Aaron Shafer, PhD
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Research Interest Groups (RIG): Ecology and Systematics and Evolution
The primary focus of my research is to characterize the genetic structure of mountain goats across North America using a landscape genetic approach. The spatial integration of genetics and ecology will then be used to identify key habitat corridors and the appropriate scale to delineate management units. The secondary aim of my thesis involves characterizing the phylogeographic pattern of mountain goats spanning their entire North American range. Understanding the phylogeography and patterns of genetic structure at the species level will provide a broader context in which to identify geographic areas and populations of special concern. Finally, I will be examining the mountain goats phylogenetic position within the Caprinae, as various placements have been suggested. This aspect of my project will have important evolutionary implications, as there remains the possibility of morphological convergence between rupicaprins and mountain goats, or mitochondrial introgression with mountain goats and sheep (Ovis spp.).
Co-Supervisor:
Steeve Côté, Chaire de recherche industrielle CRSNG-Produits forestiers Anticosti (titulaire)
Publications:
Shafer ABA, Northrup JM, White KS, Boyce MS, Côté SD, Coltman DW (In
press) Habitat selection predicts genetic relatedness in an alpine
ungulate. Ecology (http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/11-
Shafer ABA, Fan CW†, Côté SD, Coltman DW (In press) (Lack of) Genetic
diversity in immune genes predates glacial isolation in the North
American mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus). Journal of Heredity
(DOI:10.1093/jhered/ESR138)
Shafer ABA, Corti P, Marin JC, Coltman DW, Davis CS (In press)
Development of eight microsatellite loci from the endangered huemul
(Hippocamelus bisulcus) and cross-species amplification in six other
ungulate species. Conservation Genetics Resources
(DOI:10.1007/s12686-011-9594-
Shafer ABA, Côté SD, Coltman DW (2011) Hot spots of genetic diversity
descended from multiple Pleistocene refugia in an alpine ungulate.
Evolution 65: 125-138.
Ortego J, Yannic G, Shafer ABA, Mainguy J, Festa-Bianchet M, Coltman
DW, Côté SD (2011) Temporal dynamics of genetic variability in a
mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) population. Molecular Ecology
20:1601-1611
Shafer ABA, Poissant J, Côté SD, Coltman DW (2011) Does reduced
heterozygosity influence dispersal? A test using spatially structured
populations in an alpine ungulate. Biology Letters 7:433-435
Shafer ABA, White KS, Côté SD, Coltman DW (2011) Deciphering
translocations from relicts in Baranof Island mountain goats: Is an
endemic genetic lineage at risk? Conservation Genetics 12:1261-1268
Corti P, Shafer ABA, Coltman DW, Festa-Bianchet M (2011) Past
bottlenecks and current population fragmentation of endangered huemul
deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus): implications for preservation of genetic
diversity. Conservation Genetics 12:119-128
Mycroft EE, Shafer ABA, Stewart DT (2011) Cytochrome b sequence
variation in water shrews (Sorex palustris). Northeastern Naturalist
18:497-508
Shafer ABA, Cullingham CI, Côté SD, Coltman DW (2010) Of glaciers and
refugia: A decade of study sheds new light on the phylogeography of
northwestern North America. Molecular Ecology 19: 4589-4621
Shafer ABA, Hall JC (2010) Placing the mountain goat: a total evidence
approach to testing alternative hypotheses. Molecular Phylogenetics
and Evolution 55:18-25
Poissant J, Shafer ABA, Mainguy J, Davis CS, Côté SD, Hogg JT, Coltman
DW (2009) Genome-wide cross-amplification of domestic sheep
microsatellite loci in bighorn sheep and mountain goats. Molecular
Ecology Resources 9:1121-1126
Dawe KL, Shafer ABA, Herman TB, Stewart DT (2009) Diffusion of nuclear
and mitochondrial genes across a zone of secondary contact in the
maritime shrew, Sorex maritimensis: implications for the conservation
of a Canadian endemic mammal. Conservation Genetics 10:851-857
Shafer ABA, Williams GR, Shutler D, Rogers REL, Stewart DT (2009)
Cophylogeny of Nosema (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) and bees
(Hymenoptera: Apidae) suggests both cospeciation and a host-switch.
Journal of Parasitology 95:198-203
Shafer ABA, Scott FW, Petersen SD, Rhymer JM, Stewart DT (2008)
Following the SINEs: a taxonomic revision of the of the long-tailed
shrew complex, Sorex dispar and S. gaspensis. Journal of Mammalogy
89:1421-1427
Williams GR, Shafer ABA, Rogers REL, Shutler D, Stewart DT (2008)
First detection of Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian parasite of
European honey bees (Apis mellifera), in Canada and central U.S.A.
Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 97:189-192
Shafer ABA, Stewart DT (2008) A population crash of the red-backed
vole (Myodes gapperi) in Nova Scotia inferred from bycatch of the
long-tailed shrew (Sorex dispar). Northeastern Naturalist 15:626-629
Shafer ABA, Stewart DT (2007) Phylogenetic relationships of Nearctic
shrews within the genus Sorex (Insectivora, Soricidae) inferred from
combined cytochrome b and inter-SINE fingerprint data using Bayesian
analysis. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44:192-203
Shafer ABA, Stewart DT (2006) A disjunct population of Sorex dispar
(long-tailed shrew) in Nova Scotia. Northeastern Naturalist 13:603-608
Contact information:
Aaron B.A. Shafer, PhD Candidate
Department of Biological Sciences
CW 405, Biological Sciences Building
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9
CANADA
Ph: (780) 492-8368
Fax: (780) 492-9234
Email: shafer@ualberta.ca
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Last Modified:2012-01-30 |