Research Interests:

My interests lie at the point of intersection of multiple fields: where phylogenetic and population genetic approaches can inform questions of recent speciation, where coalescent approaches can help to discriminate among biogeographic hypotheses, and where molecular ecology and simulation-based analyses can discriminate among demographic scenarios. Organisms of interest in my lab have tended to focus on mammals including bats and primates, but I am open to interesting questions of molecular ecology, phylogeography, population genetics, mating systems, phylogenetics, and molecular evolution in any system.

Publications:

Russell, A, Butchkoski CM, Saidak L, McCracken GF. (2009) Roadkilled bats, highway design, and the commuting ecology of bats. Endangered Species Research, 8, 49-60.

Amelon S, King TL, Oyler-McCance S, Bartron M, Iwanowicz D, Switzer J, Russell A. (2009) Sampling protocols (pp. 19). Columbia, MO: U.S. Forest Service.

O’Brien J, C Mariani, L Olson, AL Russell, L Say, A Yoder, TJ Hayden. (2009) Multiple colonisations of the Western Indian Ocean by Pteropus fruit bats (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae): the furthest islands were colonised first. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.

Russell, Amy L., Calvin M. Butchkoski, Leslie Saidak, and Gary F. McCracken, in press. Roadkilled bats, highway design, and the commuting ecology of bats. Endangered Species Research. Accepted 25 April 2008.

Russell, Amy L., Steven M. Goodman, Murray P. Cox, 2008. Coalescent analyses support multiple mainland-to-island dispersals in the evolution of Malagasy Triaenops bats (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae). Journal of Biogeography 35(6): 995-1003.

Russell, Amy L., Steven M. Goodman, Isabella Fiorentino, and Anne D. Yoder, 2008. Population genetic analysis of Myzopoda (Chiroptera: Myzopodidae) in Madagascar. Journal of Mammalogy 89(1): 209-221.

Russell, A. L., J. Ranivo, E. P. Palkovacs, S. M. Goodman, and A. D. Yoder, 2007. Working at the interface of phylogenetics and population genetics: a biogeographical analysis of Triaenops spp. (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae). Molecular Ecology 16(4): 839-851.

Goodman, Steven M., Scott G. Cardiff, Julie Ranivo, Amy L. Russell, and Anne D. Yoder, 2006. A new species of Emballonura (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae) from the dry regions of Madagascar. American Museum Novitates (3538): 1-24.

Russell, Amy and Gary F. McCracken, 2006. Population genetic structure of very large populations: the Brazilian free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis. In “Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of Bats” (A. Zubaid, G. F. McCracken, T. H. Kunz, eds.), pp 227-247. Oxford University Press, New York.

Russell, A. L., R. A. Medellín, and G. F. McCracken, 2005. Genetic variation and migration in the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana). Molecular Ecology 14(7): 2207-2222.

Yoder, Anne D., Link E. Olson, Carol Hanley, Kellie Heckman, Rodin Rasoloarison, Amy L. Russell, Julie Ranivo, Voahangy Soarimalala, K. Praveen Karanth, Achille P. Raselimanana, and Steven M. Goodman, 2005. A multidimensional approach for detecting species patterns in Malagasy vertebrates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 102(S1): 6587-6594.

Russell, A. L., A. S. Turmelle, V. A. Brown, and G. F. McCracken, 2005. Extremely variable di- and tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis). Molecular Ecology Notes 5(3): 669-671.

Russell, A. L. and R. C. Woodruff, 1999. The genetics and evolution of the mariner transposable element in Drosophila simulans: worldwide distribution and experimental population dynamics.  Genetica 105(2): 149-164.

Recent Posters and Presentations:

McNeely, A. (Presenter & Author), Russell, A. (Author Only), North American Symposium on Bat Research, North American Society for Bat Research, Portland, OR, "Assessing the utility of genetic data as a monitoring tool: a case study of eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis)", Academic, International. (November 2009).
Poster presentation by GVSU student

Lancaster, W. (Presenter & Author), Russell, A. (Author Only), Leon, Y. M. (Author Only), Nuñez, M. (Author Only), Dávalos, L. M. (Author Only), North American Symposium on Bat Research, North American Society for Bat Research, Portland, OR, "Constant frequency calls as determinants of divergence between Antillean populations of Pteronotus parnellii (Mormoopidae)", Academic, International. (November 2009).
Oral presentation

Goldberg, A. (Presenter & Author), Russell, A. (Author Only), Dávalos, L. M. (Author Only), North American Symposium on Bat Research, North American Society for Bat Research, Portland, OR, "How to store mammalian tissues for DNA-based analyses in tropical field conditions", Academic, International. (November 2009).
Poster presentation

Dávalos, L. M. (Presenter & Author), Russell, A. (Author Only), North American Symposium on Bat Research, North American Society for Bat Research, Portland, OR, "Island area change, not species range, explains bat extinction in the West Indies", Academic, International. (November 2009).
Oral presentation

Russell, A. (Presenter & Author), Cox, M. P. (Author Only), Brown, V. A. (Author Only), McCracken, G. F. (Author Only), North American Symposium on Bat Research, North American Society for Bat Research, Portland, OR, "Population growth of Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) predates human agricultural activity", Academic, International. (November 2009).
Oral presentation

Russell, A. (Presenter & Author), Dávalos, L. M. (Author Only), Leon, Y. M. (Author Only), Nuñez, M. (Author Only), Lancaster, W. C. (Author Only), North American Symposium on Bat Research, North American Society for Bat Research, Portland, OR, "Recent radiation in a Neotropical bat? A genetic analysis of population structure and possible cryptic speciation in Pteronotus parnellii", Academic, International. (November 2009).
Poster presentation

Russell, A. (Presenter & Author), NSF ADVANCE Grant Celebration, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI, "Adaptive radiation in a Neotropical bat? Contributions from NSF ADVANCE", Academic, Local. (June 25, 2009).
Invited poster presentation

Russell, A. (Presenter & Author), Department seminar series, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, "The voodoo we do (s’well) to study evolutionary relationships", Academic, Local. (April 2, 2009).
Invited oral presentation

Russell, A. (Presenter & Author), Evolution for Everyone, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, "The impact of climate change on Caribbean bats", Academic, Local. (March 20, 2009).
Invited oral presentation

Russell, A. (Presenter & Author), Olival, K. J. (Author Only), Hawaiian Hoary Bat and Climate Change Modeling Workshop, U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, "Genetics of the Hawaiian hoary bat", Academic, National. (February 2009).
Invited oral presentation

Russell, A. (Presenter & Author), Vonhof, M. J. (Author Only), International Symposium on Bat Migration, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany, "Assessing the utility of genetic markers for long- and short-term monitoring of migratory populations", Academic, International. (January 2009).
Poster presentation

Vonhof, M. J. (Presenter & Author), Russell, A. (Author Only), International Symposium on Bat Migration, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany, "Migration in eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis): what do molecular markers tell us?", Academic, International. (January 2009).
Oral presentation

AL Russell, LM Davalos. 2008. Dynamics of gene flow and extinction in island metapopulations under climate change: model discrimination through population genetic simulations. North American Symposium on Bat Research, Scranton, PA.

LM Davalos, AL Russell. 2008. A quantitative approach to historical ecology of the west Indies: Artibeus jamaicensis. North American Symposium on Bat Research, Scranton, PA.

Vonhof, Maarten J., Amy L. Russell. 2008. Genetic contributions to the management of bat–wind power interactions. Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative meeting. Austin, TX.

Russell, Amy L., Steven M. Goodman, Anne D. Yoder. 2007. Integrating phylogenetic, coalescent, and population genetic approaches to reconstruct the historical biogeography of Triaenops.  Symposium on Phylogeography from Genes to Organisms, International Bat Research Conference. Merida, MEXICO.

Russell, Amy L. 2007. What can genetics contribute to definitions of subspecies and migratory groups of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis)? Annual meeting of the Western Bat Working Group. Tucson, AZ.

Russell, Amy L. 2006. Integrating phylogenetics and population genetics for biogeographical analyses: a biogeographic reconstruction of Triaenops bats in Madagascar.  National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) Catalysis Meeting: Patterns of Biodiversity in Madagascar. Durham, NC.

Russell, Amy L., Steven M. Goodman, Anne D. Yoder.  2005. An integrative approach to historical biogeography: picking up where phylogenetics leaves off.  Workshop on Phylogeography and Phylogenetics, Mathematical Biosciences Institute, Ohio State University. Columbus, OH.

Russell, Amy L. 2005. Phylogeographic approaches to understanding bat diversity in Madagascar. Systematics Seminar Series, American Museum of Natural History. New York City, NY.

Meyer, Wynn, Amy L. Russell, Danielle Rakotomalala, Anne D. Yoder. 2004. The impact of habitat destruction on population genetic structuring in Malagasy chameleons (Chamaeleonidae: Calumma). Joint meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution, Society of Systematic Biologists, and the American Society of Naturalists. Fort Collins, CO.

Russell, Amy L., Eric Palkovacs, Steven M. Goodman, J. Ranivo, Anne D. Yoder. 2004. A complex inter-species phylogeny reveals distinctive biogeographic patterns of diversification in triple leaf-nosed bats (Triaenops spp.) in Madagascar. International Bat Research Conference. Mikolajki, POLAND.

Russell, Amy L. 2004. The power of hypothesis testing in phylogeography and population genetics: lessons learned from Tadarida brasiliensis. North American Symposium on Bat Research. Salt Lake City, UT.

Utzurrum Ruth C. B., Amy L. Russell, Anne P. Brooke, Veronica Brown, Gary F. McCracken. 2004. Genetic analyses reveal differing evolutionary histories in two sympatric species of Pteropus in the South Pacific. North American Symposium on Bat Research. Salt Lake City, UT.

Russell, Amy L., Eric Palkovacs, Steven M. Goodman, J. Ranivo, Anne D. Yoder. 2004. Trees on islands: biogeographic patterns of diversification in Madagascar. Special Session on Phylogenetic Approaches to Understanding Bat Biodiversity, North American Symposium on Bat Research. Salt Lake City, UT.

Russell, Amy L. 2004. The lords of the wings: Population genetic structure and gene flow in a widely dispersing bat species. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology seminar, Yale University. New Haven, CT.

Russell, Amy L., Calvin Butchkoski, Annie Tibbels, Leslie Saidak, Gary F. McCracken. 2002. Bats, road-kill, and the FBI (Flat Bat Investigation). North American Symposium on Bat Research. Burlington, VT.

Russell, Amy and Gary F. McCracken. 2001. Population genetic structure of very large populations: the Mexican free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis. Symposium on Roosting Ecology and Population Genetic Structure of Bats, International Bat Research Conference. Kebangsaan, MALAYSIA.

Scientific and Professional Societies:

Bat Conservation International

Society for the Study of Evolution

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