Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois
INRS State Scientific Surveys
Kevin P. Johnson
Kevin P. Johnson
Associate Research Professor
1614 South Oak Street
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-9267
kjohnson@inhs.illinois.edu
Major Fields of Interest
Avian and Insect Systematics, Next-generation Phylogenomics, Host-parasite Coevolution, Island Biogeography, Population Genetics, and Behavioral Ecology.
General Research Interests
Host parasite systems provide an opportunity to study the interface between microevolutionary processes and macroevolutionary patterns. The goals of my current research center around recovering the coevolutionary history of birds and their ectoparasitic lice. The degree of cospeciation varies across different groups of lice. By understanding how ecological differences between groups might cause differences in coevolutionary history, considerable progress can be made towards predicting macroevolutionary patterns from microevolutionary process.
Selected Publications
Johnson, K. P. and J. D. Weckstein. 2011. The Central American land bridge as an engine of diversification in New World doves. Journal of Biogeography 38:1069-1076.
Johnson, K. P., D. H. Clayton, J. P. Dumbacher, and R. C. Fleischer. 2010. The flight of the Passenger Pigeon: Phylogenetics and biogeographic history of an extinct species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 57:455-458.
Johnson, K. P., J. R. Malenke, and D. H. Clayton. 2009. Competition promotes the evolution of host generalists in obligate parasites. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 276:3921-3926.
Johnson, K. P., K. Yoshizawa, and V. S. Smith. 2004. Multiple origins of parasitism in lice. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271:1771-1776.
Johnson, K. P., R. J. Adams, R. D. M. Page, and D. H. Clayton. 2003. When do parasites fail to speciate in response to host speciation? Systematic Biology 52:37-47.
Johnson, K. P., F. R. Adler, and J. L. Cherry. 2000. Genetic and phylogenetic consequences of island biogeography. Evolution 54:387-396.
Johnson, K. P., F. McKinney, and M. D. Sorenson. 1999. Phylogenetic constraint on male parental care in the dabbling ducks. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 266:759-763.
Professional Affiliations
University of Illinois Department of Animal Biology, Department of Entomology, and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology
Field Museum of Natural History: Birds