Research Associate
Bell Museum of Natural History
University of Minnesota
1987 Upper Buford Circle
St. Paul, MN 55108
ph 612.624.2737 / fax 612.624.6777
barke042(AT)umn.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
I study patterns and correlates of phenotypic and taxic diversification in
passerine birds (Aves: Passeriformes) using comparative methods. The
Passeriformes, also known as “perching birds,” are the single
largest order of birds, comprising over 50% of all avian species diversity.
Based on net diversification rate, one subset of passerines—the oscines
or “songbirds”—has been identified as the largest radiation of
birds. In addition to species richness, this group exhibits a wide array of
trophic specializations (e.g., insectivory, carnivory, nectarivory, granivory,
folivory), social behaviors (e.g., coloniality, pair territoriality, group
territoriality, cooperative breeding), and mating systems (e.g.,
social—sometimes even genetic—monogamy, polygyny, promiscuity,
lekking), making passerine species the subject of voluminous, intensive,
long-term research. One of the primary tools necessary for understanding the
variation of this group, and placing ecological, behavioral, and morphological
research into a historical framework, is a robust phylogeny. My research
program has
focused on improving our understanding of passerine (especially oscine)
phylogeny at all hierarchical levels, from basal relationships within the
group, to species-level phylogenies of individual families and genera. In
addition to generating new data and phylogenetic hypotheses, I have worked
on using them to answer basic questions in passerine evolution. First, I
have used phylogenetic approaches to address the spatial and temporal history
of passerine diversification, using a variety of methods from molecular clocks
to quantitative biogeographic analyses. Second, I have used historical
comparative methods to examine the effectiveness of environmental variables
in describing the rates and patterns of evolution in avian behavior
(e.g., cooperative breeding in
wrens).
In addition to these taxon-specific questions, I am interested in theoretical issues raised in phylogenetic analysis, including determining molecular mechanisms of among-lineage substitution process heterogeneity, and testing for and explicitly incorporating heterogeneity among data sets (especially gene sequences) in phylogenetic inference.
TEACHING AND ADVISING
I am currently directing a recurring seminar on systematics (EEB8990), and
participate in teaching the Principles of Systematics course (EEB5371). I have
affiliate status on the graduate faculty of the Department of Ecology,
Evolution, and Behavior, and can advise students at the M.S. level,
co-advise students at the Ph.D. level, and serve on student examination
committees in the Department.