Department of Botany and Plant Pathology

Richard Cronn Assistant Professor (Courtesy) PhD 1997, Iowa State University rcronn@fs.fed.us Office Lab: PNW Research Station, USDA Forest Service (OSU Campus)   Phone: 541-750-7291

Research Area

Plant population and evolutionary genetics, genetic mechanisms of adaptation

Description of Research

Our research focuses on four main areas: (1) evolutionary genetics of conifers, primarily pines; (2) defining the magnitude of per-generation mutation rates in conifers and understanding their significance in evolutionary and population level processes; (3) understanding the genetic basis of adaptation, mostly as related to polyploidy; and (4) defining patterns of neutral differentiation as foundation for understanding quantitative and adaptive trait variation in restoration plant species.

Research Group Members

Faculty Research Assistants/Associates

Matt Horning (Post-Doctorate researcher, genetics of bitterbrush)

Graduate Students

Brian Knaus (Ph.D., 2008; co-advised with Liston)
Matthew Parks (Ph.D., 2011; co-advised with Liston)

Publications

Interspecific phylogeny analysis enhances intraspecific phlogeographical inference: a case study in Pinus lambertiana . A. Liston, M. Parker-Defeniks, J. V. Syring, A. Willyard, R. Cronn. 2007. Molecular Ecology (in press; doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03461.x )

Widespread genealogical nonmonophyly in species of Pinus subgenus Strobus . J. Syring, K. Farrell, R. Businský, R. Cronn, A . Liston. 2007. Systematic Biology 56:163-181.

Fossil calibration of molecular divergence in Pinus : inferences for ages and mutation rates. A. Willyard, J. Syring, D.S. Gernandt, A. Liston, R. Cronn. 2007. Molecular Biology and Evolution 24: 90-101.

Length polymorphism scanning is an efficient approach for revealing chloroplast DNA variation. M.E. Horning, R. Cronn. 2006. Genome 49:134-142.

Evolutionary relationships among Pinus (Pinaceae) subsections inferred from multiple low-copy nuclear loci. J. Syring, A. Willyard, R. Cronn, A. Liston. 2005. American Journal of Botany 92: 2086-2100.

The use of nuclear genes for phylogeny reconstruction in plants. R.L. Small, R. Cronn, J.F. Wendel. 2004. Australian Systematic Botany 17: 145-170.

Cryptic trysts, genomic mergers, and plant speciation . R. Cronn, J.F. Wendel . 2004. New Phytologist 161:133-142.

Genes duplicated by polyploidy show unequal contributions to the transcriptome and silencing that are reciprocal and organ-specific. K. Adams, R. Cronn, R. Percifield, J. Wendel. 2003. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 100:4649-4654.

Cryptic repeated genomic recombination during speciation in Gossypium gossypioides . R. Cronn, R. Small, T. Haselkorn, and J. Wendel. 2003. Evolution 57(11):2475-2489.

Recent and rapid diversification of the cotton genus ( Gossypium : Malvaceae) revealed by analysis of sixteen nuclear and chloroplast genes. R. Cronn, R. Small, T. Haselkorn, J. Wendel. 2002. American Journal of Botany 89(4):707-725.

Duplicated genes evolve independently in allopolyploid cotton. R. Cronn, R. Small, J. Wendel. 1999. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA , 96:14406-14411.

Copies of all publications are available at http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/.   Search for articles for Richard Cronn in PubMed