Authors and PhD's

PhD in human genetics 1996. Publication of books (a book chapter if that counts). Multiple research articles published. No novels...current research genetic consequences of end Pleistocene extinctions on megafauna, co factors in prion pathogenesis, and the evolution of endogenous retroviruses. I dabble in disease mediated extinctions....I can also whistle pretty well and can rub my stomach and pat myself on the head at the same time without getting confused.

Since this is your current field of research, I have a slightly related question: Any idea how accurate the use of ice core and tree ring samples are for determing the ambient temperature?I've seen temperature 'reconstructions,' using such proxies, but I imagine the margin of error is extremely high.

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current research genetic consequences

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...sorry custard. As you can see by the word I put in bold, as one trained in genetics and molecular biology, I cannot address your question. The types of studies I do are collaborative in nature such that my colleagues in mammalogy and geology fill in the areas where I lack expertise and I do all the mol biol work. In the end we see where there is overlap and if we were able to show a correlation between observations in the different fields. For example, via radiochronological study of various megafaunal species in parts of Russia, there is good evidence for the extirpation of multiple species like mammoths..but also of species that survived. I can sample the dated bones and see if there is reduction in genetic variation by comparing their DNA with the genetic variation in modern samples. For example, one group doing similar research showed a fairly catastrophic loss of genetic variation in bison that coalesces around the time of the end-Pleistocene extinctions...the second loss of variation can be found at the time of that the colonists in the US almost wiped out the buffalo.....so to sum it up..no I can't help with your temperature reconstruction question

thanks anyway That's some pretty interesting stuff you are working on. I've always been facinated by Megafuana. Any sites you can recommend that discuss theories regarding their extinction? Or is it all chalked up to predation?

Hi custard
It's mostly a pain in the butt these days rather than being interesting Here are some sites...predation and climate change and disease are all possibilities...nobody agrees on the root cause.http://www.amnh.org/...sity/extinction/IntroSymposiumFS.htmlhttp://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/expeditions/siberia/