Mark D. Rausher, John Carlisle Kilgo Distinguished Professor  

Mark D. Rausher

We investigate the evolutionary processes that cause change at both the phenotypic and genetic levels. We have particular interests in the genetic basis of adaptation and in the evolution of metabolic pathways. Our approaches include molecular dissection of ecologically important phenotypes and characterizing patterns of selection acting on those phenotypes under natural conditions. For more information, please visit the Rausher lab web site.

Education:
Ph.D., Cornell University, 1978
B.A., The University of Chicago, 1973

Office Location: Room 3326 French Family Science Center, Durham, NC 27708
Email Address: mrausher@duke.edu
Web Page: http://www.duke.edu/~mrausher/

Specialties:
Evolution
Genetics
Ecology and Population Biology

Research Categories: Evolutionary Genetics and Molecular Evolution

Research Description: We investigate the evolutionary processes that cause change at both the phenotypic and genetic levels. We have particular interests in the genetic basis of adaptation and in the evolution of metabolic pathways. Our approaches include molecular dissection of ecologically important phenotypes and characterizing patterns of selection acting on those phenotypes under natural conditions. For more information, please visit the Rausher lab web site.

Areas of Interest:
molecular evolution
genetics of adaptation
evolution of pathways and networks
quantifying natural selection
evolution of plant mating systems
evolution of plant-enemy interactions

Representative Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

  1. Smith, RA; Rausher, MD, Experimental evidence that selection favors character displacement in the ivyleaf morning glory., The American naturalist, vol. 171 no. 1 (January, 2008), pp. 1-9 [18171146], [doi]  [abs].
  2. Vallejo-Marín, M; Rausher, MD, Selection through female fitness helps to explain the maintenance of male flowers., The American naturalist, vol. 169 no. 5 (May, 2007), pp. 563-568 [17427128], [doi]  [abs].
  3. Vallejo-Marín, M; Rausher, MD, The role of male flowers in andromonoecious species: energetic costs and siring success in Solanum carolinense L., Evolution; international journal of organic evolution, vol. 61 no. 2 (February, 2007), pp. 404-412 [17348949], [doi]  [abs].
  4. Kniskern, JM; Rausher, MD, Natural selection on a polymorphic disease-resistance locus in Ipomoea purpurea., Evolution; international journal of organic evolution, vol. 61 no. 2 (February, 2007), pp. 377-387 [17348947], [doi]  [abs].
  5. Smith, RA; Rausher, MD, Close clustering of anthers and stigma in Ipomoea hederacea enhances prezygotic isolation from Ipomoea purpurea., The New phytologist, vol. 173 no. 3 (January, 2007), pp. 641-647 [17244059], [doi]  [abs].
  6. Rausher, MD, Comment on "Evolutionary paths underlying flower color variation in Antirrhinum", Science, vol. 315 no. 461a (2007), pp. 461 [doi]  [abs].
  7. Kniskern, JM; Rausher, MD, Environmental variation mediates the deleterious effects of Coleosporium ipomoeae on Ipomoea purpurea., Ecology, vol. 87 no. 3 (March, 2006), pp. 675-685 [16602297], [doi]  [abs].
  8. Rausher, MD, The evolution of flavonoids and their genes, in The Science of Flavonoids, edited by E. Grotewold (January, 2006), pp. 175-211, Springer New York [doi]  [abs].
  9. Kniskern, JM; Rausher, MD, Major-gene resistance to the rust pathogen Coleosporium ipomoeae is common in natural populations of Ipomoea purpurea., The New phytologist, vol. 171 no. 1 (January, 2006), pp. 137-144 [16771989], [doi]  [abs].
  10. Chang, S-M; Lu, Y; Rausher, MD, Neutral evolution of the nonbinding region of the anthocyanin regulatory gene Ipmyb1 in Ipomoea., Genetics, vol. 170 no. 4 (August, 2005), pp. 1967-1978 [15944366], [doi]  [abs].
  11. Zufall, RA; Rausher, MD, Genetic changes associated with floral adaptation restrict future evolutionary potential., Nature, vol. 428 no. 6985 (April, 2004), pp. 847-850 [15103375], [doi]  [abs].
  12. Mendelson, TC; Inouye, BD; Rausher, MD, Quantifying patterns in the evolution of reproductive isolation, Evolution, vol. 58 no. 7 (2004), pp. 1685-1695 [pdf], [doi]  [abs].
  13. Fehr, C; Rausher, MD, Effects of variation at the flower-colour A locus on mating system parameters in Ipomoea purpurea., Molecular ecology, vol. 13 no. 7 (July, 2004), pp. 1839-1847 [15189207], [doi]  [abs].
  14. Lu, Y; Rausher, MD, Evolutionary rate variation in anthocyanin pathway genes., Molecular biology and evolution, vol. 20 no. 11 (November, 2003), pp. 1844-1853 [12885963], [doi]  [abs].
  15. Coberly, LC; Rausher, MD, Analysis of a chalcone synthase mutant in Ipomoea purpurea reveals a novel function for flavonoids: amelioration of heat stress., Molecular ecology, vol. 12 no. 5 (May, 2003), pp. 1113-1124 [12694276], [doi]  [abs].
  16. Stinchcombe, JR; Rausher, MD, The evolution of tolerance to deer herbivory: modifications caused by the abundance of insect herbivores., Proceedings. Biological sciences, vol. 269 no. 1497 (June, 2002), pp. 1241-1246 [12065040], [doi]  [abs].
  17. Stinchcombe, JR; Rutter, MT; Burdick, DS; Tiffin, P; Rausher, MD; Mauricio, R, Testing for environmentally induced bias in phenotypic estimates of natural selection: theory and practice., The American naturalist, vol. 160 no. 4 (October, 2002), pp. 511-523 [18707526], [doi]  [abs].
  18. Rausher, MD, Co-evolution and plant resistance to natural enemies., Nature, vol. 411 no. 6839 (June, 2001), pp. 857-864 [11459070], [doi]  [abs].
  19. Subramaniam, B; Rausher, MD, Balancing selection on a floral polymorphism., Evolution; international journal of organic evolution, vol. 54 no. 2 (April, 2000), pp. 691-695 [10937244], [doi]  [abs].
  20. Tiffin, P; Miller, RE; Rausher, MD, Control of expression patterns of anthocyanin structural genes by two loci in the common morning glory, Genes and Genetic Systems, vol. 73 no. 2 (January, 1998), pp. 105-110, Genetics Society of Japan [pdf], [doi]  [abs].