People

Anne D. Yoder

Professor of Biology and Duke Population Research Institute and Director, Duke Lemur Center

Office Phone: (919) 660-7275
Office Fax: 919-660-7293
Location:   BioSci: 315
Website: http://www.biology.duke.edu/yoderlab/
Mailing Address: 139 Biological Sciences Building Box 90338
CV: Curriculum Vitae

Research Summary

My work integrates field inventory activities with molecular phylogenetic techniques and geospatial analysis to investigate Madagascar, an area of the world that is biologically complex, poorly understood, and urgently threatened. Madagascar has been designated as one of the most critical geographic priorities for conservation action, retaining less than 10% of the natural habitats that existed before human colonization. It is critical that information be obtained as quickly as possible to document the biota that occurs in the remaining and highly threatened forested areas of western Madagascar, to gain an understanding of the evolutionary processes and associated distributional patterns that have shaped this diversity, and to use this information to help set conservation priorities. Phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of Malagasy vertebrates, each with unique life-history and dispersal characteristics, are conducted to identify areas of high endemism potentially associated with underlying geological features, and also to test for the role that geographic features have played in generating patterns of vertebrate diversity and distribution. My lab also has a significant focus on capacity-building through the education and training of both American and Malagasy students. Research opportunities for American graduate students are enhanced by the formation of Malagasy/American partnerships.

Publications (More Publications)

1. Perry, G.H., Melsted, P., Marioni, J.C., Wang, Y., Bainer, R., Pickrell, J.K., Michelini, K., Zehr, S., Yoder, A.D., Stephens, M., Pritchard, J.K., and Y. Gilad. (2012) Comparative RNA sequencing reveals substantial genetic variation in endangered primates Genome Research
2. Weisrock, D.W., Smith, S.M., *Chan, L.M., Biebouw, K., Kappeler, P.M. and A.D. Yoder (2012) Concatenation and concordance in the reconstruction of mouse lemur phylogeny: an empirical demonstration of the effect of allele sampling in phylogenetics Molecular Biology and Evolution
3. Chan, L.M., **Choi, D., Raselimanana, A., Rakotonadravony, H. and A.D. Yoder (2012) Defining spatial and temporal patterns of phylogeographic structure in Madagascar’s Oplurus lizards Molecular Ecology
4. Nowak, M.D., Davis, A.P. and A.D. Yoder (2012) Sequence data from new plastid and nuclear COSII regions resolves early diverging lineages in Coffea (Rubiaceae) Systematic Botany
5. Klopfer, P., Krystal. A., Williams, C. and A.D. Yoder (Accepted, 2012) Neuroethology: do hibernating primates sleep? Nova Acta Leopoldina