In the Mojave Desert of California are several ancient lava flows that provide an opportunity to study disruptive selection in progress. We are working on two of these areas: 1) Cinder Cone National Natural Landmark in the Mojave National Preserve near Baker, CA and 2) Pisgah Volcano southeast of Barstow, CA. The main difference between the areas is that Cinder Cone is much older (7 million years old) than Pisgah (< 100,000 years old). Both areas are inactive lava flows of black and dark red basaltic rock, while the surrounding areas are composed of much lighter sand and granitic rocks. Lizards that are found on the dark lava have much darker dorsal coloration than lizards found on the lighter substrate. This color differentiation is highly likely to be under strong disruptive selection, because lizards of intermediate color do not match either substrate very well, and are more susceptible to predation. Genetic studies by graduate student Steven Micheletti has shown that light and dark side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) from the Cinder Cone location are a single population with a bimodal distribution of color pattern, as one would expect if this were a case of disruptive selection. He showed that one of several candidate genes (melanocortin receptor 1) known to affect color variation in other lizard species does not seem to be correlated with color pattern differences in our population. One of our most interesting findings was that this population of lizards is extremely diverse, with haplotype diversities comparable to those found in marine fish sampled from throughout the world's oceans! We are continuing our investigations into the genetic architecture of color in Uta, and sampling other lizard species to compare them to the Uta results.

My research concerns the genetic aspects of evolution and involves the use of molecular techniques to enhance our understanding of adaptation. My perspective is that evolution, properly understood, involves the action of four basic parameters: Ecology (phenotype-environment interaction), Genetic Architecture, Population Structure, and History. Because these parameters interact in complex ways, knowledge of all four is crucial to a complete understanding of any evolutionary process. Most evolutionary controversies occur because competing theories make different assumptions about these factors. My research, to some degree, involves all four of the above parameters. I am especially interested in the application of molecular biology to the study of genetic architecture, population structure, and historical biogeography. Recent advances in molecular biology have created exciting new possibilities for understanding these phenomena, especially when combined with new theoretical and analytical techniques. All of my research at SFSU involves undergraduate and Master's level students. Because of this I have shifted money that would, in a normal grant, be used for technician and postdoc salary to support for students. Although this slows the pace of publication considerably, the research experience becomes much richer for the students. My goal is for all of the papers coming from my lab to have student authors, with most senior-authored by students.

Micheletti, S., E. Parra, and E.J. Routman. 2012. Adaptive color polymorphism and unusually high local genetic diversity in the side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana. PLoS ONE 7(10): e47694. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047694. Wu, J., A.C. Go, M. Samson, T. Cintra, S. Mirsoian, T.F. Wu, M.M. Jow, E. J. Routman, and Diana S. Chu. 2012. PP1 phosphatases regulate multiple stages of sperm development and motility in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 190:143–157. Halstead, B.J., G.D. Wylie, M. Amarello, J.J.Smith, M.Thompson*, E.J. Routman,and M.L. Casazza. 2011. Abundance and survival of the San Francisco gartersnake in coastal San Mateo County, California. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management. 2:41-48. Tonione, M., and E.J. Routman. 2011. Microsatellite analysis supports mitochondrial phylogeography of the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). Genetica. 139:209–219. Schinske, J.N., G. Bernardi, D.K. Jacobs, and E.J. Routman. 2010. Phylogeography of the diamond turbot (Hyposopsetta guttulata) across the Baja Peninsula. Marine Biology. 157:123-134. Sabatino, S.J. and E.J. Routman. 2009. Phylogeography and conservation genetics of the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). Conservation Genetics 10:1235-1246. Di Candia, M.R. and E.J. Routman. 2007. Cytonuclear discordance across a leopard frog contact zone. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 45:564-575. Kenney-Hunt, J.P., T.T. Vaughn, L.S. Pletscher, A. Peripato, E. Routman, K. Cothran, D. Durand, E. Norgard, C. Perel, J.M. Cheverud. 2006. Quantitative trait loci for body size components in mice. Mammalian Genome. 17:526-537. Paquin, M. M., G.D. Wylie, and E.J. Routman. 2006. Population structure of the giant gartersnake, Thamnophis gigas. Conservation Genetics. 7:25-36.