About
37
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Introduction
My primary research is focused on phylogenomics, taxonomy and historical biogeography of the fern family Theypteridaceae. I recently received my doctoral degree from the Barrington/Sundue Lab at the University of Vermont. I am currently at Research Botanaist at the University and Jepson Herbaria at UC Berkeley, and teaching faculty at the University of Michigan Biological Station.
Additional affiliations
September 2015 - May 2020
September 2015 - December 2019
Publications
Publications (37)
Neotropical savannas exhibit unique patterns of diversity of plant and animal life that are poorly understood. Effective conservation of these often imperiled ecosystems requires a basic understanding of species occurrence as well as the site-specific factors that influence plant community composition. This study focuses on the savanna flora of the...
Phylogeny has long informed pteridophyte classification. As our ability to infer evolutionary trees has improved, classifications aimed at recognizing natural groups have become increasingly predictive and stable. Here, we provide a modern, comprehensive classification for lycophytes and ferns, down to the genus level, utilizing a community-based a...
The Fijian island of Taveuni has large areas of remaining forest that are less altered than those on neighbouring islands. It is also free of the introduced mongoose, leaving its ecosystems more intact. It is noted for biodiversity and is a target for conservationists, but, as in other parts of Fiji, pteridophytes are under-documented there. To add...
Previous hypotheses on the evolutionary affinities of the eastern North American fern species most recently recognized as Parathelypteris simulata have included hybrid origin from North American progenitors and disjunctions with east Asian species. Recent phylogenetic evidence indicates that Parathelypteris sensu Ching is not monophyletic and that...
The Thelypteridaceae is the second most species-rich fern family in the Solomon Islands, representing 47 of the 449 ferns and lycophytes from the islands and a third of its endemic pteridophyte flora. Recently, there has been a major effort to document the botanical diversity of this tropical island archipelago, which has resulted in the discovery...
We provide an annotated checklist of all known lycophytes and ferns in the
Solomon Islands following an updated classification. It comprises two classes,
12 orders, 3 families, 122 genera, 449 species, and six infraspecific taxa,
including 1 new species described here and 18 species newly recorded for the
country. In addition, we make six new nomen...
Two new species of Goniopteris are described from Ecuador and Peru: G. deltata and G. yanachagae . Both are illustrated and compared with similar species.
Menisciopsis wailele (Thelypteridaceae) is a single-island endemic fern species restricted to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. All observations indicate it is an obligate rheophyte, preferring sites of fast-moving water along concave walls of remote streams and waterfall edges. This paper presents data on its morphology, evolution, taxonomy, distribut...
The generic classification of the Thelypteridaceae has been the subject of much controversy. Proposed taxonomic systems have varied from recognizing the approximately 1200 species in the family within the single genus Thelypteris, to systems favoring upwards of 30 genera. Insights on intrafamilial relationships, especially for neotropical taxa, hav...
Premise:
The great variation of genome size (C-value) across land plants is linked to various adaptative features. Flow cytometry (FCM), the standard approach to estimating C-values, relies mostly on fresh materials, performing poorly when used with herbarium materials. No fern C-value reports have been derived from herbarium specimens; however, t...
A new species of Chingia, known only from Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands, is described and illustrated. It is distinctive in having flat, thickened, tortuous stipe scales. It is most closely related to an accession of Chingia clavipilosa from Mount Kinabalu, from which it is distinguished by its lack of hyaline acicular hairs on the abaxial lamina...
Based on morphological, biogeographical, and phylogenomic data, a new generic classification system is proposed for the Thelypteridaceae. We give an overview of the previous classifications of the family, and a summary of the morphological, cytological, geographic and molecular data underlying these classifications is given. A synoptical phylogenet...
Premise:
New sequencing technologies facilitate the generation of large-scale molecular data sets for constructing the plant tree of life. We describe a new probe set for target enrichment sequencing to generate nuclear sequence data to build phylogenetic trees with any flagellate land plants, including hornworts, liverworts, mosses, lycophytes, f...
ABSTRACT.—Goniopteris baorucensis, a species known only from the Sierra Baoruco in the southern Dominican Republic, is illustrated and described as new to science. Recent phylogenetic studies have inferred it as a member of a clade of predominantly calciphilic Goniopteris that are largely endemic to the Antilles. New records of two additional uncom...
Premise of the study
New sequencing technologies enable the possibility of generating large-scale molecular datasets for constructing the plant tree of life. We describe a new probe set for target enrichment sequencing to generate nuclear sequence data to build phylogenetic trees with any flagellate plants, comprising hornworts, liverworts, mosses,...
A more detailed, extensively illustrated informal guide by Art Gilman to assist with identifying new populations of this species in the field.
Since the 1970s, an apomictic tetraploid beech fern (genus Phegopteris (C. Presl) Fée) has been known in northeastern North America. Previously published isozyme data suggest that this lineage is of allopolyploid origin involving long beech fern (P. con-nectilis (Michx.) Watt.) but not broad beech fern (P. hexagonoptera (Michx.) Fée), as originally...
Premise of research. Spores and pollen often exhibit distinctive morphology, resulting from the structure of the exine (spore wall), and elaborate external ornamentation, known as perine. Spore-dispersed plants, particularly ferns, exhibit remarkable variation in the surface structure of their spores and provide an excellent model for the study of...
Premise of the Study
Fine‐scale variation in temperature and soil moisture contribute to microhabitats across the landscape, affecting plant phenology, distribution, and fitness. The recent availability of compact and inexpensive temperature and humidity data loggers such as iButtons has facilitated research on microclimates.
Methods and Results
H...
Fine-scale variation in temperature and soil moisture contribute to microhabitats across the landscape, affecting plant phenology, distribution and fitness. The recent availability of compact and inexpensive temperature and humidity data loggers such as iButtons has facilitated research on microclimates. Here, we highlight the use of iButtons in th...
As early as 1947, Aldo Leopold recognized the devastating
impacts of Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer) overabundance on
the vegetation of northeastern North America, noting the
disproportionate pressure on low-growing and palatable species.
Although the impacts of White-tailed Deer herbivory have been
relatively well-studied for woody plan...
Primary hemiepiphytism was documented in Pleopeltis bradeorum (Polypodiaceae) at the La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica. Multiple sporophytes and gametophytes were observed, photographed, and collected. Gametophytes were found on the trunks of trees and lianas within 2.5 m of the ground. Mature sporophytes with fertile fronds were obs...
Neotropical savannas comprise a biome of extraordinary diversity and endemism, which faces pervasive threats from human development. A basic understanding of ecological dynamics is required for effective conservation, but has not yet been achieved. This study seeks to address the abiotic underpinnings of vegetation assembly on the island of Utila,...
Grass Bay, on the shore of Lake Huron in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, has been a Nature Conservancy preserve since 1979. It is home to a variety of plants and animals. We conducted a floral survey of a section of Grass Bay and used the Floristic Quality Asssessment (FQA) to determine its relative value to conservation efforts. In order...
Projects
Projects (6)
This work is a collaboration with Lucas Majure at FLAS, and is part of the California Conservation Genomics Project www.ccgproject.org, funded by the State of California with the goal of producing a comprehensive multispecies genomic dataset to help manage and protect regional biodiversity in the face of climate change. Opuntia basilaris, also known as the beavertail cactus or beavertail prickly-pear, is a diploid (2n=22) species with a broad distribution across the arid regions of western North America, where it is one of the most common cacti. Within California, it occurs in nine of the USDA California Ecoregions, spanning deserts, mountains, and the Central Valley. Prickly-pears are of great ecological importance as one of the most reliable year-round food sources for dozens of species. The Opuntia basilaris complex includes three recognized varieties within California, including two state endemics, which are of conservation concern. These are Opuntia basilaris var. treleasei, which is a State and Federally listed endangered species, and O. b. var. brachyclada, which is considered vulnerable. The broad ecogeographic range of the O. basilaris complex is coupled with considerable morphological heterogeneity across the distribution of the species, reflected by a similarly complex taxonomic history. Whole genome sequencing will greatly enhance our ability to understand relationships among populations of this species complex in California, and inform the conservation of vulnerable and endangered species.
Miscellaneous botanical research in Michigan and throughout the great lakes.
