Graduate Research Department of Integrative Biology
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
Department of Computational Biology
Valley Life Sciences Building #4095
Email: nalexandre@berkeley.edu
Twitter: ​https://twitter.com/nicmalexandre
Hummingnerd T-shirts:
​https://teespring.com/stores/hummingnerd-store
My research focuses on understanding the how evolution shapes ecology using a variety of techniques ranging from population/quantitative genetics, niche modelling, phylogenetics, and genome architecture in order to link phenotypic variation (P) with genotypic variation (G) and fitness (F) in wild populations of hummingbirds.
​I am particularly interested in the evolution of complex, quantitative traits. The bills of hummingbirds represent an excellent model for studying adaptive evolution in quantitative traits given their widespread distribution and feasible collection, and recently available genomic resources. One method I use to characterize the genomic architecture of phenotypic variation between species is to leverage phenotypic variation within species. Then, through fine-mapping of natural genome-wide variation, I am localizing putatively causal loci segregating as polymorphisms (SNPs or structural variants) that underlie phenotypic variation for bill shape.
​Heritable variation for beak shape has been leveraged to identify loci in various passerines such as Darwin's finches, great tits, and bullfinches. My primary reseearch focuses on developing the Broad-tailed hummingbird (BTH; Selasphorus platycercus) as a model system as a candidate lineage in which to explore the genetic architecture of bill shape. However, I work with various species in the Americas (See Below).
Alexandre, N. M., Parris T. Humphrey, A.D. Gloss, J. Lee, H.A. Affeldt, J. Frazier, K. Miazgowicz, A.C. Nelson Dittrich & N.K. Whiteman. "accepted, Ecosphere". "Habitat preference of an herbivore shapes the habitat distribution of its host plant."
Humphrey, P.T., A.D. Gloss, N.M. Alexandre, M.M. Villalobos, S.C. Groen, M. Fremgen, L.N. Meihls, G. Jander & N.K. Whiteman (2016) Aversion and attraction to harmful plant secondary compounds jointly shape the foraging ecology of a specialist herbivore. "accepted, Ecology and Evolution". Volume 6, Issue 10. May 2016. Pages 3256–3268
​Yule, K.M., J.A.H. Koop, N.M. Alexandre, L.R. Johnston & N.K. Whiteman (2016) Population genetic structure of a vector-borne plant parasite. "accepted, Molecular Ecology" Volume 25, Issue 14. July 2016. Pages 3332–3343
Simon C. Groen, Erika R. LaPlante, Nicolas Alexandre, Joseph Hernandez, Anurag A. Agrawal, Susanne Dobler, Noah K. Whiteman (2016) Multidrug transporters and organic anion transporter polypeptides protect insects against the toxic effects of cardenolides. "accepted, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology".