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Kirk E. AndersonDepartment of Entomology • Home Research InterestsSociobiology, behavioral ecology, developmental biology (genetic basis of caste determination), population and evolutionary genetics (hybridization, speciation - genetics of hybrid barriers, genetic basis of adaptive traits), bioinformatics. OverviewI use molecules to investigate evolution. I am generally interested in the interplay between evolution and the ecology of social systems. As study organisms I use the highly eusocial hymenoptera (higher ants and honeybees) and a variety of techniques, including field studies, computer simulations, bioinformatics, and molecular genetic and genomic analyses. Attempts to synthesize genetic variability with behavioral, physiological, and ecological data led my research in new directions. I have recently become interested in the regulation of protein expression at different stages of the life cycle and under different environmental conditions. With the completion of the honey-bee genome, I’ve become focused on developmental evolution, investigating the contribution of genetic and environmental variability on the expression of genes with a major influence on phenotypic plasticity (caste determination) in social Hymenoptera. Current Research: Development in social systems
In many organisms the same set of genes can respond differently to different environments. This ‘phenotypic plasticity’ is a cornerstone of social insect success, permitting the expression of different castes, and enhancing division of labor. Social insects produce morphologically distinct castes (i.e. queens, workers, soldiers) within colonies by altering patterns of gene expression within developing individuals. My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms and evolution of phenotypic plasticity in social insects. I am interested in identifying differences in gene expression, and major genes associated with phenotypic plasticity at different stages of individual development. Much like a human’s immune system, an ant colony is a complex adaptive system that must efficiently partition resources in response to external cues. In social groups that lack phenotypic plasticity, I investigate the way in which the system compensates for the lack of efficiency. This research involves a comparison of environmental caste determining mechanisms with unique systems in which caste is determined strictly by genotype (LINK) or associated with variable genetic influence. Current Research: Hybridization and social systemsThe evolution and maintenance of highly organized societies relies critically on the genetic structure of populations. I am interested in the biotic and abiotic factors that may affect the caste and relatedness structure in hybrid social systems. To address these questions I use a comparative analysis of parental and hybrid populations. |
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The Center for Insect Science 1007 E. Lowell Street, P.O. Box
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Historically, animal hybridization is considered a reproductive mistake that inadvertently protects the integrity of species genomes during incipient speciation. However Pogonomyrmex maricopa and P. occidentalis form a narrow and mosaic hybrid zone across the steep ecocline of the Virgin River Basin in Utah. Here, hybrid phenotypes are abundant and appear to dominate the intermediate environment. I am examining the fine scale mosaic structure of the hybrid zone, the effect of queen mating frequency on caste production and colony survival, and environmental and phylogenetic influence on the timing of alate development and nuptial flights. My studies suggest that prezygotic isolation mechanisms between these highly distinct species are synchronized by similar microclimates found in contact zones, increasing the likelihood of hybridization. Additionally I investigate the conditions under which hybridization in a haplodiploid, multiply-mated organism may be adaptive. The variation in both queen mating frequency and hybrid genotypes fundamentally alters the genetic relatedness among interacting individuals. These changes in kinship set the stage for conflict among group members and, potentially, for the disintegration of “altruistic” behaviors that characterize advanced societies.