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David Houle
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Contact
information:
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Department
of Biological Science
Florida
State University
Tallahassee,
FL 32306-1100
Office: 109 Conradi
Building
Telephone: (850) 645-0388 Fax:
(850) 644-9829
e-mail: dhoule@bio.fsu.edu
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I am an evolutionary geneticist, studying the process of adaptation
at the phenotypic level. My favorite questions include:
Is evolution predictable?
What is the relationship between variation and adaptation?
Why should animals care who their mates are?
In my lab, we use Drosophila melanogaster,
the fruit fly, as an experimental organism. Flies are wonderful for evolutionary
studies because they have interesting and complex adaptations and behaviors,
yet are easily and rapidly reared.
Our current experimental projects include studies
of
evolution of wing shape in the genus Drosophila, the evolution of the
ability to evolve, and adaptation under
natural and sexual selection. I also do theoretical work, which has recently
included work on good genes mechanisms in sexual selection, the evolution
of variance-covariance matrices, the detection of evolutionary constraints,
and the use of fluctuating asymmetry as an indicator of developmental stability.
Courses
In Fall 2006, I am teaching Advanced Evolutionary Biology, a graduate course in
the process of evolution. Click for the syllabus
or course calendar.
Note that the two texts for the course (Evolutionary Theory: Mathematical
and Conceptual Foundations, by Sean H. Rice (Sinauer Associates, Sunderland
MA http://www.sinauer.com/
), and Evolutionary Genetics: Concepts and Case Studies edited by C.W.
Fox and J. B. Wolf, Oxford University Press (http://www.oup.com/us/)
are available from online sources, but not from the local bookstores. If you
are taking this course, order them as early as you can.
Potential graduate students
I would be happy to have students in any areas of experimental or theoretical
evolutionary genetics which overlap my interests. Current projects in the
evolution of wing shape, the contrast between natural selection in the
laboratory and the field, and the effects of sexual selection offer many
opportunities for independent projects. The graduate group
in Ecology and Evolution
at Florida State is large, active and interactive. The faculty
in biology at Florida State complements my interests well, and offers the
opportunity for a thorough grounding in population and conservation biology.
Thomas Hansen and I organize a weekly discussion group for the department's
graduate students, faculty, and interested undergraduates. We will follow
the interests of our participants, but these will likely continue to include
evolutionary genetics. Please contact me to be put on the mailing list for
this.
From here, you can peruse:
A more detailed look at my research
A list of my publications, most with pdf
files.
A bit about the people in the lab
WINGMACHINE
software.
Invasion of North America by the Drosophilid fly
Zaprionus indianus in 2005 is a research opportunity in invasion
biology.
Seasonal Distribution of drosophilid flies in
Tallahassee by Jeff Birdsley, former technician in the lab.
Undergraduate research opportunities
An artist's impression of the lab
Advanced
Evolutionary Biology
Function valued
traits site. This site includes basic information on how to study a
phenotype which is itself a function, like the outline of a Drosophila
wing.
Dragonfly Glass. Cool stained and fused glass, featuring realistic insects.
Newspaper article featuring the lab. The Tallahassee Democrat put this
article on the front page, July 17, 2003.
Houle site index
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