Our research efforts in molecular biosystematics are aimed at inferring phylogenetic relationships and testing hypotheses about the macroevolution of feeding specialization in insects. A major component of these studies is uncovering patterns and processes of DNA sequence evolution and using these to improve interpretation of morphological and developmental evolutionary pathways.
Many explanations invoke feeding specialization as a critical determinant of diversification rate.
Phylogenetic relationships with Agromyzidae, and other specialized Diptera, are used to pinpoint the evolutionary origins of major feeding shifts in flies, examine the effects of such shifts on diversification rate, and uncover factors governing diet breadth, feeding adaptation, and resource use. This information plays a vital role in the development of effective control strategies for the management of agromyzid pests and helps illuminate evolutionary mechanisms associated with increases in diet breadth and insecticide resistance in flies. Amplification and sequencing of multiple genes across species is the principal means of data generation in our laboratory. Automated DNA sequencing has become standard for most competitive molecular systematics research programs worldwide. The increases in sample size and speed of data generation brought about by this technology would greatly improve our current projects and allow rapid discovery of new genes for biosystematic studies.