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5. Biography: Jeffery M. Saarela

Biography: Jeffery M. Saarela

Research Scientist, Life Sciences
Research Services
Tel.: 613.364.4080
Fax: 613.364.4027
Email: jsaarela@mus-nature.ca

Education

• Ph.D., Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2007.
• B.Sc. (Hons.), Botany, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, 2000.

Specialties

• Plant systematics: taxonomy, phylogenetics and evolution.
• Grasses (Poaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and other monocots.
• Botanical nomenclature.

The goals of my research program are to characterize the biodiversity (taxonomy and systematics) of grasses (Poaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and their monocot relatives. I combine work in the field, herbarium and DNA laboratory to characterize morphological and molecular diversity in these plant groups, and to reconstruct their evolutionary history at deep and recent evolutionary levels. I regularly conduct field work across North America, from southern Mexico to the Canadian Arctic.

Projects

• Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of pooid grass genera and tribes (e.g., Bromus; Calamagrostis, Trisetum and relatives).
• DNA barcoding studies of grasses, sedges and the Canadian Arctic flora.
• Higher-order phylogenetic relationships in the commelinid monocots (i.e., Arecales, Commelinales, Poales, Zingiberales, and Dasypogonaceae) based on plastid DNA sequence data.

Professional Services

Vice President, Canadian Botanical Association, 2009 – 2010

Links

• Botanists set out on canoe expedition to gather Arctic plants, CBCnews.ca, 26 June 2009
• ‘Huge, Pristine and Untouched’ Botanists Head out on Western Arctic Tundra to Create Baseline Plant Database, Slave River Journal, 30 June 2009

Publications

Refereed journal papers

• Le Clerc-Blain, J., Starr, J.R., Bull, R.D. and Saarela, J.M. (2010). A regional approach to plant DNA barcoding provides high species resolution of sedges (Carex and Kobresia, Cyperaceae) in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Molecular Ecology Resources 10: 69-71. doi:10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02725.x
• Howard, T.G., Saarela, J.M., Paszko, B., Peterson, P.M. and Werier, D.  2009.  New records and a taxonomic review of Calamagrostis perplexa (Poaceae: Poeae: Agrostidinae), a New York State endemic. Rhodora 111(946): 155-170. doi:10.3119/08-5.1.
• Le Clerc-Blain, J., Starr, J.R., Bull, R.D. and Saarela, J.M. (2009). A Regional Approach to Plant DNA Barcoding Provides High Species Resolution of Sedges (Carex and Kobresia, Cyperaceae) in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Molecular Ecology Resources doi: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02725.x
• Saarela, J.M. (2008). Taxonomy of Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae: Bromeae) Sections Bromopsis, Bromus, and Genea in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 2(1): 323-372.
• Saarela, J.M., Prentis, P.J., Rai, H.S. and Graham, S.W. (2008). Phylogenetic Relationships in the Monocot Order Commelinales, with a Focus on Philydraceae. Botany 86(7):719-731. doi:10.1139/B08-063
• Saarela, J.M. (2007). The North American Flowering of the Cultivated Fountain Bamboo, Fargesia nitida (Poaceae:Bambusoideae), in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Davidsonia 18(2): 43-55.
• Saarela, J.M., Lipsen, L., Sayre, C.M. and Whitton, J. (2007). Catalogue of the Vascular Plant Type Specimens in the University of British Columbia Herbarium (UBC). Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 1(1): 437-448.
• Saarela, J.M., Rai, H.S., Doyle, J.A., Endress, P.K., Mathews, S., Marchant, A.D. Briggs, B.G. and Graham, S.W. (2007). Hydatellaceae Identified as a New Branch Near the Base of the Angiosperm Phylogenetic Tree. Nature 446: 312–315, + online supplementary information. doi:10.1038/ nature05612
• Saarela, J.M., Peterson, P.M. and Refulio-Rodriguez, N. (2006). Bromus ayacuchensis (Poaceae: Pooideae: Bromeae), a New Species from Peru. Sida 22: 915-926.
• Saarela, J.M., Peterson, P.M. and Cayouette, J. (2005). Bromus hallii (Bromeae: Poaceae), a New Combination for California, U.S.A., and Taxonomic Notes on B. grandis and B. orcuttianus. Sida 21(4): 1997-2013.
• Saarela, J.M., Peterson, P.M., Soreng, R.J. and Chapman, R.E. (2003). A Taxonomic Revision of the Eastern Asian and Eastern North American Disjunct Genus Brachyelytrum (Poaceae): Evidence from Morphology, phytogeography and AFLPs. Systematic Botany 28: 674-692.
• Saarela, J.M. and Ford, B.A. (2001). The Taxonomy of the Carex backii Complex (sect. Phyllostachyae, Cyperaceae). Systematic Botany 26: 704-721.

Refereed Book Chapters

• Saarela, J.M. (2008). Hydatellaceae. pp. 167-169 In McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology, McGraw-Hill, New York. [Invited]
• Saarela, J.M., Peterson, P.M., Keane, R.M., Cayouette, J. and Graham, S.W. (2007). Molecular Phylogenetics of the Genus Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae) Based on Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA Sequence Data. pp. 450-467 In Columbus, J.T., Friar, E.A., Porter, J.M., Prince, L.M. and Simpson, M.G. (eds.), Monocots: Comparative Biology and Evolution (Poales). Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California, USA. Aliso 23: 450-467.
• Stephenson, S.N. and Saarela, J.M. (2007). Brachyelytrum. pp. 18 In Barkworth, M.E., Anderton, L.K., Capels, K.M., Long, S. and Piep, M.B. (eds.), Manual of Grasses for North America. Intermountain Herbarium and Utah State University Press, Logan.
• Stephenson, S.N., and Saarela,J.M. (2007). Brachyelytrum. pp. 59-61. In Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M., Long, S., Anderton, L.K. and Piep, M.B. (eds.). Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae: (in part): Poaceae, Part 1. Flora of North America North of Mexico, Volume 24. Oxford University Press, New York.
• Graham, S.W., Zgurski, J.M., McPherson, M.A., Cherniawsky, D.M, Saarela, J.M., Horne, ESC, Smith, S.Y., Wong, W.A., O’Brien, H.E., Biron, V.L., Pires, J.C., Olmstead, R.G., Chase, M.W. and Rai, H.S. (2006). Robust Inference of Monocot Deep Phylogeny using an Expanded Multigene Plastid Data Set. pp. 3-21 In Columbus, J.T., Friar, E.A., Porter, J.M., Prince, L.M. and  Simpson, M.G. (eds.). Monocots: Comparative Biology and Evolution (Excluding Poales). Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California, USA.

Other Contributions

• Saarela, J.M. (2009). Taxonomy of Bromus sections Bromus, Bromopsis and Genea (Poaceae) in British Columbia: a summary, a key, new records, specimen citations, and miscellaneous notes. Botanical Electronic News 415, published online 6 Oct 2009. (Web site consulted December 1, 2009)
• Saarela, J.M. (2008). Collecting Reed-Grasses (Calamagrostis) in Appalachia: Stories from the Field. Trail & Landscape 42(2): 61-73.
• Saarela, J.M. (2008). Collecting Reed-Grasses (Calamagrostis) in Appalachia. The Plant Press 11(1): 6-8.
• Gillet, J. Revised by Saarela J.M . (2008). Buttercup; Locoweed; Lupine; Nightshade; Poison Ivy; Poisonous plants; Sumac. Canadian Encyclopedia (Web site consulted December 22, 2008).
• Saarela, J.M. and Sears, C.J. (2006). A New Record of Zizania (Wild Rice) in British Columbia. Botanical Electronic News 363 (Web site consulted November 19, 2008).
• Saarela, J.M. (2005).Trisetum (Poaceae) in British Columbia. Botanical Electronic News 351. (Web site consulted November 19, 2008).
• Saarela, J.M. (2005). Book Review of “Dawson, J. and Lucas, R. (2005). The Nature of Plants: Habitats, Challenges, and Adaptations.” The Canadian Botanical Association Bulletin 38(3): 42-43.
• Saarela, J.M. (2004). North to Alaska: Grass Collecting in Northwestern North America. Menziesia 9(4): 9-13. (Modified version reprinted in The Plant Press 8(2): 1, 9-11. 2005. Newsletter of the Department of Botany & U.S. National Herbarium, Smithsonian Institution).
• Saarela, J.M. (2003). Documenting Biodiversity: The Importance of Natural History Collections. University of Alberta Environmental Research and Studies Centre Environmental News 3(3): 5-6.
• Saarela, J.M. (2003). Our Unknown Planet: Biological Discovery in the 21st Century. University of Alberta Environmental Research and Studies Centre Environmental News 3(1): 5-6.