dudashlabpage

Welcome to the Population Biology Lab of Michele Dudash at University of Maryland

I am a population biologist by training, thus my lab focuses on both the ecological and genetic factors responsible for a population’s persistence or demise. In this context I am involved with ongoing work on plant mating system evolution, plant-pollinator interactions including both pollinators and herbivores, demography of populations, and the role inbreeding and phenotypic plasticity play in the evolution of plant populations. Students in my lab are interested in the dynamic interplay between native and invasive species, megabat foraging behavior in the Old World Tropics, and the role of long distance migration and natal disperal of migratory bird species. Research conducted in my lab also directly relates to the need for baseline data that may be utilized to help form successful conservation and restoration management plans for threatened taxa. The research conducted in my lab is field oriented with complimentary greenhouse and laboratory studies.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at: mdudash(at)umd.edu

Lab News

Fall 2011:

Michele Dudash and Nat Holland ( U. of Houston) were awarded a NSF sponsored National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) Catalysis meeting grant on "Transitions between Mutualism and Parasitism: Integrating Theory and Empiricism"

Pete Marra (Smithsonian Institution) and I are looking for a Ph.D. student to conduct research on the dispersal biology, seasonal interactions and source-sink dynamics of the Wood Thrush. Click here for more information

Spring 2011:

- PhD candidate Abby Kula received a Wylie Dissertation Fellowship for Fall 2011 to finish writing up her dissertation
- PhD candidate Clark Rushing received grants from Cosmos Club & the Baltimore Bird Club’s, Dorothy Blake Martin Fund to support his dissertation research
- PhD student Juannan Zhou received a grant from Mtn Lake Biological Station for this summer to support his dissertation research
- PhD student Alyssa Stewart is off to Thailand this summer to begin her dissertation research
- Alumnus Richard Reynolds, received a NIH Career Grant to study Novel genetic and environmental risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis in African Americans

Michele R. Dudash Education:
B.S. Millersville University, Millersville PA
Ph.D. University of Illiniois at Chicago, IL
Post-Doc University of Toronto.

Academic Distinctions:
Full Professor, Botanisk Institutt, Norwegian Univeristy of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim N-7491, Norway. 2000-2001.
Associate Editor Evolution1999-2001
Associate Editor Conservation Genetics 2002 - present
Associate Editor Internation Journal of Plant Sciences 2012-
Treasurer American Society of Naturalists 2002-2005
Executive Council Member American Society of Naturalists 2006-2008
Director of the interdisciplinary graduate program in Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics (BEES) at University of Maryland 2006-2009

Undergraduate Courses:
Population Ecology: Fundamental concepts in plant and animal systems (BSCI 462) Spring 2012
I-series Course: BSCI 215 Environmental Science: Global sustainability, a biologist’s perspective. Fall 2012
Honors Seminar: The History of Evolutionary Thought (HONR289c)
Introductory Evolution and Ecology (BSCI 106)

Information on Undergraduate Research Opportunities - please click here for information on paid and unpaid summer internships updated by Dr. Dudash on 1 February 2012.

Graduate Courses:
Population Ecology (BIOL 708R): Fundamental concepts in plant and animal systems
Seminars in Plant Conservation and Restoration
Plant Population Biology

Graduate Program for potenial students to apply through:

Single copies of the PDF files may be downloaded and printed for personal research and study.

In the past we have addressed the role of inbreeding depression and its genetic basis in the evolution of plant mating systems in the model system, Mimulus. We have shown that inbreeding depression for both the selfing, Mimulus micranthus, and mixed-mating taxa, Mimulus guttatu, is dominance based. Additionally maternal families vary in their response to serial inbreeding, thus purging of the genetic load is possible following environmental conditions that promote self-matings or biparental inbreeding.

Relevant articles:

Dudash, M.R., C. Hassler, P. Stevens, and C.B. Fenster. 2011. Experimental floral and inflorescence trait manipulations affect pollinator preference and function in a hummingbird pollinated plant. American Journal of Botany 98: 275-282.

Burd, M., T-L Ashman, T.L., D.R. Campbell, M. R. Dudash, M. O. Johnston, T.M. Knight, S. J. Mazer, R. J. Mitchell, J. A. Steets, and J. C. Vamosi. 2009. Ovule number per flower in a world of unpredictable pollination. American Journal of Botany 96: 1159-1167.

Dudash, M. R. and C. J. Murren. 2008. The influence of breeding systems and mating systems on conservation genetics and conservation decisions. In Conservation Biology: Evolution in Action edited by S. C. Carroll and C. W. Fox., pp. 68-80, Oxford University Press, UK.

Knight, T. Tiffany M. Knight, J. A. Steets, J. C. Vamosi, S. J. Mazer, M. Burd, D. R. Campbell, M. R. Dudash, M. O. Johnston, R. J. Mitchell, and T-L. Ashman. 2005. Pollen Limitation of Plant Reproduction: Pattern and Process. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics36: 467- 497.

Ashman T-L, T. M. Knight, J. Steets, P. Amarasekare, M. Burd, D. R. Campbell, M. R. Dudash, M. O. Johnston, S. J. Mazer, R. J. Mitchell, M. T. Morgan, and W. G. Willson. 2004. Pollen limitation of plant reproduction: ecologial and evolutionary causes and consequences. Ecology 85: 2408-2421.

Carr, D.E., and M.R. Dudash. 2003. Recent approaches into the genetic basis of inbreeding depression in plants. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B. 358: 1071-1084.

Dudash, M. R. and D. E. Carr. 1998. Genetics underlying inbreeding depression in Mimulus with contrasting mating systems. Nature 393: 682-68.

Carr, D. E. and M. R. Dudash. 1997. The effects of five generations of enforced selfing on potential male and female function in Mimulus guttatu. Evolution 51: 1795-1805.

Carr, D. E., C. B. Fenster, and M. R. Dudash. 1997. The relationship between mating-system characters and inbreeding depression in Mimulus guttatus. Evolution 51: 363-372.

Dudash, M. R., D. E. Carr, and C. B. Fenster. 1997. Five generations of enforced selfing and outcrossing in Mimulus guttatus: inbreeding depression variation at the population and family level.Evolution 51: 54-65.

Carr, D. E. and M. R. Dudash. 1996. Inbreeding depression in two species of Mimulus (Scrophulariaceae) with contrasting mating systems. American Journal of Botany 83: 586-593.

Carr, D. E. and M. R. Dudash. 1995. Inbreeding depression under a competitive regime in Mimulus guttatus: consequences for potential male and female function. Heredity 75: 437-445.

Interaction between inbreeding and phenotypic plasticity: Mimulus guttatus as a model system for studying establishment and persistence in native and novel environments

In the model system, Mimulus guttatus, we have examined how eight source populations that vary in both population size and ecological attributes from the native range within California vary in their expression of inbreeding depression and phenotypic plasticity on population founding and establishment success in both native and novel habitats. Secondly, we are quantifying how 3 generations of enforced selfing influences individual fitness and the expression of phenotypic plasticity in the greenhouse, native field environment and non-native habitat.

Emerging results from our data analyses to date include striking variation among all eight source population in their commitment to sexual reproduction in the native range and a switch in life history strategy towards a preference for vegetative/asexual reproduction in the non-native environments. Overall performance in native and non-native habitats is trait dependent and not necessarily predictable or associated with ancestral environmental and genetic variability or population size. In our empirical investigation of inbreeding and phenotypic plasticity we are observing genetic variation among morphological, life history and fitness traits for the expression of phenotypic plasticity. We are also detecting a large environmental role on the expression of inbreeding depression as well as phenotypic plasticity. To our knowledge, this is the first series of experiments simultaneously examining both genetic and ecological factors that influence phenotypic plasticity and ultimately colonizing ability in both native and novel habitats.

In M. guttatus we have detected clear evidence that serpentine soil conditions and water availability act together and had strong phenotypic effects, alone and in combination on many floral and plant traits. The traits may evolve independently from Ca/Mg ratios and water availability. Genetic variation for plasticity was detected at both the field-habitat type and family levels for half of the traits studied. Phenotypic plasticity and genetic variation for plasticity are more important than local adaptation in the success of these populations found across a variable landscape in northern California.

Murren, C. J., C. Chang, and M. R. Dudash. 2009. Patterns of selection of two North American native and non-native populations of Monkeyflower (Phyrmaceae). New Phytologist 183: 691-701.

Murren, C. J., L. Douglass, A. Gibson, and M. R. Dudash. 2006. Individual and combined effects of Ca/Mg ratio and water on trait expression in Mimulus guttatus. Ecology 87: 2591-2606.

Dudash. M. R., C. J. Murren, and D. E. Carr. 2005. Using Mimulus as a model system tounderstand the role of inbreeding in conservation and ecological approaches. Annals of the Missouri Botanic Garden. 92(1): 36-51.

Another focus of my research program is aimed at restoration and conservation biology. I seek to better understand the population dynamics of both native and non-native species in population establishment and range expansion. I am also interested in the role of inbreeding and the expression of inbreeding depression on the design of conservation and restoration strategies.

I have recently spent a sabbatical in Australia collaborating with Dr. Andrew Young at CSIRO Plant Industry in Canberra. Andrew has been studying the reproductive biology of Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides (Asteraceaea), an endangered genetically self-incompatbile, herbaceous, perennial that occurs in natural grassland fragments of southeastern Australia. There are about 30 populations remaining varying in size from less than 100 to a thousand individuals in southern Australia. Population size is important because this species is self-incompatible there are even fewer mating types in a small versus a large population owing to a lack of S allele diversity. We conducted pollinator observations on 2 small and 2 large populations of R. leptorrhynchoides in the Canberra area to determine who the visitors were and their visitation patterns, within versus among plants in the study populations. We also performed a genetic rescue experiment where we augmented 2 small and 2 large female target populations with pollen from 2 small and 2 large male donor populations. Our overall goal is to determine if we can augment pollen diversity through introducing novel S alleles into the population via hand-pollinations to increase seed set in the field of this endangered species.

Frankham, R., J.D. Balou, M.B.D. Eldridge, R.C. Lacy, M.R. Dudash and C.B. Fenster. 2011. Predicting the probability of outbreeding depression. Conservation Biology 25:465-475.

Dudash, M. R. and C. B. Fenster. 2000. Inbreeding and outbreeding depression in fragmented populations. In Genetics, Demography, and Viability of Fragmented Populations, edited by A. Young and G. Clarke, pp. 55-74, Cambridge University Press, UK .

Fenster, C. B. and M. R. Dudash. 1994. Genetic considerations for plant population conservation and restoration. In Restoration of Endangered Species: Conceptual Issues, Planning, and Implementation, pp. 34-62, edited by M. L. Bowles and C. Whelan, Cambridge University Press.

Another focus of my research program is trying to understand the selective forces responsible for the evolution of pollination syndromes. I am involved in an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Charles Fenster on a long-term field study to address the evolution of and degree of specialization between the animal visitors to three related species of Silene that differ in their floral design and reward system. Silene virginica has red tubular flowers that are primarily hummingbird pollinated. S. virginica’s two closest sister taxa are Silene stellata, which has white bowl flowers that are initially receptive at night and are first visited by noctuid moths and by bumble bees during the day. Silene caroliniana appears to be visited primarily during the day and clearwing hawkmoths and Bombus are some of the common visitors. We are examining the role of pollinators as selective agents utilizing three approaches. First, we are estimating pollinator importance in terms of both male and female function. Second, we are conducting cohort phenotypic selection studies across years for both S. virginica and S. caroliniana. Third, we are conducting a series of single and multi-trait floral phenotypic manipulations for each of the three Silene species. Thus we hope to provide a deeper understanding of the validity of the pollination syndrome concept as well as the selective processes responsible for the origin and maintenance of floral traits in the three divergent, yet closely related species of Silene. This work also addresses the importance of maintaining habitat to allow critical associations between plant species and their pollinators to help preserve species biodiversity.

Reynolds, R.J., A.R. Kula, C.B. Fenster and M.R. Dudash. 2012. Variable nursery pollinator importance and its effect on plant reproductive success. Oecologia 168: 439-448.

Reynolds, R. J., M. R. Dudash and C. B. Fenster. 2010. Multi-year study of multivariate linear and nonlinear phenotypic selection on floral traits of hummingbird-pollinated Silene virginica. Evolution 64:358-369.

R. J. Reynolds, M. J. Westbrook, A. S. Rohde, J. M. Cridland, C. B. Fenster, and M. R. Dudash. 2009. Pollinator specialization and Pollination Syndromes of three related North American Silene. Ecology 90: 2077-2087.

Fenster, C. B. W. S. Armbruster and M.R. Dudash. 2009. Specialization of flowers: Is floral orientation an overlooked first step? New Phytologist 183: 502-506.

Fenster, C. B., G. Cheely, M. R. Dudash and R. J. Reynolds. 2006. Nectar Reward and Advertisement in Hummingbird-Pollinated Silene virginica, (Caryophyllaceae). American Journal of Botany 93: 1800-1807.

Kephart, S. R. J. Reynolds, M. Rutter, C. B. Fenster, and M. R. Dudash. 2006. Pollination and seed predation by moths on Silene and allied Caryophyllaceae: Evaluating a model system to study the evolution of mutualisms. New Phytologist 169: 667-680.

Fenster, C. B., W. S. Armbruster, M. R. Dudash, J. Thomson and P. Wilson. 2004. Pollination syndromes and the evolution of floral diversity. Annual Reviews of Ecology and Systematics 35: 375-403.

Dudash. M. R. and C. B. Fenster, C. B. 2001. The role of breeding system and inbreeding depression in the maintenance of an outcrossing mating strategy in Silene virginica (Caryophyllaceae). American Journal of Botany 88: 1953-1959.

Fenster, C. B. and M. R. Dudash. 2001. Spatiotemporal variation in the role of hummingbirds as pollinators of Silene virginica. Ecology 82: 844-851.

Armbruster, W. S., C. B. Fenster, and M. R. Dudash. 2000. Pollination “principles” revisited: specialization, pollination syndromes, and the evolution of flowers. Det Norske Videnskapsakademia. I. Matematisk Naturvidenskapelige Klasse, Skrifter , Ny Serie 39: 139-148.

Washington Field Biologist's Grant 2009 ($2000) to support dissertation research at Blandy Experimental Farm

“Quantifying context dependent outcomes of the interaction between Silene stellata (caryophyllaceae) and its pollinating seed predator, Hadena ectypa (noctuidae)"

Clark Rushing - PhD candidate co-advised with Pete Marra (Smithsonian Institution)

"Old World bat foraging specialization: ecological and evolutionary implications over space and time"

Juannan Zhou - PhD student co-advised with Charlie Fenster

"Role of a pollinating seed predator on fine scale selection on flowering phenology within a local population"

I normally have between 5-10 undergraduates assisting me in my research at UM each semester. These students come to me via the campus wide Federal Work Study Program and through the Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program at UM.

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"The role of pollinators as selective agents in the evolution of pollination syndromes among three eastern North American sister taxa of Silene"

Richard moved from his NIH postdoc in Statistical Genetics at University of Birmingham and is now a faculty member in the Medical School.

richard

Scott Ruhren (MS 1994) Currently Senior Director of Conservation, Audubon Society of Rhode Island

Roseline Boateng - UMD, FWS and NSF REU. Roseline is off to Pharmacy School at Howard University in Fall 2010!

Cynthia Chang – Honor’s thesis student UM. Currently at Yale for a Ph.D.

Eddie Bynes – independent research project for course credit at UM . Ph.D. from Duke 2010!

Former Undergraduate Research Assistants at UM and Mtn. Lake Biological Station :

William Straw in the Independent Studies Program. UM, 1990.

Roelof Irausquin, volunteer, UM, 1992-1993.

Yunny Na, volunteer, UM, 1992.

Jim Pippin, volunteer, UM, 1992.

Kathryn Oplinger, Undergraduate research assistant program (URAP), UM, 1993- 1996.

Alexis Rodhe, BOTN 211 volunteer, UM, 1993.

Jessica Wilson, volunteer in URAP Program UM, 1994-1995.

Tony Marketon, volunteer in URAP Program UM, 1994-1995.

Mary Jo Bogenschutz-Godwin, volunteer in URAP Program, UM, 1995.

Jake Hughes, volunteer in URAP Program, UM, 1995.

MaryAnne Gamao, College Park Scholar internship and URAP volunteer, 1995.

Niki Smith, College Park Scholar internship and URAP volunteer, 1995.

William Miller, volunteer in URAP program, 1995.

Esther Sleeth, College Work Study, 1995-1997.

Barbara Dominguez, volunteer in URAP program, 1995 - 1996; CWS 1996-1997.

Syed Ali , volunteer in URAP program, 1996.

Jayme Dawson, volunteer in URAP program, 1996.

Sin Kie Yeung, College Park Scholar internship and URAP volunteer, 1996.

Research Assistants 2002-2003: Lauren Bausel, Lee Meifang, Rebecca Russell.

Research Assistants 2003-2004: Uchechukwu Amadi, Tara Bevard, Edmond Byrnes, Jenn Fien, Paul Goodman, Peter Machado, Saira Nisar , Jose L. Ortiz, Kevin Phongagsorn , Ellei Sephari, Casey Rice, Emily Uphoff, Yeo Jin Yoon, Jen Zerfass, Erika Wallace.

Edmond Byrnes, BIOL 399 Fall 2004: Independent 2 credit hour research project. Currently a Ph.D. student at Duke Univ. Fall 2006.

Research Assistants 2004-2005: Emily Uphoff, Fang Xu, Juli Hause, Christian Brown, Veder Garcia, Debra Friedman, Susan Jackson, May Nguy, Naveeda Mahmood.

Cynthia Chang, ENSP Honor’s thesis student with a Howard Hughes Fellowship, Summer 2003–Spring 2005. In Ph.D. program at Yale University.

Julie Cridland URAP, Fall 2005-Spring 2005. Currently a Ph.D. student at Univ. of Calif., Irvine, Fall 2006.

Naveeda Mahmood, 2005 URAP and Independent undergraduate research project 3 credits, Fall 2005.

Allison Hagerman Fall 2005, Undergraduate Research Assistant.

Research Assistants Spring 2006: Azharul Haque and Joshua Pearl.

Research Assistants Fall 2006 and Spring 2007: Joshua Pearl, Roseline Boateng

William Storms Dwyer 2006-2007. Senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School Research Practicum at Mountain Lake Biological Station and UM.

Cynthia Hassler, 1991,1992, research assistant, 1993,1994, NSF REU at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster.

Mara Sanchez, volunteer 1991-1992, REU student from NSF grant, UM, 1993-1995 and NSF REU, Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster.

Bridget Byers, REU student from NSF grant, UM, 1994-1995.

Mary Meredith, NSF REU student from NSF grant, UM, 1995-1996.

Sadie Jernigan, Summer 1996, NSF REU student at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster.

George Cheely, Amherst College, Summer 2002, NSF REU student at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster.Attending Medical School at Univ. of Pennsylvania.

Peter Stevens, Summer 2002, Lawrence University, NSF REU at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster. In graduate school at Cornell Univ.

Jeremy Ash 2002, McGill University, NSF REU at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster. In Ph.D. program at Univ. of Miami at Ohio.

Marjorie Westbrook 2002, University of Virginia, NSF REU student at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster. In Ph.D. program at U. of Calif. Berkeley.

Christopher Williams 2005, Frostburg State and University of Virginia, McNair Scholar and NSF REU student at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster. In Ph.D. program at Georgetown University Fall 2006.

Alexandra Rhode 2005, University of Virginia, NSF REU student at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster.

Ana Chuquin 2007, University of Maryland NSF-REU, co-mentored with C. Fenster.

Roseline Boateng 2007, University of Maryland NSF-REU, co-mentored with C. Fenster.

Dean Castillo, 2008, Cornell University and NSF-REU at Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia, co-mentored with C. Fenster.

M. Dudash Lab Contact Info: Michele

Department of Biology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-1642
Fax: 301-314-9358
mdudash(at)umd.edu