Milwaukee Public Museum

Nutrient legacies from elephant megacarcasses create coldspots of biodiversity and hotspots of ecosystem processes

Terrestrial megafauna (animals >1,000 kg) have substantial impacts on ecosystems while alive; yet, we know little about the impacts of these ecosystem engineers after they die. Like whale carcasses in the ocean, terrestrial megacarcasses may leave ecological legacies via the nutr...

Genomic predisposition is associated with the direction of sex chromosome evolution

Sex chromosome evolution is among the most dynamic genomic innovations in vertebrates, yet why some lineages evolve XY while others evolve ZW remains unclear. Using chromosome-level genomes from 19 geckos, we found that gecko sex chromosomes originated independently from 16 ances...

Molecular methods for differentiating Phragmites australis subspecies and identification of hybrid stands in the Upper Midwestern United States

Abstract Premise In North America, Phragmites australis (common reed) has drawn a great deal of research attention. Non‐native P. australis subsp. australis is a noxious weed that has locally displaced native P. australis subsp. americanus in some areas. Although morphological fe...