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Anthony Metcalf

Anthony Metcalf

Professor,

Contact

Professor
Biology
Office Phone(909) 537-7501
Office LocationCS-116

Education

B.A. Simon Frasier University, British Columbia
B.S. University of California, Riverside
Ph. D. University of California, Riverside

Courses/Teaching

BIOL 400 - Molecular BiologyBIOL 450 - EcologyBIOL 514 - Conservation BiologyBIOL 525 - Vertebrate Field Biology

Research and Teaching Interests

The broad focus of my research is molecular evolution and molecular ecology. I am interested both in the evolution of genes and the evolutionary history and ecology of the organisms that possess them. My current research is the distribution of mitochondrial DNA sequence variation within and among closely related taxa. One such group is the kangaroo rats (Dipodomys). For this research, I estimate the pattern and rates of nucleotide substitutions in the D-loop of the mitochondrial genome, and the geographic partitioning of this variation. I am also interested in regional geographic patterns of genetic variation across taxa. Interior coastal southern California has a high degree of endemism, generated, in part, by Pleistocene geologic activity. I am interested in how a suite of interrelated changes in landscape has effected the distribution of regional fauna, and how such changes are reflected in the patterns of genetic variation. A third area of interest is that of conservation genetics. The restricted distribution of regional fauna has caused several species to be listed as threatened or endangered. Information on the patterns of genetic variation in such species can be directly applied to conservation strategies.