Author
A. Townsend Peterson
Other affiliations: California Academy of Sciences, University of Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History ...read more
Bio: A. Townsend Peterson is an academic researcher from University of Kansas. The author has contributed to research in topics: Environmental niche modelling & Ecological niche. The author has an hindex of 91, co-authored 521 publications receiving 51524 citations. Previous affiliations of A. Townsend Peterson include California Academy of Sciences & University of Chicago.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: This paper evaluated the dimensions of this potential invasion by using ecological niche models based on point-occurrence data and developed models with significant predictions for the native distributions of both Spotted and Barred owls (tested via independent occurrence data) and for the invasive range of Barred Owls.
Abstract: The Spotted Owl ( Strix occidentalis ) is the focus of intense concern as a species threatened by the destruction and fragmentation of primary forest in the Pacific Northwest ( U.S.A. ). Aside from habitat concerns, an additional peril exists for the species: the larger and more aggressive Barred Owl ( S. varia ) is invading the Pacific Northwest and has the potential to overrun much of the range of the endangered species. We evaluated the dimensions of this potential invasion by using ecological niche models based on point-occurrence data. With these tools, we developed models with significant predictions for the native distributions of both Spotted and Barred owls ( tested via independent occurrence data ) and for the invasive range of Barred Owls. Overlap between the models for the two species suggests that most of the northern portion of the Spotted Owl's distribution ( south to about lat. 38°N ) is vulnerable to Barred Owl invasion. We present an example of the potential effects of species invasions on endangered species conservation.
147 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a simple parallelepiped approach to model individual endemic species' distributions and identified conservation priorities using a heuristic complementarity algorithm to maximize the inclusion of species in the overall system.
141 citations
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TL;DR: Specific anti-WNV antibodies were detected in 5 (15%) of 33 resident birds sampled at one location in November 2002, and one seropositive bird was <4 months old, indicating a recent infection.
Abstract: We report West Nile virus (WNV) activity in the Dominican Republic for the first time. Specific anti-WNV antibodies were detected in 5 (15%) of 33 resident birds sampled at one location in November 2002. One seropositive bird was <4 months old, indicating a recent infection.
140 citations
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TL;DR: A second molecular data set is presented – 500 bases of the ND2 gene – and analysed cladistically to arrive at a new hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships of Aphelocoma jays and it is shown to consist of drastic departures from rate-uniformity and ecological niche conservatism.
Abstract: The Aphelocoma jays have become an important touchstone in behavioural ecology and biogeography – the corpus of studies of this genus makes it an important point of reference. Aphelocoma evolutionary history, nevertheless, has been the subject of two papers reaching opposite conclusions, even though they were based on the same allozyme data set. Herein, we present a second molecular data set – 500 bases of the ND2 gene – and analyse it cladistically to arrive at a new hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships. Recent hypotheses by other investigators of a hybrid origin of Aphelocoma populations are strongly contradicted. The ecological context within which these evolutionary processes are taking place is characterized using new tools for modelling ecological niches of species along a spectrum from humid tropical to dry temperate habitats. Evolutionary patterns of ecological niches are shown to consist of drastic departures from rate-uniformity and ecological niche conservatism. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 80, 369–383.
139 citations
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TL;DR: The present potential distribution of C. quinquefasciatus showed high suitability across low-latitude parts of the world, reflecting the current distribution of the species, and model transfers to future conditions showed a potential distribution similar to that under present-day conditions, although with higher suitability in southern Australia.
Abstract: Rapid emergence of most vector-borne diseases (VBDs) may be associated with range expansion of vector populations. Culex quinquefasciatus Say 1823 is a potential vector of West Nile virus, Saint Louis encephalitis virus, and lymphatic filariasis. We estimated the potential distribution of Cx. quinquefasciatus under both current and future climate conditions. The present potential distribution of Cx. quinquefasciatus showed high suitability across low-latitude parts of the world, reflecting the current distribution of the species. Suitable conditions were identified also in narrow zones of North Africa and Western Europe. Model transfers to future conditions showed a potential distribution similar to that under present-day conditions, although with higher suitability in southern Australia. Highest stability with changing climate was between 30°S and 30°N. The areas present high agreement among diverse climate models as regards distributional potential in the future, but differed in anticipating potential for distribution in North and Central Africa, southern Asia, central USA, and southeastern Europe. Highest disparity in model predictions across representative concentration pathways (RCPs) was in Saudi Arabia and Europe. The model predictions allow anticipation of changing distributional potential of the species in coming decades.
138 citations
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TL;DR: Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols used xiii 1.
Abstract: Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201
14,171 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the use of the maximum entropy method (Maxent) for modeling species geographic distributions with presence-only data was introduced, which is a general-purpose machine learning method with a simple and precise mathematical formulation.
13,120 citations
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TL;DR: It is suggested that the natural selection against large insertion/deletion is so weak that a large amount of variation is maintained in a population.
11,521 citations
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TL;DR: The Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees (BEAST) software package version 1.7 is presented, which implements a family of Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms for Bayesian phylogenetic inference, divergence time dating, coalescent analysis, phylogeography and related molecular evolutionary analyses.
Abstract: Computational evolutionary biology, statistical phylogenetics and coalescent-based population genetics are becoming increasingly central to the analysis and understanding of molecular sequence data. We present the Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis by Sampling Trees (BEAST) software package version 1.7, which implements a family of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms for Bayesian phylogenetic inference, divergence time dating, coalescent analysis, phylogeography and related molecular evolutionary analyses. This package includes an enhanced graphical user interface program called Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis Utility (BEAUti) that enables access to advanced models for molecular sequence and phenotypic trait evolution that were previously available to developers only. The package also provides new tools for visualizing and summarizing multispecies coalescent and phylogeographic analyses. BEAUti and BEAST 1.7 are open source under the GNU lesser general public license and available at http://beast-mcmc.googlecode.com and http://beast.bio.ed.ac.uk
9,055 citations
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TL;DR: Range-restricted species, particularly polar and mountaintop species, show severe range contractions and have been the first groups in which entire species have gone extinct due to recent climate change.
Abstract: Ecological changes in the phenology and distribution of plants and animals are occurring in all well-studied marine, freshwater, and terrestrial groups These observed changes are heavily biased in the directions predicted from global warming and have been linked to local or regional climate change through correlations between climate and biological variation, field and laboratory experiments, and physiological research Range-restricted species, particularly polar and mountaintop species, show severe range contractions and have been the first groups in which entire species have gone extinct due to recent climate change Tropical coral reefs and amphibians have been most negatively affected Predator-prey and plant-insect interactions have been disrupted when interacting species have responded differently to warming Evolutionary adaptations to warmer conditions have occurred in the interiors of species’ ranges, and resource use and dispersal have evolved rapidly at expanding range margins Observed genetic shifts modulate local effects of climate change, but there is little evidence that they will mitigate negative effects at the species level
7,657 citations