C. J. Rothfels

Commonly used Bayesian diversification-rate models produce biologically meaningful differences on empirical phylogenies

This paper compares five Bayesian methods for inferring diversification rate shifts on empirical phylogenies and finds they produce different results due to model differences.

The rapid radiation of Bomarea (Alstroemeriaceae: Liliales), driven by the rise of the Andes

This study investigates the diversification of Bomarea species in relation to Andean uplift, finding that speciation events correlate with mountain formation and climate changes during the Pleistocene.

Induction of autotetraploidy and microbiome associations mediate differential responses to pathogens

The paper investigates how autotetraploidy in Arabidopsis affects microbiome interactions and pathogen resistance, finding polyploids are more resistant but less reliant on beneficial bacteria.

Unearthing modes of climatic adaptation in underground storage organs across Liliales

The paper tests adaptive hypotheses about climatic adaptation in underground storage organs across Liliales, finding root tubers are associated with lower temperature seasonality.

homologizer: Phylogenetic phasing of gene copies into polyploid subgenomes

Homologizer phases gene copies into subgenomes using a Bayesian phylogenetic approach, demonstrating robustness to evolutionary factors and utility on real data from ferns.

Inferring the Total-Evidence Timescale of Marattialean Fern Evolution in the Face of Model Sensitivity

This study applies total-evidence dating and fossilized birth-death models to infer the evolutionary timescale of marattialean ferns, finding that tree models significantly influence divergence times and that the clade of extant Marattiales is younger than previously thought.

Comparative transcriptomics of a monocotyledonous geophyte reveals shared molecular mechanisms of underground storage organ formation.

This study uses transcriptomics to compare molecular mechanisms of tuberous root formation in Bomarea multiflora with other underground storage organs across plant lineages, identifying shared genes and pathways.

Phylogeny of Paullinia L. (Paullinieae: Sapindaceae), a diverse genus of lianas with rapid fruit evolution

This paper presents a molecular phylogeny of Paullinia, revealing its monophyly and evolutionary transitions in fruit morphology linked to animal dispersal strategies.