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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 32306-4295
Office: 4063
King
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.
The major experimental project in the lab is to
use the wing of Drosophila as a model to understand the relationship between
genotype and phenotype. We are characterizing the relationship between
mutation, variation and divergence of wing shape in the genus Drosophila.
We continue to develop approaches to automated measurements of morphological
phenotypes. Our software for rapid accurate characterization of fly wings is on
the WINGMACHINE page.
During the 2008-2009 academic year I was in Norway
working the the Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis working with
Thomas Hansen and Guenter Wagner on measurement theory, the relationship between
reality and the numbers we use to represent that reality. Other projects
include the evolution of the ability to evolve, and adaptation under natural and
sexual selection.
Courses
In Fall 2009, I am teaching BIO2011, the second
semester of Introductory Biology.
In Fall 2010, I will teach Advanced Evolutionary Biology, a graduate course in
the process of evolution. Click for the syllabus
or course calendar.
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.
Discussion group
I help organize a weekly discussion group on
Evolutionary Genetics. We call it H group, because I used to share this
group with Thomas Hansen, and Kim Hughes now attends. It is open to 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.
My publications, most with pdf files.
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.
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.
Houle site index
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