Dr.
Patrick A. Carter
Associate Professor
School of Biological Sciences
Washington State University
Pullman WA 99164-4236
509/335-1447
pacarter@wsu.edu
Research Interests | Lab Group | Funding | Publications | Teaching | Pre-Vet Advising | Evolution and Ecology at WSU
Prospective Students
I am
looking for motivated students to begin graduate studies in fall 2008. I am interested in supporting students who
want to work on any one of a number of aspects of the evolution of complex
traits in fish, amphibians, mice or insects.
In addition I can co-support (along with Dr. Richard Gomulkiewicz) students who want
to examine theoretical aspects of the evolution of complex traits. Currently my
lab group is well funded by a grant from NSF, and both
WSU and the
My research focuses on the evolution of the integrated phenotype. Using ideas and methods from evolutionary and quantitative genetics, physiological ecology, and comparative physiology, my lab group addresses questions on the evolution of function-valued traits, the correlated responses of multiple traits to selection, and the relative effects of selection and drift on trait evolution. Our goal is to provide a fundamentally deeper understanding of the evolution of the entire phenotype and of evolutionary processes.
Currently four major projects are being conducted:
- Development and application of function-valued trait methods to the evolution of complex traits. The primary application of these methods are to data on the evolution of morphological and behavioral ontogenies in mice selected for high voluntary exercise activity.
- Evolution of growth and swimming performance ontogenies in laboratory populations of rainbow trout using a function-valued approach.
- Evolution of growth and swimming performance ontogenies in natural populations of amphibians using a function-valued approach.
- Physiological and evolutionary adaptations of larval salamanders for metamorphosis under environmental hypoxia.
I have an active lab group composed of both graduate and undergraduate students. I am looking for motivated students to begin graduate studies in Fall 2008; please contact me if you are interested in working on a graduate degree with me. In addition, I encourage independent research by undergraduates once they have spent some time learning basic concepts and techniques used in the lab. One undergraduate published her work in Heredity in 2002 and a second published her research in the Journal of Heredity in 2003.
Current Lab Group Members:
- Amber Walker is a Masters student examining Sod enzyme activity in domesticated lines of rainbow trout.
- Katie Delaney is an undergraduate student studying
trade-offs between growth rate and development in amphibians.
Past Lab Group Members:
Post-Doctoral Students:
o Anne Bronikowski conducted much of her
post-doctoral research in the lab on longevity and traits related to senescence
in lines of mice selected for high voluntary wheel running activity. Current status: Assistant Professor at
Graduate
Students:
o Amanda
Castro completed her Masters degree
in June 2007. She examined effects of herbicides on salamander growth and
swimming performance ontogenies. Current
status: Biologist for Ecological Land Services in
o Drew Reinbold completed his MS degree in June 2005. He studied genetic variation of growth trajectories and swimming performance in domesticated and semi-wild populations of rainbow trout. Current status: Medical technician for the US Army.
o Ted
Morgan completed his Ph.D. in May 2002. He studied genetic variation in the
4 lines of mice selected for wheel-running behavior and in their 4 lines of
controls, using molecular markers and phenotypic variance. In addition he
analyzed behavioral and morphological ontogenetic trajectories using function-valued
trait analysis. Current status: Assistant Professor at
o
Stephanie Kane completed her MS degree in
May 2001. Her research examined the effect of activity and early-age selection
on metabolic traits in aged mice. Current status: Project Manager, Social
Science Research Unit,
o
Greg Ragland completed his MS degree in
May 2001. His research focused on quantitative genetic analysis of growth
trajectories and metamorphic traits in Ambystoma macrodactylum columbianum.
Current status: Post-Doctoral Fellow at the
o
Ed Leber completed his MS degree in
December 1999. His research was on stress responses of active and sedentary
mice selected for voluntary wheel-running behavior. Current status: Technical
support staff at Molecular Probes, Inc.
o Sara
Hall completed her MS degree in May 1999. Her work was on reference and
working memory in active and sedentary mice selected for high wheel-running
activity. Sara went on to a DVM program
at
Undergraduate Students:
o
Chris Miller completed his BS with Honors in June 2007. He examined muscle physiology in domesticated
and semi-wild lines of rainbow trout.
Current status: Medical student at
o
Jamie
Harpole completed her BS degree in May 2004. She studied swimming performance in
laboratory strains of rainbow trout.
Current status: Veterinary student at WSU.
o Brandi
Irwin completed her BS degree in May 2001. Her project was on allozyme
diversity in lines of mice selected for high activity. Brandi went on to medical school at
o Sharon
Thomson completed her BS degree in August 1999. Her research examined
activity of the superoxide dismutase enzyme in active and sedentary mice from
the selected and control lines. Current status: graduate student at the
o Monica
Baze completed her BS degree in May 2002. Her research examined nesting
behavior in one year old active and sedentary mice from selected and control
lines. Current status: graduate student with Dr. Jack Hayes at the
o Lionel
Jenkins completed his BS degree in December 2003. He studied spontaneous tumor occurrence in
active and sedentary mice from lines of mice selected for high voluntary
activity. Current status: Laboratory
technician at
o Matt Schmit completed his BS degree in May 1999. His research was on nesting behavior in one year old active and sedentary mice from selected and control lines. Current status: zookeeper, Houston Zoo.
UBM: Foundation in mathematical biology through interdisciplinary research, training, and curriculum development. $905,000. NSF Emerging Frontiers. PI: R.S. Gomulkiewicz; co-PIs: Omoto, Dillon, McDonald; Senior Investigators: P.A. Carter and 13 others. (9/15/05-9/14/10).
Function-valued traits in natural populations: variation, selection, and evolution. $2,129,468. NSF Emerging Frontiers. PI: R.S. Gomulkiewicz; co-PI: P.A. Carter. (10/1/03-9/30/07).
Integrated approaches to studies of infinite dimensional trait evolution in natural populations. $3,194, NSF Biocomplexity-Incubation (Supplemental Award). PI: R.S. Gomulkiewicz; co-PI: P.A. Carter. (1 time award).
Dissertation Research: The effect of artificial selection on the evolution of ontogenetic trajectories. $5640, NSF Population Biology. PI: P.A. Carter; co-PI T.J. Morgan. (7/1/01-6/30/03).
Integrated approaches to studies of infinite dimensional trait evolution in natural populations. $99,999, NSF Biocomplexity-Incubation. PI: R.S. Gomulkiewicz; co-PI: P.A. Carter. (9/1/00-8/31/03).
Selected Publications
Kane, S.L., T. Garland, Jr., and P.A. Carter. 2008. The effects of activity, early-age activity selection, and genetic drift on metabolic traits in aged mice (Mus domesticus). Physiological Biochemistry and Zoology (in press).
Middleton, K.M., C.E. Shubin. D.C. Moore, P.A Carter, T. Garland, Jr., S.M. Swartz. 2007. The relative importance of genetics and phenotypic plasticity in dictating bone morphology and mechanics in aged mice: evidence from an artificial selection experiment. Zoology (in press).
Bronikowski, A.M., T.J. Morgan††, T. Garland Jr. and P.A. Carter. 2006. The evolution of aging and age-related physical decline in mice selectively bred for high voluntary exercise. Evolution 60: 1494-1508.
Morgan, T.J., M.A. Evans, T. Garland, Jr., J.G. Swallow, and P.A. Carter. 2005. Molecular and quantitative genetic divergence among populations of house mice with known evolutionary histories. Heredity 94:518-525.
Hochstetler, K.J., T. Garland, Jr., J.G. Swallow, P.A. Carter, and A. Bult-Ito. 2004. Number of arginine-vasopressin neurons in the suprachiasmatic nuclei is not related to level or circadian characteristics of wheel-running activity in house mice. Behavior Genetics 34:131-136.
Ragland, G.J. and P.A. Carter. 2004.Genetic constraints on the evolution of growth and life history traits in the salamander Ambystoma macrodactylum. Heredity 92:569-578.
Bronikowski, A.M., P.A. Carter, T.J. Morgan, T. Garland Jr., N. Ung, T.D. Pugh, R.Weindruch, and T.A. Prolla. 2003. Lifelong voluntary exercise in the mouse prevents age-related alterations in gene expression in the heart. Physiological Genomics 12:129-138.
Hochstetler, K.J., T. Garland, Jr., J.G. Swallow, P.A. Carter, and A. Bult-Ito. 2003. Number of arginine-vasopressin neurons in the suprachiasmatic nuclei is not related to level or circadian characteristics of wheel-running activity in house mice. Behavior Genetics (in press).
Koteja, P., P.A. Carter, J.G. Swallow and T. Garland, Jr. 2003. Food wasting in house mice: variation among individuals, families and genetic lines. Physiology and Behavior 80:375-383.
Koteja, P., J.G.
Swallow, P.A. Carter and T
Morgan, T.J., T. Garland, Jr., and P.A. Carter. 2003. Ontogenetic trajectories in mice selected for high wheel- running activity. I. Mean ontogenetic trajectories. Evolution 57:646-657.
Morgan, T.J., T. Garland, Jr., B.L. Irwin†, J.G. Swallow, and P.A. Carter. 2003. The mode of evolution of molecular markers in populations of house mice under artificial selection for locomotor behavior. J Heredity 94:236-242.
Bronikowski, A.M., T.J. Morgan, T. Garland, Jr., and P.A. Carter. 2002. Anti-oxidant gene expression in active and sedentary house mice selected for high voluntary wheel-running behavior. Genetics 161:1763-1769.
Garland, T. Jr., M.T Morgan,
J.G. Swallow, J.S. Rhodes,
Girad, I.A., J.G. Swallow, P.A. Carter, P. Koteja, J.S. Rhodes, and T. Garland, Jr. 2002. Maternal-care behavior and life-history traits in house mice (Mus domesticus) artificially selected for high voluntary wheel-running activity. Behavioral Processes 57:37-50.
Klomberg, K.F., T. Garland, Jr., J.G. Swallow, and P.A. Carter. 2002. Aggression, plasma testosterone levels, and testis size in house mice artificially selected for high activity levels. Physiology and Behavior 77:27-38.
Nunez, N.P., P.A. Carter, and G.G. Meadows. 2002. Alcohol consumption promotes body weight loss in melanoma-bearing mice. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 26:617-626.
Thomson, S.L., T. Garland, Jr., J.G. Swallow, and P.A. Carter. 2002. Response of Sod-2 enzyme activity to selection for high voluntary wheel running. Heredity 88:52-61.
Bronikowski, A. M., P. A. Carter, J. G. Swallow, I. A. Girard, J. S. Rhodes, and T. Garland, Jr. 2001. Open-field behavior of house mice artificially selected for high voluntary wheel running. Behavior Genetics 31:309-316.
Kingsolver, J.G., R.S. Gomulkiewicz, and P.A. Carter. 2001. Variation, selection, and evolution of function-valued traits. Genetica 112-113:87-104.
Koteja, P., J.G. Swallow, P.A. Carter, and T. Garland, Jr. 2001. Maximum cold-induced food consumption in mice selected for high locomotor activity: implications for evolution of energy budgets of endotherms. The Journal of Experimental Biology 204(6) 1177-1190.
Swallow, J.G., P. Koteja, P.A. Carter, and T. Garland, Jr. 2001. Food consumption and body composition in mice selected for high wheel running activity. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 171: 651-659.
Carter, P.A., J.B. Mitton, T.D. Kocher, and J.R. Coehlo. 2000. Maintenance of the Adh polymorphism in tiger salamanders II. Differences in biochemical function among allozymes. Functional Ecology 14:70-76.
Carter, P.A., J.G. Swallow,
Koteja, P., J.G. Swallow, P.A. Carter, and T. Garland, Jr. 2000. Individual variation and repeatability of maximum cold-induced energy assimilation in house mice. Acta theriologica 45(4):455-470.
Carter, P.A., T. Garland, Jr., M.R. Dohm, and J.P Hayes. 1999. Genetic variation and correlations between genotype and locomotor physiology in outbred laboratory house mice (Mus domesticus). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 123:157-164.
Koteja, P., T. Garland,
Jr., J. K. Sax, J. G. Swallow, and P. A. Carter. 1999. Behaviour
of house mice artificially selected for voluntary wheel running. Animal Behaviour 58:1307-1318.
Koteja, P., J.G. Swallow, P.A. Carter, and T. Garland, Jr. 1999. Energy cost of wheel running in house mice: implications for coadaptation of locomotion and energy budgets. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 72:238-249.
Swallow,
J.G., T. Garland, Jr., P. Koteja, and P.A. Carter.
1999. Artificial selection for increased wheel-running activity in house mice
results in decreased body mass. The Journal of Experimental Biology
202:2513-2520.
Zhan, W-Z, J.G. Swallow, T. Garland, Jr., D.N.
Proctor, P.A. Carter and G.C. Sieck. 1999. Effects of
genetic selection and voluntary activity on the medialgastrocnemius
muscle in house mice. Journal of Applied
Physiology 87: 2326-2333.
Coleman, M.A., T. Garland, Jr.,
Krugner-Higby,
Swallow, J.G., P.A. Carter, and T. Garland, Jr. 1998. Artificial selection for increased wheel-running behavior in house mice. Behavior Genetics 28:227-237.
Swallow, J.G., T
Carter, P.A. 1997. Maintenance of the Adh polymorphism in tiger salamanders I. Genotypic differences in time to metamorphosis in extreme oxygen environments. Heredity 78:101-109.
Mitton, J.B., P.A. Carter and A. DiGiacomo. 1997. Resting oxygen consumption varies among lactate dehydrogenase genotypes in the sow bug, Porcellio scaber. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 264:1543-1546.
Watt, W.B., K. Donohue, and P.A. Carter. 1996. Adaptation at specific loci. VI. Divergence vs. parallelism of polymorphic allozymes in molecular function and fitness-component effects among Colias species. Molecular Biology and Evolution 13(5):699-709.
Mitton, J.B., D.J. Zelenka, and P.A. Carter. 1994. Selection of breeding stock in pigs favours 6PGD heterozygotes. Heredity 73:177-184.
Zalucki, M.P., J.M. Hughes, J.M. Arthur, and P.A. Carter. 1993. Seasonal variation at four loci in a continuously breeding population of Danaus plexippus L. Heredity 70:205-213.
Hughes, J.M., M.P. Zalucki, and P.A. Carter. 1992. Consistent differences among individual Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus L.) in flight activities at low temperatures. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 47:217-231.
Carter, P.A., M.P. Zalucki, and J.M. Hughes. 1989. Genetic variation in a continuously breeding population of Danaus plexippus L.: An examination of heterozygosity at four loci in relation to activity times. Heredity 63:191-194.
Watt, W.B., C. Kremen, and P.A. Carter. 1989. Testing the "mimicry" explanation for the Colias "alba" polymorphism: Patterns of co-occurrence of Colias and Pierine butterflies. Functional Ecology 3:193-199.
Carter, P.A., and W.B. Watt. 1988. Adaptation at specific loci. V. Metabolically adjacent enzyme loci may have very distinct experiences of selective pressures. Genetics 119:913-924.
Zalucki, M.P., J.M. Hughes, and P.A. Carter. 1987. Genetic variation in Danaus plexippus L.: habitat selection or differences in activity times? Heredity 59: 213-221.
Watt, W.B., P.A. Carter, and K. Donohue. 1986. Females' choice of "good genotypes" as mates is promoted by an insect mating system. Science 233:1187-1190.
Watt, W.B., P.A. Carter, and S.M. Blower. 1985. Adaptation at specific loci. IV. Differential mating success among glycolytic allozyme genotypes of Colias butterflies. Genetics 109:157-175.
In Fall semesters I teach Human Physiology:
o Human Physiology (Biology 251) (every year)
In Spring semesters I teach either Quantitative Genetics (Biol 521) or Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology (Biol 461/561):
o Quantitative Genetics (offered in 2007)
o Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology (offered in 2008)
I am a pre-Vet advisor for the
Evolution and Ecology at WSU
WSU has a very active group in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the School of Biological Sciences. We gather weekly for a presentation of recent work by one of our members (EcoEvo Lunch, Tuesdays at noon); once a week we become EEGR beavers (Evolution, Ecology and Genetic Reading group), and we transform ourselves monthly, along with colleagues from the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Idaho, into PEES (Palouse Ecology, Evolution and Systematics).
page last updated January 2008.
Links for lawyers: copyright disclaimer appropriate use