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Research Interests
The central goal of my research program is to understand evolutionarily important factors that influence the morphological, mechanical, functional, and ecological richness of a group. Why are some groups morphologically diverse? Does morphological diversity always signal mechanical, functional, or ecological diversity? To address these questions I draw upon an interdisciplinary approach that crosses traditional boundaries between functional morphology, molecular phylogenetics, and theoretical evolution. I use traditional morphological measurement and high-speed cinematography to identify and quantify organismal diversity; statistical phylogenetic methods to construct and test evolutionary hypotheses; and computer models of complex traits to explore evolutionary form-function dynamics.
Representative Publications
2006 M. E. Alfaro and M.T. Holder. The posterior and the prior in Bayesian phylogenetics. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 37:19-42
M. E. Alfaro & J. P. Huelsenbeck. Comparative performance of Bayesian and AIC-based measures of phylogenetic model uncertainty. Systematic Biology 55 89-96 2005
M. E. Alfaro, D. I. Bolnick, and P. C. Wainwright. Evolutionary consequences of a redundant map of morphology to mechanics: an example using the jaws of labrid fishes. American Naturalist 165:E140-E154.
M. W. Westneat and M. E. Alfaro. Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of the reef fish family Labridae. Mol. Phyl. Evol. 36:370-390.
M. W. Westneat, M. E. Alfaro, P. C. Wainwright, D. Bellwood, and J. Fessler. Evolutionary diversification and convergence of feeding biomechanics in labrid fishes. Proc. Roy. Soc. 272:1471-2954.
P. C. Wainwright, M. E. Alfaro, D. I. Bolnick, and C. D. Hulsey. Many-to-one mapping of form to function: a general principle of organismal design? Integrative and Comparative Biology 45:256-262. 2004
M. E. Alfaro, D. R. Karns, H. K. Voris, E. Abernathy, and S. L. Sellins. Phylogeography of Cerberus (Serpentes: Homalopsinae): Diversification of a coastal marine snake in Southeast Asia. Journal of Biogeography 31:1277-1292.
Huelsenbeck, J. H., Larget, B., and M. E. Alfaro. Bayesian phylogenetic model selection using reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo. Molecular Biology and Evolution 21:1123-1133.
M. E. Alfaro, D. I. Bolnick, P. C. Wainwright. Evolutionary dynamics of complex biomechanical systems: an example using the four-bar. Evolution 58:495-503 2003
M. E. Alfaro. Axial kinematics of aquatic snake feeding: a comparison of forward and sideways attack strategies. Journal of Experimental Biology. 206:2381-2392.
M. E. Alfaro S. Zoller, and F. Lutzoni. Bayes or bootstrap? A simulation study comparing the performance of Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling and bootstrapping in assessing phylogenetic confidence. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 20:255-266
M. E. Alfaro. Forward attack modes of aquatic feeding garter snakes: a comparison of specialists and generalists. Functional Ecology 16:204-215. 2001
M. E. Alfaro, and S. J. Arnold. Molecular systematics and evolution of Regina and the thamnophiine snakes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 16:408-423.