Research
I am a Behavioral Ecologist broadly interested in combining field and molecular methods to explore topics including sexual selection, mating systems, and evolution. I use rodents of the genus Peromyscus, microsatellites, DNA sequencing, (Illumina and Sanger methods) and cloning to explore ideas related to these central themes. Please see CV for more details.
My Dissertation research includes:
- The development of a quantatative measure of mating systems
- This component of my dissertation aimed to fundamentally change the way in which we study mating systems. Specifically, secondary to the widespread use of molecular parentage analysis, we now understand that mating systems are better treated as continuous variables, rather than as discrete entities (i.e. monogamy, polygyny, etc.). This chapter outlines the approach, illustrating how its adoption may lead to novel insight.
- Analysis of the effects of mating system on selection on MHC genes.
- Using population level data collected from a single locality, this chapter shows that natural selection on MHC genes is not enhanced in a promiscuous mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) relative to its monogamous congener, P. californicus. This result supports the MHC-disassortative mate choice hypothesis.
- Patterns of selection on MHC genes in the genus Peromyscus
- This component of my dissertation hoped to test the generality of the finding in chapter 2 using genus-level consisting of MHC sequences from 22 Peromyscus species, including another, independent, origin of monogamy. Here, using lineage-specific tests of positive selection, I showed that selection on MHC genes was enhanced in both monogamous species. This was taken for strong evidence for the MHC-disassortative mate choice hypothesis.
- Characterization of vaginal bacterial flora in rodents with different mating systems
- This chapter attempted to related differences in mating system to differences in vaginal bacterial flora. Here, I sampled the vaginal flora of wild caught mice, and assayed bacterial flora using molecular methods. In brief, enhanced bacterial diversity was encountered in the promiscuous mouse P. maniculatus, likely secondary to an increased number of sexual partners as compared to the monogamous P. californicus.
Other research (both current and previous):
- Characterization of the hippocampal transcriptome in social versus non social rodents using Solexa sequencing
- Phylogeography of Peromyscus eremicus and Peromyscus fraterculus in southern California
- Construction of a multilocus Peromyscus phylogeny
- DNA sequencing from 100 year-old museum skins
- Cross-species amplification of microsatellites in Peromyscus (with Karen Mabry)