I study a number of topics in evolutionary biology, all focusing on patterns of biological diversification. The breadth of my research is testimony to the fact that no interesting biological questions are ever fully answered. Curiosity, retrospection, and a fair bit of wanderlust have over time transformed my program into a sprawling accumulation of projects. On the upside though, I am never bored and seldom sedentary! One program focuses on the systematics and biogeography of Neotropical mammals. Recent studies have been organized around the Andes, including Peru's Manu Biosphere Reserve, but earlier studies included Brazil's Atlantic Forest and Chile's Valdivian Forest. In the course of documenting some of the world's richest vertebrate faunas, we regularly discover and describe new taxa of marsupials, rodents and bats and incorporate them into regional and continental reconstructions of phylogeny and biogeographic history. Recent studies have implicated an unrecognized center of diversification in the central Andes. The program offers abundant training opportunities for American and Latin American students, both in the field and in the lab.
Lestoros inca, near La Esperanza, Cusco, Peru, representing an order of marsupials (Paucituberculata) A second, derivative program focuses on host-parasite evolution. Ectoparasites recovered from mammal and bird specimens are used to reconstruct the evolutionary radiations of parasite groups and assess their current distributions across hosts and geography. Factors governing their distribution, abundance, and host specificity are considered. Carl Dick helped me develop studies on the evolutionary ecology of bats and bat flies, and we are now collaborating with Katharina Dittmar of SUNY Buffalo on investigations of bat fly phylogenies. Currently, we have NSF funding to database Field Museum's bat fly collections and another grant to reconstruct and analyze bat fly phylogenies.  Lavia frons, a "false vampire" (Megadermatidae), from Tsavo Kenya (photo by B. Patterson 2006)
Another program focuses on the Tsavo lions, infamous as man-eaters a century ago but more remarkable because many of them are maneless. I am exploring the morphology, genetics, behavior, and ecology of lions in SE Kenya with Samuel Kasiki and Alex Mwazo (Kenya Wildlife Service), Roland Kays (NY State Museum), Jean Dubach (Loyola University) and other collaborators, with the help of volunteers from the Earthwatch Institute. We aim to understand this distinctive trait at genetic, hormonal, histological, anatomical, and behavioral levels. At the same time, we gather information to mitigate the impacts of lion depredations on livestock to ensure their continued survival and the preservation of their habitats. The project provides major support for patrolling and conserving Kenya's Taita-Rukinga Conservancy, a 175,000 acre wilderness.   Nested subsets, a hierarchical pattern of species distributions that is especially common on habitat fragments As detailed in Students, interactions with undergraduate and graduate students enrich, extend, and complement these studies. All four research arenas offer opportunities for student research projects and post-graduate collaborations alike. Dr. B.D. Patterson  fieldmuseum.org
Tel: 312.665.7750
Fax: 312.665.7754 |
Home |
