Dr Howard Ross, BSc (hons) MSc PhD

Senior Lecturer

Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour

Phone: 3737599 x86160
Thomas Building, Level 2, Rm 284
Email: h.ross@auckland.ac.nz

Research

Interests

The application of computational and phylogenetic analyses to a wide range of problems:

• using genomic sequences to determine the species identity of specimens
  (see DNA Surveillance at www.dna-surveillance.auckland.ac.nz)
• dynamics of sequence evolution in viral genomes
  
• the incidence of species-level paraphyly in different groups of animals
• the estimation of rates of molecular evolution
  
• the evolution of bird song, when considered to comprise gene-like memes
• the timing and path of human settlement of the Pacific

BSc(Hons) Dissertation Projects

The following projects would suit a student in either Biological Sciences or Bioinformatics who was interested in the topic and who had some computing skills.

• How many moa?
  

  The flightless moa, an iconic group of flightless birds, went extinct soon after the arrival of humans in New Zealand. Was their extinction the final stage in a long decline? How did the size of moa populations change over time? There is now a large body of data involving genetic sequences from radiocarbon-dated subfossils of moa that we can use to address these questions. We can apply phylogenetic methods to these data to infer the changes in moa populations and gain a better understanding of the impact of human settlement.

• MSc in Metagenomics or In the poo! Genetic identification of invertebrates in cetacean excreta
  

  An important part of metagenomics is determining the species composition of environmental samples using high throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics. One issue is the degree to which organisms are detectable in environmental samples. An MSc research project is available in 2012 for someone interested in addressing this question with samples collected in two research projects from the Hauraki Gulf area: soil samples from Little Barrier Island and marine invertebrates from the water column. This project will involve the preparation of samples for high throughput sequencing and the bioinformatic analyses of the sequencing data. This project offers the opportunity to contribute to larger projects, involving members of the Allan Wilson Centre, Dr Rochelle Constantine and others, to characterise the biodiversity in these communities. Funding A bursary equivalent to the MSc tuition fees for a domestic student ($6,259-7,253) will be provided to a suitable applicant. Funding has been obtained for next generation sequencing of all relevant samples and other lab expenses. This is a 1-year research project that would suit someone with a BSc(hons) or postgraduate diploma qualification. It is hoped that the student can begin their research in March 2012. How to Apply Interested applicants should make informal contact with Dr Howard Ross. Please send your Curriculum Vitae and a copy of your academic transcript with a covering letter to: Dr Howard Ross School of Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics Institute, University of Auckland email: h.ross@auckland.ac.nz

Recent Publications

• Wright, S. D., H. A. Ross, D. J. Keeling, P. McBride, and L. N. Gillman. 2011. Thermal energy and the rate of genetic evolution in marine fishes. Evolutionary Ecology 25:525-530.
• Masters, B. C., V. Fan, and H. A. Ross. 2011. Species Delimitation - a Geneious plugin for the exploration of species boundaries. Molecular Ecology Resources 11:154-157.
• Robins, J. H., P. A. McLenachan, M. J. Phillips, B. J. McComish, E. Matisoo-Smith, and H. A. Ross. 2010. Evolutionary relationships and divergence times among the native rats of Australia. BMC Evolutionary Biology 10:375.
• Ranjard, L., M. G. Anderson, M. J. Rayner, R. B. Payne, I. McLean, J. V. Briskie, H. A. Ross, D. H. Brunton, S. M. N. Wooley, and M. E. Hauber. 2010. Bioacoustic distances between the begging calls of brood parasites and their host species: a comparison of bioacoustic techniques. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 64:1915-1926.
• Padhi, A., H. A. Ross, J. A. Terwee, S. VandeWoude, and M. Poss. 2010. Profound differences in virus population genetics correspond to protection from CD4 decline resulting from Feline Lentivirus coinfection. Viruses 2:2663-2680.
• Wright, S. D., L. N. Gillman, H. A. Ross, and D. J. Keeling. 2010. Energy and the tempo of evolution in amphibians. Global Ecology and Biogeography 19:733-740.

See here for Dr Ross's personal research page.