Current research in my laboratory has students involved in preparing plant specimens for biogeochemical analysis to test the hypothesis that the geological biomarker oleanane has a flowering plant origin.
Research: Evolution and relationships of angiosperms; Methods of character analysis; Ancestral character states in angiosperms; Use of experimental morphogenetic data to test structural and evolutionary hypotheses; Use of leaf architectural characters to assess the relationships of fossil angiosperms; Paleobiological significance of carbon isotope ratios and geochemistry of plant fossils. Use of pollen to understand flowering plant – pollinator interactions; The relationships of fossil water lilies and their likely evolution.
Keywords: Biology