Kevin Omland
Professor
Phone |
410-455-2243
|
---|---|
omland@umbc.edu | |
Education |
Ph D, The University at Albany, SUNY (1995)
BA, Dartmouth College (1985)
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Website | http://omlandlab.umbc.edu |
About
BA, Dartmouth College; PhD, University at Albany (SUNY); Postdocs: Duke, Univ. Minnesota, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. UMBC Faculty 2000 - present. Australian National University 2007, 2010. UMBC Presidential Research Professor 2016-2019.
Research Interests
Evolutionary Biology - Molecular phylogeny and population genetics of closely related birds to study speciation and character evolution. Recent research has focused on the orioles (genus Icterus), as well as ravens (genus Corvus). Current project on the conservation biology of the critically endangered Bahama Oriole. http://www.birdscaribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Omland-Bahama-Oriole-NAOCposter2016.pdf
Teaching Interests
Introductory biology, diversity, evolution, phylogeny, population genetics, animal behavior, conservation. Especially interested in teaching clear tree thinking as there is no "ladder of progress" in evolution.
Intellectual Contributions
(2019) Nuclear introns help unravel the diversification history of the Australo-Pacific Petroica robins Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
(2019) Standing genetic variation as the predominant source for adaptation of a songbird PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2018) A new statistical method to test equivalence: An application in male and female eastern bluebird song Animal Behaviour
(2018) Diversification of Petroica robins across the Australo-Pacific region: first insights into the phylogenetic affinities of New Guinea’s highland robin species. Emu: Austral Ornithology
(2018) Genomic evidence of speciation reversal in ravens Nature Communications
(2018) New documentation of pine forest nesting by the critically endangered Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi). Journal of Caribbean Ornithology
(2017) Sequencing of the complete mitochondrial genome of the common raven Corvus corax (Aves: Corvidae) confirms mitogenome-wide deep lineages and a paraphyletic relationship with the Chihuahuan raven C. cryptoleucus PLOS ONE
(2016) Divergence in calls but not songs in the orchard oriole complex: Icterus spurius and I. fuertesi Journal of Avian Biology
(2016) Documentation of female song in a newly recognized species, the Puerto Rican Oriole (Icterus portoricensis) Journal of Caribbean Ornithology
(2016) Morphological and genetic variation of the Yellow-backed Oriole (Icterus chrysater) across its widely disjunct distribution in Central America Wilson Journal of Ornithology
(2015) Distinctiveness of Pacific Robin subspecies in Vanuatu revealed from disparate patterns of sexual dichromatism, plumage colour, morphometrics and ancient DNA Australia Emu: Austral Ornithology
(2014) Female song is widespread and ancestral in songbirds Nature Publishing Group Nature Communications
(2014) History and mechanisms of carotenoid plumage evolution in the New World orioles (Icterus) Elsevier Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology: Part B
(2014) Evolution of carotenoid pigmentation in caciques and meadowlarks (Icteridae): repeated gains of red plumage coloration by carotenoid C4-oxygenation. Wiley Blackwell Evolution
(2013) Coalescent analyses show isolation without migration in two closely related tropical orioles: the case of Icterus graduacauda and Icterus chrysater Wiley and Sons Ecology and Evolution
(2013) Tree thinking: interpreting phylogenetic trees Princeton Guide to Evolution. J. B. Losos ed. Princeton, NJ Princeton University Press
(2012) Extensive introgressive hybridization within the northern oriole group (Genus Icterus) revealed by three-species isolation with migration analysis Wiley / Blackwell Publishing Ecology and Evolution
(2012) Incomplete song divergence between recently diverged taxa: syllable sharing by Orchard and Fuertes’ orioles Wiley / Blackwell Publishing Journal of Field Ornithology
(2011) Convergent gains of red carotenoid-based coloration in the New World blackbirds. Auk
(2011) Environmental niche modeling reveals climatic differences among breeding ranges of Orchard Oriole subspecies American Midland Naturalist
Research in Progress
Conservation Biology of the Critically Endangered Bahama Oriole Scholarly (On-Going) Jan 1, 2015
Female Song in Eastern Bluebirds Scholarly (On-Going) Jan 1, 2015 Dec 31, 2020
Speciation Reversal in Common Ravens Scholarly Jan 1, 2012 Dec 31, 2018