Current Research

My research program is focused broadly in evolutionary biology.  I am especially interested in studying systematics, population genetics, and coevolutionary associations between distantly related organisms, particularly mammals and their parasites.  Many parasites have complex ecological interactions with their hosts that persist over long evolutionary timescales.  Parasites that are highly host specific tend to interact with their hosts in ways that facilitate a long-term coevolutionary history (i.e., cospeciation), whereas parasites that are not host specific may not cospeciate with their hosts.  Comparisons of host and parasite phylogenies facilitate a greater understanding of how taxa have been associated through time.

Recent Publications

• 2009. Reed, D.L., M.A. Toups, J.E. Light, J.M. Allen, and S. Flannigan. Lice and other parasites as markers of primate evolutionary history. in Primate Parasite Ecology: The Dynamics and Study of Host- Parasite Relationships. C. Chapman and M. Huffman (eds). Cambridge University Press. pp. 231-250.
• 2009. Allen, J.M., J.E. Light, M.A. Perotti, H.R. Braig, and D.L. Reed. Mutational meltdown in primary endosymbionts: Selection limits Müller’s ratchet. PLoS ONE 4(3): e4969 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004969.
• 2009. Hafner, M.S., D.J. Hafner, J.W. Demastes, G.L. Hasty, J.E. Light, and T.A. Spradling. Evolutionary relationships of pocket gophers of the genus Pappogeomys (Rodentia: Geomyidae). Journal of Mammalogy 90(1): 47-56.
• 2009. Light, J.E. Evolutionary and Ecological Interactions between Micromammals and Macroparasites. Book review of Micromammals and Macroparasites From Evolutionary Ecology to Management by S. Morand, B.R. Krasnov, and R. Poulin (eds), Springer: Tokyo, 647 pp. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 16: 53-55.
• 2009. Light, J.E. and D.L. Reed. Multigene analysis of phylogenetic relationships and divergence times in primate sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 50: 376-390.