My research leverages genomic, phenotypic, and ecological data to study speciation and hybridization across time scales, from the deep evolutionary history of diversification to fine-scale patterns of ongoing speciation. In addition, my research incorporates alpha taxonomy by using integrative approaches to discover and describe new biodiversity. While my work largely focuses on freshwater fishes (especially darters!), I have addressed similar evolutionary questions in other organisms including copepods, Anolis lizards, and ranid frogs.
Phylogenomics and Gene Flow
Introgressive hybridization between species can produce complex webs of reticulate evolution. While most examples of extensive introgression occur among closely related species, my research presents evidence for ancient hybridization and genome-wide introgression between major stem lineages of darters, a species-rich clade of North American freshwater fishes. Darters offer a compelling case for the necessity of incorporating phylogenetic networks when reconstructing the evolutionary history of diversification in species-rich lineages.
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