Leigha Lynch, Ph.D.

I seek to understand the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the evolution of morphological variation in carnivorans. To do this, I use a combination of methods including 3D imaging and geometric morphometrics, genetic sequencing, phylogenetics, and phylogenetic comparative methods. Using the data acquired through these methods I can then test hypotheses regarding: 1) how environment acts as a selective pressure on morphological traits; 2) when in history species molecularly and morphologically diverged; 3) did major climatic events drive the evolution of a species; and 4) does morphology vary within a species in correlation with diet and behavior?

My research predominantly focuses on the intraspecific variation of mustelid taxa, including North American pine martens, river otters, and black-footed ferrets. Mustelids are an ideal group for my research because they are geographically wide-spread, exhibit a diverse array of behaviors, and are well documented both in extant populations and the fossil record. Throughout my research, I have worked with a combination of tissue types (limb and cranial skeleton, muscle, blood vessel, DNA) from mustelids anywhere from 23,000 years old to animals caught in 2010. Working with animals from such a wide time range allows me to better calibrate my evolutionary models and understand the full evolutionary history of a species, not just that which can be gleaned from extant populations.
Genetics
Anatomy
Paleontology