Bay
Bulls, Newfoundland Spring 2000 (D. Innes)
Dr. David J. Innes
Department of Biology
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada
Phone: (709)737-4754 Fax: (709)737-3018
email: dinnes"at"mun.ca (replace
at with @)
Research
The
research in my laboratory focuses on sexual and asexual reproduction, primarily
using the planktonic crustacean, Daphnia pulex
as a model organism (visit the Cladoceran Web Site at the University of Guelph). We
are also investigating the evolutionary genetics of the interaction between the
mussels Mytilus edulis,
M. trossulus and their hybrids in Newfoundland
(in collaboration with Dr. Ray Thompson, Ocean Sciences Centre). Collaborative
research is being carried out with Dr. Luise Hermanutz (Biology, MUN) on population and reproductive
ecology of moss campion (Silene
acaulis) and bog bean (Menyanthes
trifoliata) in Newfoundland, and the reproductive
ecology of Grevillea spp. in NSW Australia.
Research on the population structure and mating systems in Newfoundland spiders
has recently been initiated with Dr. Roger Pickavance.
A brief summary of current
research:
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Evolutionary interaction between sexual and asexual Daphnia
pulex Daphnia
pulex
occurs as two forms, cyclical parthenogens with sexual reproduction and obligate
parthenogens with no sexual reproduction. Both forms co-occur in southern
Ontario but are rarely found in the same pond. We have been determining sex
allocation variation in the cyclical parthenogens and the avoidance of the
cost of males in the obligate parthenogens. Some obligate parthenogen
clones can produce males that can mate with sexual females from the cyclical parthenonogens and generate new obligately
parthenogenetic clones. Current experiments are using microsatellite genetic
markers to examine competition among males for mating with sexual females and
determine the evolutionary dynamics of the formation of new obligately parthenogenetic clones. |
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Ecology and genetics of Mytilus spp.
in Newfoundland Two
species of mussel (Mytilus edulis, M. trossulus)
coexist along the coast of the island of Newfoundland. Limited hybridization
occurs between the species which may be due to incompatibility between
nuclear and cytoplasmic genes. In addition, we are
investigating the role gamete choice may play in limiting hybridization. For
additional information see: |
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Genetic structure of moss campion (Silene acaulis) Silene acaulis occurs as disjunct populations on the island of Newfoundland.
Genetic differentiation appears to be high and the pattern is not related to
geographic distance separating the populations. Genetic differences
between populations on the east and west side of the island may be the
result of different colonization patterns following post glaciation
combined with random drift and limited gene flow. |
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Reproductive ecology of Australian Grevillea
spp. Members
of the family Proteaceae have extremely low mature fruit : flower (FR : FL) ratios compared with other
temperate, hermaphroditic, woody perennials. The role of compatibility in
regulating FR : FL ratios was tested in five closely
related species of Grevillea (Proteaceae).
The correlation between self incompatibility and FR :
FL ratios was non-significant, indicating that compatibility has a minimal
effect on fruit set in the Grevillea species
studied. Low FR : FL ratios may result from a
combination of pollen limitation, and high levels of flower and fruit
predation. |
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Reproductive ecology of Menyanthes
trifoliata in Newfoundland |
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Genetic structure and mating behaviour in some Newfoundland
spiders
Three
species of native ground running spiders were compared with an introduced orb
weaving species for genetic differentiation over short and long geogrpahic distances. All species showed little evidence
for genetic differentiation. It is unlikely that gene flow is high in these
species and it is possible that large population size reduces the effect of
genetic drift on population differentiation. Studies are also examining the
mating behaviour in the orb weaver Araneus
diadematus to determine if multiple mating
occurs. Preliminary data suggest that if multiple mating occurs it is at a
low level. |
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Photo
Credits: Daphnia pulex (D. Innes); Mussel shell (D. Innes); Moss
Campion(L. Hermanutz); Grevillea
(Plant Systematics); Menyanthes
(T. Schoepke); Spider (Spider Web Page) |
Teaching
Biology
2250 Principles of Genetics
Biology
3295 Population and Evolutionary Ecology
Biology 2900 Principles of Evolution and Systematics
Biology 4250 Evolutionary Genetics
Biology 7290 Evolutionary Ecology
Students
Graduate
Students
- Shin Kim (Ph.D. in
progress) Genetic structure and population connectivity of a mussel
hybrid zone
·
Kan
Miao (M. Sc. in progress) Genetic
structure of sexual and asexual Daphnia
pulex
- Guangxu Liu (Ph.D. 2009) Genetic barriers to introgression in a mussel hybrid zone
- Ben
Lowen (Ph. D. in 2008) Life history
variation in a mussel hybrid zone
- Marcelo Miranda (Ph.D. 2005) Genetics of
hybridization in a mussel hybrid zone
- James Fitzsimmons (M. Sc. 2006) Sex and evolution
in Daphnia pulex
- Jorge Toro (Ph.D. 1999) Natural hybridization in
mussels
- Barbara Saunders (M. Sc. 1998) Inheritance and linkage
of RAPD markers in Daphnia
Undergraduate
Thesis Students
- Erin Stapleton 2006 Interactions between Mytilus edulis
and M. trossulus spat
- Michael Ginn 2005 Competition
between cyclically and obligately
parthenogenetic Daphnia pulex
- Dax Rumsey 2002 Male
production in the obligately parthenogeneic
Cladoceran Daphnia pulex
- Trina Kirby 2002 Mating system in the spider Araneus diadematus
- Kerri Anstey 1999
Genetic variability and gene flow in five species of spiders found in
Newfoundland (Pardosa hyperborea,
Pardos moesta, Pardosa groenlandica,
Cyclosa conica,
& Araneus diadematus)
determined using allozyme electrophoresis
- Chris Fox 1998
Differences in ephippial production between
obligate and cyclical parthenogenetic clones of Daphnia pulex
- Geoff Winsor 1997 Sexual reproduction in Daphnia
pulex: Observations on mating behaviour and avoidance of intra-clonal mating
- Barbara Saunders 1995 RAPD genetic variation among
populations of Daphnia pulex
Publications (complete list)
Papers: (1991 - 2011)
On Daphnia:
Crease TJ, Floyd R, Cristescu ME, Innes DJ
(2011) Evolutionary factors affecting Lactate dehydrogenase
A and B variation in the Daphnia pulex
species complex. BMC Evolutionary Biology accepted
Cristescu ME, Innes DJ, Stillman JH, Crease
TJ (2008) D- and L-lactate dehydrogenases during
invertebrate evolution. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 8: 268.
Fitzsimmons, J. M. & Innes, D. J. (2006) Inter-genotype variation in reproductive response to crowding among Daphnia pulex. Hydrobiologia 568:187-205 (download PDF file)
Tagg, N., Doncaster, C.P. & Innes, D. J. (2005) Outcomes of reciprocal invasions between genetically diverse and genetically uniform populations of Daphnia obtusa (Kurz). Oecologia 143: 527-536(download PDF file)
Fitzsimmons, J. M. & Innes, D. J. (2005) No evidence of Wolbachia among Great Lakes area populations of Daphnia pulex (Crustacea: Cladocera). Journal of Plankton Research 27:121-124 (download PDF file)
Tagg, N., Doncaster, C. P. & Innes, D. J. (2005) Resource competition between genetically varied and genetically uniform populations of Daphnia pulex (Leydig): does sexual reproduction confer a short-term ecological advantage? Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 85: 111-123 (download PDF file)
Winsor, G. L. & Innes, D. J. (2002) Sexual reproduction in Daphnia pulex (Crustacea: Cladocera): Observations on male mating behaviour and avoidance of inbreeding. Freshwater Biology 47: 441-450(download PDF file)
Innes, D. J. & Singleton, D. R. (2000) Variation in allocation to sexual and asexual reproduction among clones of cyclically parthenogenetic Daphnia pulex (Crustacea: Cladocera). Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 71(4): 771-787 (download PDF file)
Innes, D. J., Fox, C. J. & Winsor, G. L. (2000) Avoiding the cost of males in obligately asexual Daphnia pulex (Leydig). Proc. Roy. Soc. B 267: 991-997 (download PDF file)
Innes, D. J. (1997) Sexual reproduction of Daphnia pulex in a temporary habitat. Oecologia 111, 53-60. (download PDF file)
Innes, D. J. & Singleton, D. R. (1994) Variation in reproduction and sex allocation among clones of Daphnia pulex, In Genetics and Evolution of Aquatic Organisms (ed. A. R. Beaumont), pp. 335-342. London: Chapman and Hall.
Innes, D. J. & Dunbrack, R. L. (1993) Sex allocation variation in Daphnia pulex. J. evol. Biol. 6, 559-575.
Innes, D. J. (1991) Geographic patterns of genetic differentiation among sexual populations of Daphnia pulex. Can. J. Zool. 69, 995-1003.
On Mussels:
Liu GX, Stapleton E, Innes DJ, Thompson, RJ (2011) Aggregational behavior of the blue mussels Mytilus edulis and Mytilus trossulus: a potential pre-zygotic reproductive isolation mechanism. Marine Ecology in press
Liu GX, Innes DJ, Thompson RJ (2011) Quantitative
analysis of sperm plane circular movement in the blue mussels Mytilus edulis, M. trossulus
and their hybrids. Journal of Experimental Zoology PART A-
Ecological Genetics and Physiology, 315A (5): 280-290
Miranda MBB, Innes DJ, Thompson RJ (2010) Incomplete reproductive isolation in the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis and M. trossulus)
hybrid zone in the Northwest Atlantic: Role of gamete interactions and larval
viability. Biological Bulletin, 218,
266-281.
Toro, J. E., R. J. Thompson
and D. J. INNES (2006) Fertilization success and early survival in pure and
hybrid larvae of Mytilus edulis
(Linnaeus, 1758) and M. trossulus (Gould, 1850) from laboratory crosses. Aquaculture Research 37: 1703-1708
Toro, J. E., D. J. INNES and R. J. Thompson (2004) Genetic variation among life-history stages of mussels in a Mytilus edulis –M. trossulus hybrid zone. Marine Biology 145, 713-725. (download PDF file)
Toro, J. E., R. J. Thompson and D. J. INNES (2002) Reproductive isolation between coexisting mussel species (Mytilus edulis, M. trossulus) in Newfoundland. Marine Biology 141, 897–909. (download PDF file)
Comesana, A. S., Toro, J. E., Innes, D. J. & Thompson, R. J. (1999) A molecular approach to the ecology of a mussel (Mytilus edulis - M. trossulus) hybrid zone on the east coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Marine Biology 133, 213-221. (download PDF file)
Innes, D. J. & Bates, J. A. (1999) Morphological variation of Mytilus edulis and Mytilus trossulus in eastern Newfoundland. Marine Biology 133, 691-699. (download PDF file)
Jones, R., Bates, J. A., Innes, D. J. & Thompson, R. J. (1996) A quantitative genetic analysis of growth in larval scallops (Placopecten magellanicus). Marine Biology 124, 417-424.
Bates, J. A. & Innes, D. J. (1995) Genetic variation among populations of Mytilus spp. in eastern Newfoundland. Marine Biology 124, 417-424.
On plant mating systems and population genetics:
Thompson, F. L., Hermanutz, L. A. & Innes, D. J. (1999) The reproductive ecology of island populations of distylous Menyanthes trifoliata (menyanthaceae). Can. J. Bot. 76, 818-828. (download PDF file)
Hermanutz, L. A., Innes, D. J., Denham, A. & Whelan, R. (1998) Very low fruit: flower ratios in Grevillea (Proteaceae) are independent of breeding system. Australian J. of Botany 46, 465-478. (download PDF file)
Rajora, O. P., Deverno, L., Mosseler, A. & Innes, D. J. (1998) Genetic diversity and population structure of disjunct Newfoundland and central Ontario populations of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Can. J. Bot. 76, 500-508. (download PDF file)
Hermanutz, L. A. &
Innes, D. J. (1994) Gender variation in Silene
acaulis (Caryophyllaceae).
Plant Sytematics
and Evolution 191, 69-81.