The J Lab
Group Leader: Dr Michael Jennions

Contact
School of Botany & Zoology
Australian National University,
Canberra, ACT 0200,
Australia
Email

Megan Higgie

Background

My general interests are centred on selective processes that generate divergence in mating display traits and preferences among populations, creating the potential for speciation. More specifically, I am interested in the process of reinforcement and the implications that the resulting reproductive character displacement can have on sexual selection and premating isolation within a species. My research has focused on the evolution of reproductive character displacement in the cuticular hydrocarbons of Drosophila serrata – caused by sympatry with a close relative, Drosophila birchii – and how this displacement has interfered with sexual selection between allopatric and sympatric populations of D. serrata. 

Publications

8.   Higgie M and Blows MW. 2007. Are traits that experience reinforcement also under sexual selection? American Naturalist 170:409-420  [PDF]

7.   Van Homrigh A, Higgie M, McGuigan K, and Blows MW. 2007. The depletion of genetic variance by sexual selection. Current Biology 17:528-532  [PDF]

6.   Hoskin CJ, Higgie M, McDonald KR, and Moritz C. 2005. Reinforcement drives rapid allopatric speciation. Nature 437:1353-1356  [PDF]

5.   Hoskin CJ and Higgie M. 2005. Minimum calling altitudes of Cophixalus frogs on Thornton Peak, northeastern Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 51:572  [PDF]

4.   Blows MW and Higgie M. 2003. Genetic constraints on the evolution of mate recognition under natural selection. American Naturalist 161:240-253  [PDF]

3.   Blows MW and Higgie M. 2002. Evolutionary experiments on mate recognition in the Drosophila serrata species complex. Genetica 116:239-250  [PDF]

2.   Hine E, Lachish S, Higgie M, and Blows MW. 2002. Positive genetic correlation between female preference and offspring fitness. Proceedings of the Royal Society Series B 269:2215-2219  [PDF]

1.   Higgie M, Chenoweth S, and Blows MW. 2000. Natural selection and the reinforcement of mate recognition. Science 290:519-521  [PDF]

Contact

My office number is +61 (0)2 612 5 3539 and my preferred email address is m.higgie@sib.uq.edu.au.

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