I'm an evolutionary biologist, systematist, and herpetologist in the Section of Evolution and Ecology at the University of California at Davis. My current research activities cover three distinct areas of evolutionary biology. For many years, I have investigated the causes, consequences, and history of variation in metamorphosis in ambystomatid salamander, particularly on wild populations of the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) and its close relatives. Our curent research on this topic include such activites as creating a genetic map of the axololt, and investigating the genetic basis of paedomorphosis in several Mexican ambystomatid species. Second, I have worked on the ecology and genetics of declining amphibians in California. This work began as a focused study on the California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense), and broadened to include population genetics surveys of half a dozen species of western Rana, Bufo, and Hyla. Finally, I have an ongoing project on the deep phylogeny of turtles.
In terms of declining amphibian work, I feel that my primary expertise is in molecular conservation biology and its applications to amphibians. Thus, I view my role in the work on declining amphibians as primarily one of providing data on the genetic structure of natural populations that can be used by resource managers to help make informed decisions. Much of this work is nearing its final stages, and will hopefully be useful both in broadening our understanding of amphibian metapopulation dynamics in the western U.S. and in making management decisions concerning specific issues like reintroductions in the field.
Graduate students in my lab working on amphibian declines include Lara Hansen, Pete Trenham and Carlos Davidson.
I'm inordinately fond of Lou Reed, Chicago Blues, and hot food.
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