Institute of Arctic Biology and
Department of Biology and Wildife
P.O. Box 756100
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775-6100
office: 907 474-1175
lab: 907 474-6053
fax: 907 474-6716
amy.breen@iab.alaska.edu
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Amy L. Breen |
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Ph.D. Candidate
Institute of Arctic Biology and office: 907 474-1175 lab: 907 474-6053 fax: 907 474-6716 amy.breen@iab.alaska.edu |
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DISSERTATION RESEARCH EDUCATION TEACHING EXPERIENCE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE PUBLICATIONS RESEARCH REPORTS PRESENTATIONS FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS GRANTS AWARDED COMMITTEES AND MEMBERSHIPS Last Modified on: |
DISSERTATION RESEARCHBeringia, a vast area covering much of present-day north-eastern Russia and Alaska, remained largely ice-free through the last glacial maximum (ca. 28-15 Ka or thousands of years before present). The role of Beringia as a late-Quaternary ice age refugium for arctic plants has long been recognized. However little is known about whether this region also served as a refugium for boreal trees and shrubs. My dissertation research addresses the hypothesis that a forest refugium existed within the Beringian landscape. The paleobotanical record indicates balsam poplar, or Populus balsamifera, is among boreal woody taxa, the best candidate species for survival through the last glacial maximum. This work aims to assess the hypothesis that balsam poplar survived late-Quaternary glaciation events within Beringia, by drawing upon evidence from the complementary fields of molecular phylogeography and floristic plant geography. Until recently, the prevailing paleoecological dogma for the role of trees in a Beringian glacial refugium favored the hypothesis of extinction within the far north, with subsequent recolonization from a refugium south of the continental ice sheets. This hypothesis has been challenged by recent discoveries of poplar fossil pollen from Alaska dating to the late-Quaternary. My research is designed to specifically test between these two hypotheses. The implications of this work extend to understanding Beringian archeology, the impact of Beringia on species and population diversity of arctic and boreal plants, and the influences of past climate change. The presence of poplar groves within Beringia suggest that wood for early human use was available and perhaps plentiful far earlier than originally proposed (approx. 16 vs. 12 Ka). Such findings may dramatically influence hypotheses regarding early Native American culture. Beringia also is increasingly recognized as one of the most influential refugial regions for arctic plants. These studies will contribute a key component to reconstruction of past biogeographic influences on current high latitude plant species and population genetic variation. Moreover, these results will bear on hypotheses regarding whether the expansion of trees within Beringia following the last glacial maximum occurred concurrently with climate warming. Such information is vital for developing predictions regarding the influence of future climatic warming on plant species range expansion into high latitude regions. EDUCATIONUNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, Fairbanks, Alaska UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, Columbia, Missouri COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC, Bar Harbor, Maine TEACHING EXPERIENCEINSTRUCTOR, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA KUSKOKWIM CAMPUS INSTRUCTOR, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT, COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCERESEARCH BOTANIST, TOOLIK FIELD STATION, Alaska CURATORIAL ASSISTANT, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA MUSEUM HERBARIUM RESEARCH TECHNICIAN, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH ASSISTANT, ALPINE TUNDRA RESEARCH STATION, Colorado RESEARCH ASSISTANT IN BOTANY, ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine RESEARCH TRAINEE, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER VOLUTEER RESEARCH ASSISTANT IN BOTANY, ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITIES Arctic field correspondent for the IPY-Ice Stories: Dispatches from Polar Scientists Outreach Project, Exploratorium Museum, San Francisco, CA; Summer 2008 http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/?page_id=28 Instructor for an ethnobotany field course with two Yup’ik native elders emphasizing exchange of indigenous and western knowledge; University of Alaska’s Kuskokwim Campus, Quinhagak, AK; July 2008 Competitively selected early career polar scientist to participate in the IPY-New Generation of Polar Researchers Symposium; May 2008 (Wardell, L., C. S. Weiler, S. Drobot, J. Baeseman. 2008. Preparing new polar researchers to lead the next International Polar Year. Eos 89(33): 305.) PUBLICATIONSBreen, A. L., E. Glenn, A. Yeager and M. S. Olson. 2009. Nucleotide diversity among natural populations of a North American poplar (Populus balsamifera L., Salicaceae). New Phytologist In press. Afonina, O. and A. L. Breen. 2009. Dicranum dispersum (Dicranaceae) and Sciuro-hypnum ornellanum (Brachytheciaceae), new to Arctic North America. The Bryologist In press. Walker, M. D., C. H. Wahren, R. D. Hollister, G. H. R. Henry L. E. Ahlquist, J. M. Alatolo, M. S. Bret-Harte, M. P. Calef, T. V. Callaghan, A. B. Carroll, H. E. Epstein, I. S. Jonsdottir, J. A. Klein, B. Magnusson, U. Molau, S. F. Oberbauer, S. P. Rewa, C. H. Robinson, G. R. Shaver, K. N. Suding, C. C. Thompson, A. Tolvanen, O. Totland, P. L. Turner, C. E. Tweedie, P. J. Webber, P. A. Wookey. 2006. Plant community responses to experimental warming across the tundra biome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103: 1342-1346. Diggle, P. K., M. M. Meixner, A. B. Carroll and C. F. Aschwanden. 2002. Barriers to sexual reproduction in Polygonum viviparum: A comparative developmental analysis of Polygonum viviparum and Polygonum bistortoides. Annals of Botany 89(2):145-156 Carroll, A. B., S. G. Pallardy and C. Galen. 2001. Drought stress, plant water status and floral trait expression in fireweed, Epilobium angustifolium (Onagraceae). American Journal of Botany 88(3): 348-446 Galen, C., R. A. Sherry and A. B. Carroll. 1999. Are flowers physiological sinks or faucets? Costs and correlates of water use by flowers of Polemonium viscosum. Oecologia 118: 461-470. IN PREP Breen, A. L. Molecular evidence for persistence of balsam poplar in the high latitude glacial refugium of Beringia. To be submitted to Molecular Ecology Breen, A. L. Balsam poplar plant communities in Arctic Alaska. To be submitted to Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research RESEARCH REPORTSCarroll, A. B., C. Parker, and T. Craig. 2003. Toolik Lake Research Natural Area/ACEC Rare Plant Inventory. 2002 Annual Report. BLM-Alaska Open File Report 90. 15 pp. Carroll, A. B., J. Schneiderheinze and C. Parker. 2006. Toolik Lake Research Natural Area/ACEC Rare Plant Inventory. 2005 Annual Report. BLM-Alaska and University of Alaska Museum Herbarium, Fairbanks. 10 pp. PRESENTATIONSBreen, A. L., M. S. Olson and D. F. Murray. The late Quaternary history of balsam poplar in North America. IPY-New Generation of Polar Researchers Symposium. Colorado Springs, Colorado. May 2008 Carroll, A. B. Trees among the tundra: the late Quaternary history of balsam poplar in North America. Quaternary Quaff and Query. Alaska Quaternary Center Seminar Series. University of Alaska, Fairbanks. April 2006. Carroll, A. B. The late Quaternary history of balsam poplar in Alaska. Alaska Rare Plant Forum. Fairbanks, Alaska. April 2006. Carroll, A. B. and M. S. Olson. Trees among the tundra. Biology and Wildlife Graduate Student Seminar. University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Fall 2005. Carroll, A. B., E. Glenn, A. Yeager and M. S. Olson. Adaptive divergence in balsam poplar across a latitudinal cline. Joint annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution, the Society of Systematic Biologists, and the American Society of Naturalists. Fairbanks, Alaska. June 2005. Carroll, A. B. Establishment of a satellite herbarium of the University of Alaska: A floristic resource for scientists at the Toolik Field Station. Alaska Rare Plant Forum. Fairbanks, Alaska. April 2002. Carroll, A. B. Do flowers respond to drought-stress? The relationship between plant water status and floral trait expression in fireweed, Epilobium angustifolium. M.S. Defense Seminar. University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, March 2000. C. Galen and A. B. Carroll. The abiotic environment as a template of floral evolution. XVI International Botanical Congress. Saint Louis, Missouri, August 1999. Carroll, A. B. Evidence for ecological cleistogamy in the alpine plant, Lewisia pygmaea. Ecology Seminar. University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, February 1998. POSTER PRESENTATIONS Breen, A. L., D. F. Murray and M. S. Olson. The late Quaternary history of balsam poplar in North America. Arctic Chapter of AAAS Meeting. Fairbanks, Alaska. September 2008. Breen, A. L, D. F. Murray and M. S. Olson. The late-Quaternary history of balsam poplar in North America. Climate and Land-Surface Systems Interaction Centre Spring School. Abisko Scientific Research Station, Norbotten, Sweden. April 2007. Carroll, A. B., A. Yeager and M. S. Olson. Population genetic patterns of candidate genes for seasonal dormancy traits in balsam poplar. 12th New Phytologist Symposium: Functional genomics of environmental adaptation in Populus. Gatlinburg, Tennessee. October 2004. Carroll, A. B., A. Yeager and M. S. Olson. Evidence for local adaptation to climate? Analysis of adaptive divergence in candidate genes for seasonal dormancy traits in balsam poplar. Arctic Chapter of AAAS Meeting. Anchorage, Alaska. September 2004. Carroll, A. B., M. S. Olson and M. D. Walker. Toward an understanding of balsam poplar’s evolutionary history in the Arctic. Poster presented at the 12th International Tundra Experiment Workshop. Fairbanks, Alaska. September 2003. Carroll, A. B., M. S. Olson and M. D. Walker. Toward an understanding of balsam poplar’s evolutionary history in Alaska. Poster presented at the Molecular Genetics and Ecology of Plant Adaptation Conference. Vancouver, British Columbia. December 2002. Carroll, A. B., A. P. Borner, M. D. Walker and M. Tachibana. Low Arctic plant species respond to long-term experimental warming. Poster presented at the 11th International Tundra Experiment Workshop. Finse, Norway. October 2002. Carroll, A. B., R. Prunier and M. Walker. Can Salix lanata be used for dendroclimatic studies in the Arctic? Land-Atmosphere-Ice Interactions All Hands Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT. November 2001. Carroll, A. B. and C. Galen. Drought stress, plant water status and sex allocation in Epilobium angustifolium (Onagraceae). Ecological Society of America's 85th annual meeting. Snowbird, Utah, August 2000. FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDEDGraduate School Fellowship Award; 2006-07 Institute of Arctic Biology Summer Research Fellowship; Summer 2006 David and Ruth Hopkins Scholarship; 2005-06 NSF's Alaska Experimental Program Druska Carr Schaible Memorial Scholarship in Biological Sciences; 2005-06 Institute of Arctic Biology Summer Research Fellowship; Summer 2004 NSF's Alaska Experimental Program Graduate School Fellowship Award; 2002-03 GRANTS AWARDEDDoctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant Otto T. Geist Award Center for Global Change and Karling Graduate Student Research Award COMMITTEES AND MEMBERSHIPSChair of the Biology and Wildlife Graduate Student Association Search Committee for Insect Curator Faculty Hire Biology and Wildlife Graduate Student Seminar Series International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) Steering Committee University of Alaska Biology and Wildlife Faculty Meeting Botanical Society of America Membership; 1997-present
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