MORPH
An NSF Research Coordination Network
Research Interests
Plant Molecular Systematics
The majority of the systematic work in my lab is focused on the Malvales. My aim is to reconstruct the group's phylogeny at all levels and to use the results to clarify the pattern of floral evolution in the group and its correlation with shifts in pollination mechanism. The work is funded by the National Science Foundation. In addition to this work in Malvales, graduate students in my lab have worked on a diversity of other plant groups (see below).
The evolution of plant development
1. A study of the role of LEAFY in inflorescence evolution in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. Specifically we are focusing on three genera, Idahoa, Leavenworthia, and Jonopsidium, which produce flowers in the axils of rosette leaves rather than on an elongated, leafless infloresence. More information on the inflorescence evolution project can be found on a companion page. This project is funded by the National Science Foundation.
2. I am interested in studying the phylogeny of the MADS-box gene family in /Malvoideae (Malvales) and exploring their role in floral differentiation. A former post-doc, Alan Yen, cloned a number of floral expressed MADS-box genes (including AP3 and PI orthologs) and characterized their whorl-specific expression in dissected flowers. In the future I hope to evaluate the hypothesis that the production of a petaloid calyx and epicalyx in Goethea (Pavonia) strictiflora is correlated with an expansion of the expression of the B-group genes into those whorls.
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Theoretical Interests
In addition, to empirical projects I spend a portion of my time working on phylogenetic and evolutionary theory. I am particularly interested in understanding the nature of "species" as products of evolutionary history. To this end I have delved into some of the philosophical literature dealing with the ontology of individuals. I am also interested in clarifying the theory behind the testing of hypotheses of adaptation. My current project in this regard is the development of a Bayesian framework for estimating the strength of selection acting when a character under study went to fixation. Lastly, I have been dabbling in the problem of homology and attempting to bring the philosophy of individuality to bear.
