Welcome to the LODGE

Why are there so many species of fishes, and why do they live where they do?
How do evolutionary relationships among organisms help us understand the function of the human genome?
Are changes in levels of genetic variation related to the world-wide decline of amphibian populations?
How does speciation occur?
Do levels of genetic variability reflect levels of environmental variability in different organisms?

These are some of the questions being investigated in the LODGE.

In its most basic form, evolution is change in the frequency and structure of genes. Different evolutionary processes often leave characteristic patterns in the DNA sequences of populations, species, and higher taxa. The primary focus of research in the lab is to use these patterns of genetic/genomic variation to understand the processes that have given rise to organismal diversity. We use variation in DNA sequences to understand the history and relationships among groups of organisms. These phylogenetic patterns provide a road map for understanding organismal adaptations and the evolution of genomes. In a complementary sense, we are interested in how methods of phylogenetic analysis can be improved with a better understanding of how genomes evolve. Other topics of interest include: factors that lead to population divergence and speciation; patterns of genetic variation in populations of small size (e.g., endangered species); the relationship between levels of genomic variability and gene expression patterns with tolerance to global change and the degree of species invasiveness; and how reproductive behavior is reflected in patterns of genetic relatedness among individuals.

--Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Th. Dobzhansky.

The LODGE is housed in the Oklahoma Biological Survey, on the University of Oklahoma campus. We also have active collaborations or research associations with members of the Department of Zoology, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, the University of Oklahoma Biological Station on Lake Texoma, and the Advanced Center for Genome Technology.

Mailing address:
Oklahoma Biological Survey
University of Oklahoma
111 E Chesapeake St
Norman OK 73019

Phone: 405-325-5357
Fax: 405-325-7702

Supported by the National Science Foundation