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Eric B. (Rick) Taylor
Professor (PhD, 1989)
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Tel: 604-822-9152, Fax: 604-822-2416
Email: etaylor@zoology.ubc.ca
Photo above: Arctic
grayling from the Burnt River
(lower Peace River drainage, BC).
Photo by Ernest Keeley.
More photos of native fishes of British Columbia
Research Interests and lab:
My research focuses on understanding patterns of genetic variation within and between natural populations, the processes that promote and organize such variation, and their relevance to the origins and conservation of biodiversity. In particular, I am interested in population structure and the historical and contemporary processes that influence population structure, speciation and hybridization (both ecological and genetic mechanisms of divergence and persistance in the face of gene flow), and the implications of these processes to biodiversity conservation. We develop and apply techniques in molecular biology to address questions in the evolution and ecology of natural fish populations. Molecular genetic (utilizing mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers, mtDNA and intron sequencing and RFLP analyses), morphological, and ecological, studies are conducted in the general fields of population genetics, molecular ecology and systematics, and conservation genetics and biodiversity. I am also part of the Native Fishes Research Group which focuses on ecological and genetic studies of native fish diversity and their relevance to conservation. I am curator of the UBC Fish Museum and Associate Director of the Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre at UBC. I also teach undergraduate courses in Zoogeography (Biol. 413) and Diversity and Evolution of Fishes (Biol. 465), and co-teach a graduate course in Conservation Genetics (Zool. 524).
Lake chub, Couesius plumbeus, from the Atlin warm springs in northwestern BC. These fish live in the outlet of a small warm spring that is ~20 degrees C year-round. Photo by C. Darveau
Some of the projects underway include:
1. Molecular genetic studies of adaptive radiations and hybridization in threespine sticklebacks. We are using mtDNA and microsatellites to examine the origin and interactions between of pairs of sympatric and parapatric sticklebacks (with J. Gow and A. Hendry).
2. The molecular ecology of hybrid zone dynamics in species of western char and trout. Combinations of nDNA and mtDNA markers have demonstrated hybridization and introgression between Dolly Varden and bull trout after secondary contact in BC. Hybridization also occurs between native westslope cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout in southeastern BC and southwestern Alberta. In both these situations, ecological and genetic studies investigate hypotheses concerning the formation and maintenance of the hybrid zones and how these data can assist in conservation efforts.
3. Molecular phylogeography and phylogenetics of fishes of northwestern North America.
4. Homogenization of BC and other Canadian freshwater fish faunas. Click HERE for summary.
5. Landscape/seascape and population structure of native fishes (bull trout, lake trout, broad whitefish, bay pipefish).
6. Thermal adaptation and phylogeography of lake chub (with C. Darveau and P. Schulte).
7. Conservation and recovery actions for freshwater fishes.
Click HERE to see a summary of current projects and lab members:
Bull trout from the Attichika River (upper Peace River (Thutade Lake) drainage, BC).
Photo by Ernest Keeley
Recent Publications: Click HERE to see some of our recent work.
Photo above: Westslope cutthroat trout from the Wigwam River (upper Kootenay River drainage), BC.
Research Collaborators:
Dr. Andrew Hendry, McGill University (andrew.hendry@mcgill.ca): Gene flow-selection balance in parapatric "lake-stream" sticklebacks.
Dr. Ernest Keeley, Idaho State University (keelerne@isu.edu): Patterns and origins of ecotypic variation in rainbow trout.
Dr. Jan Heggenes, Telemark University College, Norway (jan.heggenes@hit.no). Conservation genetics of steelhead trout and European grayling.
Dr, Tom Quinn, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle (tquinn@u.washington.edu). Evolutionary ecology and genetics of Alaskan freshwater fishes
Dr. Jonathan Witt (jwitt@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca). Phylogeography and population structure in pygmy whitefish (Prosopium coulterii).
Dr. Jordan Rosenfeld (jordan.rosenfeld@gov.bc.ca): Conservation of BC stickleback species pairs.
Research Associates and Postdoctoral Fellows:
Dr. Jennifer Gow (PhD, Aberdeen, gow@zoology.ubc.ca). Genetic studies of historical and contemporary hybridization in sticklebacks (Gasterosteus); genetic approaches to conservation in western Canadian fishes.
Current Graduate students:
Jonathan Mee (mee@zoology.ubc.ca): evolutionary ecology and genetics of Phoxinus dace in North America
Jean-Sebastien Moore (jsmoore@zoology.ubc.ca): adaptation and climate change in northern fishes
Damon Nowosad (nowosad@zoology.ubc.ca): Phylogeography and conservation status of brassy minnow (Hybognathus hankinsoni) in British Columbia
Chad Ormond (ormond@zoology.ubc.ca): Evolution and persistence of stickleback (Gasterosteus) species pairs in relation to biotic and abiotic lake characteristics
Matt Siegle (siegle.m@gmail.com): Genetic assessment of rockfish conservation areas (RCAs)
Gerrit Velema (velema@zoology.ubc.ca): Crayfish (Pasifasticus) - stickleback (Gasterosteus) interactions and hybridization of stickleback species pairs.
Patricia Woodruff (woodruff@zoology.ubc.ca): Conservation genetics of the Cultus Lake pygmy sculpin (Cottus sp.).
Undergraduates:
Carling Gerlinsky (cgerlinsky@gmail.com): Using otoliths to assess growth differences between stickleback species pairs and their hybrids
Recent (last year) graduates:
Les Harris, MSc (Sept. 2008; lnharris@zoology.ubc.ca): Dispersal and genetic differentiation in broad whitefish from the Mackenzie River system.
Sara Northrup, MSc (Feb. 2008; snorthru@zoology.ubc.ca): Population structure of lake trout in Atlin Lake (BC's largest natural lake).
Katriina Ilves, PhD (Dec. 2007): Systematics and biogeography of Holarctic osmerid fishes. Now at City Univ. of New York as PDF, Hickerson Lab.
Recent Visiting students:
Lasse Jensen (Arhus, Denmark): MHC variation in Danish brown trout
Astrid Lilliestrale (Uppsala, Sweden). Genetics of sympatric char populations in Alaska
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Photo above: Dolly Varden char from Attycelley
Creek
(Thutade Lake drainage).
Photo by Ernest Keeley.
Some of our research sponsers (THANKS!) are:
Last updated June 2009
