Breadcrumb
Bio
Hybridization, speciation, evolutionary ecology, and population genomics (primarily of birds); impacts of anthropogenic change on species distributions, interactions, and evolution.
Check out the Taylor Lab website for more about the work of my research group, including the Boulder Chickadee Study, and my teaching and publications. Graduate and undergraduate students can also find information about joining the lab.
Education
- PhD: Queen's University, 2011
Research
My research applies genomics and field experiments to natural hybrid zones and closely related taxa in order to investigate the architecture of reproductive isolation—the hallmark of speciation—and the genetic bases of traits relevant to speciation. This research also provides insight into the impacts of anthropogenic change, including climate change, on species distributions, interactions, and evolution.
Publications
Recent publications
Early Environment and Condition Dependence in a Lifelong Sexual Signal: Gene Expression and Melanin Color in Barn Swallows.
Publication Date: 2019-01-03
Type: Conference Proceeding
Parasites and Host Species Barriers in Animal Hybrid Zones
Publication Date: 2019-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Book Review: Molecular Population Genetics. Matthew Hahn.
Publication Date: 2018-11-28
Type: Journal Article
Lab agreements improve mentoring
Publication Date: 2018-11-15
Type: Journal Article
A wood-warbler produced through both interspecific and intergeneric hybridization
Publication Date: 2018-11-01
Type: Journal Article
Written lab agreements improve mentoring
Publication Date: 2018-11-01
Type: Journal Article
Genetics and evidence for balancing selection of a sex-linked colour polymorphism in a songbird
Kim K-W; Jackson BC; Zhang H; Toews DPL; Taylor SA; Greig EI; Lovette IJ; Liu MM; Davison A; Griffith SC...
- Kim K-W
- Jackson BC
- Zhang H
- Toews DPL
- Taylor SA
- Greig EI
- Lovette IJ
- Liu MM
- Davison A
- Griffith SC
Type: Journal Article
Genetic distinctiveness of brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) from the Galapagos Islands compared to continental North America
Publication Date: 2018-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Breaking Barriers: Causes, Consequences, and Experimental Utility of Human-Mediated Hybridization
Publication Date: 2018-03-01
Type: Journal Article
Development of 10 novel SNP-RFLP markers for quick genotyping within the black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina (P-carolinensis) chickadee hybrid zone
Publication Date: 2017-06-01
Type: Journal Article
A comparative assessment of SNP and microsatellite markers for assigning parentage in a socially monogamous bird
Publication Date: 2017-03-01
Type: Journal Article
Plumage Genes and Little Else Distinguish the Genomes of Hybridizing Warblers
Publication Date: 2016-09-12
Type: Journal Article
Foliar nectar enhances plant-mite mutualisms: the effect of leaf sugar on the control of powdery mildew by domatia-inhabiting mites
Publication Date: 2016-09-01
Type: Journal Article
Avian supergenes
Publication Date: 2016-01-29
Type: Journal Article
Hybrid zones: windows on climate change
Publication Date: 2015-07-01
Type: Journal Article
Differentially expressed genes match bill morphology and plumage despite largely undifferentiated genomes in a Holarctic songbird
Publication Date: 2015-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Spatiotemporally consistent genomic signatures of reproductive isolation in a moving hybrid zone
Publication Date: 2014-11-01
Type: Journal Article
Evidence for genetic differentiation among Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) populations in North America
Publication Date: 2014-04-01
Type: Journal Article
Climate-Mediated Movement of an Avian Hybrid Zone
Publication Date: 2014-03-17
Type: Journal Article
Postglacial population genetic differentiation potentially facilitated by a flexible migratory strategy in Golden-crowned Kinglets (Regulus satrapa)
Publication Date: 2014-02-01
Type: Journal Article
The phylogenetic relationships of the extant pelicans inferred from DNA sequence data (vol 66, pg 215, 2013)
Publication Date: 2013-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Specialization to cold-water upwellings may facilitate gene flow in seabirds: new evidence from the Peruvian pelican Pelecanus thagus (Pelecaniformes: Pelecanidae)
Publication Date: 2013-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Evidence for Asymmetrical Divergence-Gene Flow of Nuclear Loci, but Not Mitochondrial Loci, between Seabird Sister Species: Blue-Footed (Sula nebouxii) and Peruvian (S. variegata) Boobies
Publication Date: 2013-04-17
Type: Journal Article
The phylogenetic relationships of the extant pelicans inferred from DNA sequence data
Publication Date: 2013-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Evidence for strong assortative mating, limited gene flow, and strong differentiation across the blue-footed/Peruvian booby hybrid zone in northern Peru
Publication Date: 2012-07-01
Type: Journal Article
Pages
Teaching
Scott teaches a number of field-based and lecture format undergraduate courses. He incorporates creativity into his pedagogy when possible, and encourages his students to engage with the subject matter in unconventional ways. Students who take the course Ecology and Evolution in the Galápagos Islands keep field notes alongside watercolor depictions of their observations.
Courses
See Scott's courses on his lab website.
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Outreach
RIO Faculty Fellow community talk: Contemplating evolution: Why making spaces to be curious was important for this gay scientist. YouTube video, October 2023.
The Storycollider story: Becoming: Stories about growing into yourself. Storycollider podcast with transcript, May 2022.
TedX Boulder talk: Why you should pay attention to backyard birds. YouTube video, July 2019.