath, T.A., D.J. Zwickl, J. Kim, and D.M. Hillis. 2006. Understanding patterns of phylogenetic tree shape by simulating macroevolutionary processes. Evolution, 2006 Stony Brook, NY.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D. Universidad Autonoma, de Madrid, Spain
ajvalv@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor:
Andrew T. Peterson

Research Interests: Methods for modeling potential distributions of species in order to understand the relative importance of environmental, biotic and contingent factors on determining geographic ranges.

Recent Publications:

• Jimenez-Valverde, A., F. Diniz, E. B. Azevedo, and P. A. V. Borges. 2009. Species distribution models do not account for abundance: the case of arthropods in Terceira Island. Annales Zoologici Fennici 46: 451-464.
• Peterson, A. T., N. Barve, L.M. Bini, J. A. Diniz-Filho, A. Jimenez-Valverde, A. Lira-Noriega, J. M. Lobo, S. Maher, P. DeMarco, Jr., E. Martinez-Meyer, Y. Nakazawa, and J. Soberon. 2009. The climate envelope may not be empty. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106(16): E47.
• Baselga, A., J. M. Lobo, J. Hortal, A. Jimenez-Valverde, and J. Gomez. 2009. Assessing alpha and beta taxonomy in Eupelmid wasps: determinants of the probability of describing good species and synonyms. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research.
• Jimenez-Valverde, A., Lobo, J. M. & Hortal, J. 2008. Not as good as they seem: the importance of concepts in species distribution modelling. Diversity and Distributions 14: 885-890.
• Jimenez-Valverde, A., Gomez, J. F., Lobo, J. M., Baselga, A. & Hortal, J. 2008. Challenging distribution models: the case of Maculinea nausithous (Bergsträsser, 1779) in the Iberian Peninsula. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 45 (3): 200–210.
• Lobo, J. M., Jimenez-Valverde, A. and Real, R. 2008. AUC: a misleading measure of the performance of predictive distribution models. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 17: 145–151.

Recent Presentations:

• Lobo, J. M., Jiménez-Valverde, A. & Hortal, J. Facing the problems of predicting insect distributions, in XXIII International Congress of Entomology, Durban (South Africa), July 2008, Entomological Society of Southern Africa, International. Oral.
• Jiménez-Valverde, A., Lobo, J. M. & Morano, E. Estimando factores determinantes y la distribución potencial del género Araneus en la Península Ibérica, in V Jornadas del Grupo Ibérico de Aracnología, Murcia, October 2004, Grupo Ibérico de Aracnología, Iberian. Oral.

Research Interests: Speciation; Plant mating system evolution; Ecology and genetics of adaptation.

Recent Publications:

• Koelling, V. A. and K. Karoly. 2007. Self-pollen interference is absent in wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum, Brassicaceae), a species with sporophytic self-incompatibility. American Journal of Botany 94: 896–900.

Recent Presentations:

• Koelling, V. A. and R. Mauricio. 2009. Reproductive barriers in Leavenworthia. Oral presentation, Moscow, ID.
• Koelling, V. A. and R. Mauricio, 2008. How well does morphology predict mating system?: a test in Leavenworthia. Oral presentation, Evolution, Minneapolis, MN.
• Koelling, V. A. and R. Mauricio, 2007. Species-barriers in Leavenworthia: genetic incompatibilities and the role of ecology. Oral presentation, Southeastern Population Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics meeting, Tremont, TN.
• Koelling, V. A. and R. Mauricio, 2007. Species-barriers in Leavenworthhia: intrinsic genetic incompatibilities. Oral presentation, The Botanical Society of America, Chicago, IL.
• Koelling, V. A. and R. Mauricio, 2006. Are intrinsic post-mating barriers to hybridization present between the rare cedar glade endemics, Leavenworthia alabamica and L. crassa? Poster presentation. Evolution 2006, Stony Brook, NY.

Jianwei Li

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D., University of Missouri—St. Louis
Phone: (785) 864-5690
jcpxt8@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor: Lena Hileman

Research Interest: Developmental genetic basis of inflorescence and flower evolution.

Recent Publications:

• Preston, J. C. In press. Evolutionary genetics of core eudicot inflorescence and flower development. International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology.
• Preston, J. C., A. Christensen, S. T. Malcomber, and E.A. Kellogg. 2009. MADS-box gene expression suggests a floral origin for sterile organs of the grass spikelet. American Journal of Botany 96(8): 1-11.
• Preston, J. C. and L. C. Hileman. 2009. Developmental genetics of floral symmetry evolution. Trends in Plant Science 14(3): 147-154.
• Preston, J. C. , M. Kost, and L. C. Hileman. 2009. Conservation and diversification of the symmetry developmental program among close relatives of snapdragon wtih divergent floral morphologies. New Phytologist. 182(3): 751-762.
• Preston, J. C.and E. A. Kellogg. 2008. Discrete developmental roles for temperate cereal grass Vernalization1/Fruitful-like genes in flowering competency and the transition to flowering. Plant Physiology 146: 1-12.
• Preston, J. C. and E. A. Kellogg. 2008. Discrete developmental roles for temperate cereal grass VERNALIZATION1/FRUITFULL-like genes in flowering competency and the transition to flowering. Plant Physiology. 146: 1–12.

Recent Presentations:

• Preston, J. C. 2009. Importance of multigene transcription factor families for flower development and its diversification. Smithsonian Botanical Symposium on Genes, Genomics, and Genome Evolution in Plants, Washington D.C., March.
• Preston, J. C. 2009.. Evolutionary developmental genetics of floral morphology in the Lamiales. Biological Sciences Departmental Seminar Series, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, August
• Preston, J. C. and Hileman, L. C. 2009. A putative regulator of the AP1/FUL floral meristem identity genes initiates flowering in Antirrhinum majus. Botany and Mycology Meeting, Snowbird, Utah, July.
• Martinez, C. C., J. C. Preston, and L. C. Hileman. 2009. Duplication and divergence of Veronicaceae floral symmetry genes: implications for the reduction/loss of floral zygomorphy and stamens.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D., University of Washington, Seattle
Phone: (785) 864-4066
CoreyWelch@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor: Robert M. Timm

Research Interests: Biogeography and Population Genetics of North American mammals; Biogeography of Australian songbirds.

Recent Publications:

• Welch, C.K. and G.J. Kenagy. (In Review). Contrasting phylogeography and demographic history of two sympatric moles, SCAPANUS. Submitted to the Journal of Mammalogy.
• Welch, C.K. and G.J. Kenagy. Conservation status of pocket gophers in disjunct alpine and lowland habitats in the Pacific Northwest of North America, Journal of Animal Conservation.
• Welch, C.K. and S.V. Edwards. Biogeographic breaks and population histories of two Treecreeper (Climacteris) sister-species in eastern and northern Australia, Emu.
• Welch, C.K. 2006. Mitochondrial DNA and Karyotypic Differentiation of a Geographically Isolated Peninsular and Lowland Populations of Mazama Pocket Gophers (Thomomys mazama) in Washington: Conservation Recommendations; Proceedings of the First Mazama Pocket Gopher Workshop and Final Report on Needed Conservation Actions 2006-2010. Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Olympia, WA.

Recent Presentations:

• Welch, C.K. 2008. The rare Olympic Pocket Gopher: an underground life. Olympic National Park Speaker Series, April.
• Welch, C.K. 2007. Biogeography, genetics, and conservation status of the Mazama pocket gopher, Thomomys mazama. Department of Biology Seminar, University of Puget Sound, April.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, North Carolina State University
Phone: (785) 864-5789
jyu@bio.ku.dk

Faculty Sponsor: Mark Holder

Research Interest: Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution

Recent Publications:

• Thorne, J. L., S. C. Choi, J. Yu, P. Higgs, and H. Kishino. 2007. Population genetics without intraspecific data. Mol. Biol. Evol. 24: 1667–1677.
• Yu, J. and J. L. Thorne. 2006. Dependence among sites in RNA evolution. Mol. Biol. Evol. 23: 1525–1537.
• Yu, J. and J. L. Thorne. 2006. Testing for spatial clustering of amino acid replacements within protein tertiary structure. J. Mol. Evol. 62: 682–692.

Post-doctoral researcher
Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin
Phone: (785) 864-1768
zwickl@ku.edu

Faculty Sponsor: Mark Holder

Research Interest: Theoretical Systematics

Recent Publications:

• Holder, Mark T., Derrick J. Zwickl and Christophe Dessimoz. 2008 (in press). Evaluating the Robustness of Phylogenetic Methods to Among-Site Variability in Substitution Processes. Phil. Trans. R Soc. B: Biol. Sci.
• Heath, Tracy A., Derrick J. Zwickl, Junhyong Kim and David M. Hillis. 2008. Taxon sampling affects inferences of macroevolutionary processes from phylogenetic trees. Syst. Biol. 57(1):160–6.
• Zakon, Harold H., Ying Lu, Derrick J. Zwickl and David M. Hillis. 2006. Sodium channel genes and the evolution of diversity in communication signals of electric fishes: Convergent molecular evolution. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 103(10):3675–80.