Research

Broad questions in our lab

• What evolutionary forces maintain variation in complex traits within populations?
• What ecological conditions and genomic changes underlie adaptive evolution?
• What evolutionary factors and genomic changes lead to the origin of new species?

Study System

Much of our work focuses on the Mimulus guttatus species complex (yellow monkey flowers), a group of closely related species exhibiting the common evolutionary transition from outcrossing to self-pollination. Mimulus presents an excellent model system for studies of evolution because of its broad diversity of floral morphologies, incomplete reproductive barriers, and its amenability to experimental manipulation.

Current Projects

• The genetic basis of hybrid seed inviability in the Mimulus guttatus and Mimulus cardinalis group
• The evolution of genomic imprinting in Mimulus.
• The genetic architecture of adaptive traits in edaphic endemics (copper mines, serpentine soils)
• The maintenance of standing genetic variation
• Environmental genomics of adaptation to local water availability and other abiotic factors
• Evolutionary genetics of polyploidy in Mimulus
• Read about the results of these and other projects!

Be sure to explore the people page for more information on individual research projects!