Research Summary
Phylogenetics & Biodiversity. Development and application of phylogenetic methods in ecology and conservation biology. Phylogenetics offers a powerful means to explore evolutionary mechanisms shaping ecological patterns and the distribution of species richness. A better understanding of the processes shaping biodiversity patterns will be critical if we wish to reduce current rates of biodiversity loss.
Latest Research
Rethinking Extinction Risks
Reducing rates of extinction represents one of the greatest ecological challenges of our time. Over the past few years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has published Red Lists documenting the inexorable slide towards extinction of species; recent losses include the Hawaiian crow, golden toad, Baiji dolphin, and the West African black rhino. In groups we know well, such as mammals, the risk of extinction has been related to biology, with the most vulnerable species tending to be large, slow breeding, and narrowly distributed. Although plants are the basis for life on Earth, our knowledge of the drivers of plant extinctions is poor.
In this new study on plants, we show that the processes of extinction and speciation [the evolutionary process by which new species arise] are linked. The most vulnerable species are found within young and fast-evolving plant lineages, opposite to patterns in vertebrates. Our results have important implications for conservation priorities and suggest that we might have to rethink the criteria we use to assess extinction risks in plants, where detailed data on species' declines is difficult to obtain.
- Press:
Rethinking endangered plants: http://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/news/item/?item_id=174490
A new tree of life - plant extinction study: http://www.cbc.ca/allinaweekend/2011/05/29/a-quarter-of-the-worlds-plant-species-at-risk-of-extinction/
[Listen to interview]
- Publications:
Davies, T.J., Smith, G.F, Bellstedt, D.U., Boatwright, J.S., Bytebier, B., Cowling, R.M., Forest, F., Harmon, L.J., Muasya, A.M., Schrire, B., Steenkamp, Y., van der Bank, M. and Savolainen, V. (2011) Extinction Risk and Diversification Are Linked in a Plant Biodiversity Hotspot. PLoS Biol 9(5): e1000620. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000620.
Read online: http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1000620
Research in the News
- In the papers
Santa Barbara Independent
The Telegraph
Santa Barbara Independent
- On the radio
Interview with NPR journalist Lance Orozco from KCLU-FM - NPR radio journalist Lance Orozco from KCLU-FM presents a feature on NCEAS.
- Voyage of the Beagle – a series of podcasts on ecology and conservation. Jai Ranganathan grills scientists on their latest research. I discuss my latest paper, written with Amy Pedersen, here.
Undergraduate Opportunities
1) Students wanted: Biodiversity Project - Excuse me while I scan that tree – the (DNA) barcode of life
[posted 28 October 2011]
I am looking for students interested in exploring new methods for describing biodiversity using DNA barcoding (http://ibol.org/).
This research will be important for describing community structure and assessing the impact of climate change on ecosystem function.
Requirements include excellent taxonomic skills and an enthusiasm for field work, which will be conducted at McGill's Gault Nature Reserve, Mont Saint Hilaire. Familiarity with molecular sequencing techniques would be an advantage, as would strong analytical skills.
Project start date: spring 2012 and continuing over the summer.
Students interested in developing an Honours research project are encouraged to apply.
Interested students should contact Dr Davies (j.davies@mcgill.ca), sending a copy of their CV and a brief statement of interest.
Graduate Opportunities
Students with an interest in biodiversity, conservation and climate change are encouraged to contact Dr. Jonathan Davies detailing their background and research goals. Knowledge of one or more of the following would be an advantage:
- Phylogenetic methods
- R
- Molecular sequencing techniques
- Geographic Information System data
- Mont St. Hilaire
- Forest-tundra ecosystems