Mark Kirkpatrick

How does evolution generate the fantastic diversity we see in nature? Students and postdoctoral researchers in the lab complement these theoretical approaches with experimental ones.

The lab works on a wide range of problems. A major focus is chromosome evolution. Despite advances in genomic science, there is still little understanding of basic questions such as why species have different numbers of chromosomes, how and why chromosome rearrangements evolve, and why some taxa repeatedly evolve new sex chromosomes. Results from the lab suggest that adaptation to local ecological conditions and sexually antagonistic selection are important drivers of chromosome evolution.

Other topics studied in the lab include:

Speciation. The lab studies how and why reproductive isolation evolves. In one recent study, researchers determined when selection against hybrids will, and will not, finish the process of speciation.
Sexual selection. The lab is interested in how female mating preferences evolve and how they affect male traits. One area of interest is intransitive mating preferences.
Species ranges. The lab investigates why species do not always expand their geographic ranges by adapting to more extreme conditions. Researchers are developing models that show how gene flow, genetic constraints and biological interactions can limit geographic ranges. The results may have useful applications in conservation biology.

Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the lab typically collaborate on one or more projects, but are also encouraged to pursue independent research on topics outside the lab's core areas. The lab strongly supports collaborations within the group and with researchers at other institutions in the United States and abroad.