CURRICULUM VITAE
JANE E. CARLSON
75 North Eagleville Road, U-3043
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269
(860) 486-5731
E-MAIL: jane.carlson@uconn.edu
EDUCATION
2002-2007: Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Systematics, Ecology and Evolution, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
1998-2002: B.S. Department of Natural Resources, Magna Cum Laude with Distinction in Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
RESEARCH
INTERESTS
Ecological interactions that fuel plant evolutionary processes, i.e.,
selection on traits and among-population diversification. How pollinators,
herbivores, and environmental conditions contribute to the evolution and
maintenance of plant physiological and morphological traits in wild
populations.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2011- present: Postdoctoral research, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Topics: Parallel evolutionary radiations in Protea and Pelargonium in South Africa, with a focus on divergence in leaf physiology and morphology; Selection on floral pigmentation in Protea and links between pollinators, nectar, seed predators, and pleiotropic effects
Advisors: Dr. Carl Schlichting and Dr. Kent Holsinger
2007-2011: Postdoctoral research,
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Topic: Adaptive differentiation and plasticity in Protea sect. Exsertae in South Africa and their implications for trait diversification
Advisor: Dr. Kent Holsinger
2002- 2007: Doctoral research, Louisiana State University, Baton
Rouge, LA
Topic: Floral traits, pollinator behavior, and plant reproduction: tests of natural and sexual selection in the hummingbird-pollinated herb Chrysothemis friedrichsthaliana. Fieldwork at Centro Tropical the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Advisor: Dr. Kyle Harms
2002: Undergraduate research thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Topic:
Seed dispersal by Gopherus polyphemus at Archbold Biological Station, Florida
Advisors: Dr
Eric Menges and Dr. Peter Marks
1999-2002: Undergraduate research assistant, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Topics: Pollination
ecology of Clarkia xantiana;
microbial activity in anoxic wetland soils
Supervisors: Drs. Monica Geber and David Moeller; Dr.
Kurt Smemo
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Carlson, J. E., K. E. Holsinger and R. Prunier. 2011. Plant responses to climate in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa: Evidence for adaptive differentiation and plasticity in the Proteaceae. Evolution 65:108-124. (cover photo). pdf.
Carlson, J. E. and K. E. Holsinger. 2010. Natural selection on inflorescence color polymorphisms in wild Protea populations: the role of pollinators, seed predators and inter-trait correlations. American Journal of Botany: 97(6): 934-944. (cover photo) pdf.
Carlson, J. E. 2008. Hummingbird responses to gender-biased nectar production: Are nectar biases maintained by natural or sexual selection? Proc. R. Soc. B: 275: 1717-1726.
Carlson, J. E., and K. E. Harms. 2007. The benefits of bathing buds: water calyces protect flowers from a microlepidopteran herbivore. Biology Letters: 3: 405-407. pdf.
Carlson, J. E. 2007. Male-biased nectar production in a protandrous herb matches predictions of sexual selection theory in plants. American Journal of Botany 94(4): 674-682. pdf.
Carlson, J. E., and K. E. Harms. 2006. The evolution of gender-biased nectar production in hermaphroditic plants. The Botanical Review 72(2): 179-205. pdf.
Carlson, J. E., E. S. Menges, and P. L. Marks. 2003. Seed dispersal by Gopherus polyphemus at Archbold Biological Station, Florida. Florida Scientist 66(3): 80-87. pdf.
Ashton, K. G. and J. E.
Carlson. 2003. Apalone ferox
(Florida softshell turtle). Movement.
Herpetological Review 34:138.
Manuscripts
in review or in preparation
Prunier, R., K.E. Holsinger and J.E. Carlson. In review. The effect of historical legacy on adaptation: do closely related species respond to the environment in the same way?
Carlson, J.E. and K.E. Holsinger. In prep. Direct and indirect selection on floral pigmentation by pollinators and seed predators in a color polymorphic South African shrub.
Carlson. J.E. and K.E. Holsinger. In prep. Developmental plasticity in Protea leaf traits as an evolutionary response in the Cape Floristic Region.
Presentations
Carlson, J.E., K.E. Holsinger, R.E. Prunier. 2010. Natural selection on inflorescence color polymorphisms in wild Protea populations: the role of pollinators, seed predators and inter-trait correlations. Society for the Study of Evolution Annual Meeting , Portland, Oregon [oral paper]
Carlson, J.E., K.E. Holsinger, R.E. Prunier. 2009. Plant responses to climate in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa: Evidence for adaptive differentiation and plasticity in the Proteaceae. Botanical Society of America Annual Meeting, Snowbird, Utah [oral paper]
Carlson, J.E.
2006. Pollinator preferences match gender-specific pollination needs:
evidence for sexual selection in a hermaphroditic herb. Ecological Society of
America 91st Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee [oral paper]
ACADEMIC
EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE
Undergraduate teaching at Louisiana State University
January-May
2007: Introductory Biology Laboratory for Majors
June-August 2006: Principles of Ecology Laboratory
-Trained students on data collection in the field, as well as basic data
analysis and statistical techniques
Guest lectures
and invited seminars
2010: Guest lecture in undergraduate honors seminar titled Topics in Modern Biology at University of Connecticut
2007: Departmental seminar in the Department of Biology, Amherst College, MA. Invited by Dr. Ethan J. Temeles
Membership in professional associations
2005-present: The American Botanical Society
2005-2007: The Ecological Society of America
2010-present : The Society for the Study of Evolution
Reviewer
American Journal of Botany, Oecologia, Plant Evolution and Systematics, BMC Ecology, Journal of Tropical Ecology, Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society
Mentoring and leadership training
2008 -2011: Mentor of three undergraduate research assistants, one in South Africa
2010: Participant in Women Evolving Biological Sciences Symposium, WA
Outreach and community service
2011: Initiator of a citizen-science survey on za.ispot.org.uk inviting nature enthusiasts to participate in a Protea flowerhead color survey
2005-2011: Illustrator and photographer for talks, pamphlets and publications
2009: Instructor at a 2-day outdoor session on data collection and scientific research techniques for rangers in-training in Vrolijkheid Reserve, South Africa
2007: Nature writer/Volunteer for trail guide and interpretive signs at Southern Vermont Natural History Museum, Marlboro, VT.
2003-2006: Science fair judge,
Louisiana State High School Science Fair for the Baton Rouge area, held
annually at LSU
2004-2007,2011: Elementary school outreach, annual presentations to 2nd and 4th graders on the
flora and fauna of Costa Rica and South Africa and what it means to be a field
biologist. Copenhagen Central School, NY
HONORS AND AWARDS
2007: C. W. Edgerton Honor Award for significant research achievements in the field of plant biology. Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA. $500.
2005: Garden Club of America Award in Tropical Botany. The adaptive significance of variable nectar rewards in the Neotropical herb Chrysothemis friedrichsthaliana. Garden Club of America and World Wildlife Fund, Washington DC, USA. $5,500.
2004: The Explorers Club Exploration Fund. Plant-pollinator interactions in the Neotropics: Do plants benefit from natural variation in nectar rewards? The Explorers Club, New York, NY, USA. $1200.
2004: Sigma-Xi grant-in-aid of research program. The adaptive significance of female-biased nectar rewards in a Neotropical herb. Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, Research Triangle Park NC, USA. $450.
2003: Organization for Tropical Studies post-course award. The water calyx of Chrysothemis friedrichsthaliana. Organization for Tropical Studies, San Pedro, Costa Rica $480.
2003: Bernard Lowy Fund for the Study of Tropical Botany. Tuition and airfare to Organization for Tropical Studies field course in Costa Rica. Louisiana State University LA, USA. $2500.
2003: Sigma-Xi grant-in-aid of research program. Seed predator avoidance by Solenophora calycosa, a Neotropical shrub. Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, Research Triangle Park NC, USA. $500.
2002: Louisiana State University, Board of Regents Fellowship for 4 years, Baton Rouge LA, USA.
2002:Undergraduate Thesis Distinction in Research: Seed dispersal by Gopherus polyphemus at Archbold Biological Station, Florida. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca NY, USA.
SKILLS
Scientific illustration (see Illustrations webpage), Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Spanish fluency, multivariate statistics in R or SAS, Spatial analyses in ArcGIS.
