The Petren lab studies speciation, population divergence, dispersal and species interactions in natural populations. Much of the lab's research is in the field of comparative landscape genetics, where molecular markers (like those used in forensics) are used to reconstruct migration, hybridization and population history. Other work explores how behavior affects ecological interactions. Research systems include the adaptive radiation of Darwin's finches and the dynamics of lizard invasions. The lab combines molecular genetics, genomics, behavioral experiments and field research in places like the Galápagos, southeast USA and Cincinnati, Ohio. Visit the Petren Lab homepage.
Ken is part of the growing ECBR group within Biological Sciences.
Positions and Work Experience
2006 - Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati, Dept. Biological Sciences
2000 -2006 Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati, Dept. Biological Sciences
2011 -2014 Department Head, Biological Sciences, U. Cincinnati,
2015 -To Present Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, U Cincinnati,
Research Support
Grant: #DBI-1262863
Investigators:Petren, Kenneth; Uetz, George 10-01-2013
-09-30-2016 National Science Foundation New REU Site: Sensory Ecology: An Integrative Approach
Role:PI $193,113.00 Awarded
Level:Federal
Grant: #SRS 008545
Investigators:Petren, Kenneth 05-01-2013
-04-30-2016 Institute of Museum and Library Services Evaluating Two Decades of Seeds, Spores, and Tissues in CREW's CryoBioBank: Cryostorage as a Tool for Ex Situ Conservation in Botanical Gardens
Role:PI $39,936.00 Active
Level:Federal
Grant: #DEB-0317687
Investigators:Petren, Kenneth 09-01-2003
-08-31-2006 National Science Foundation The Role of Peripheral Isolation in Adaptive Radiation
Role:PI $359,000.00 Closed
Level:Federal
Grant: #MoD Sub No 139852
Investigators:Petren, Kenneth 01-01-2017
-12-31-2017 March of Dimes March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center Ohio Collaborative – Theme 1 (YEAR 5)
Role:PI $5,426.00 Active
Level:Private Non-Profit
Abbreviated Publications
Peer Reviewed Publications
Lawson L.P. and Petren K (2017) The adaptive genomic landscape of beak morphology in Darwin’s finches. Molecular Ecology.
Lawson LP, B Fessl, FH Vargas, HL Farrington, HF Cunningham, JC Mueller, E Nemeth, PC Sevilla, K Petren. (2016) Slow motion extinction: inbreeding, introgression, and loss in the critically endangered mangrove finch (Camarhynchus heliobates). Conservation Genetics.
Kim M, Cooper B, Venkat R, Phillips J, Eidem H, Hirbo, J, Nutakki S, Williams S, Muglia L, Capra JA, Petren K, Abbot P, Rokas A, McGary K. (2015) GEneSTATION 1.0: a synthetic resource of diverse evolutionary and functional genomic data for studying the evolution of pregnancy-associated tissues and phenotypes.Nucleic Acids Research 2015
Farrington HL, Lawson LP, Clark CM, Petren K. (2014). The evolutionary history of Darwin’s finches: Speciation, gene flow and introgression in a fragmented landscape. Evolution 68: 2932–2944.
Petren, K. (2013) The evolution of landscape genetics. Evolution. (Editor, special section).
Parker, P., Buckles, E. L., Farrington, H., Petren, K., Whiteman, N., Ricklefs, R., Bollmer, J. L. & Jiménez-Uzcátegui, G.(2011). 110 Years of Avipoxvirus on the Galápagos Islands.PLoS ONE: 6(1): e15989. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015989.
Farrington, H. L, & Petren, K. (2011). A century of genetic change and metapopulation dynamics in the Galápagos warbler finches (Certhidea). Evolution 65(11), 3148-61.More Information
Short, K. H. & Petren, K. (2011). Fine-scale genetic structure arises during range expansion of an invasive gecko. PloS one, 6(10), e26258.More Information
Short KH and Petren K (2011) Multimodal dispersal during the range expansion of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia. Ecology and Evolution 1: 181-190. (Cover photo).More Information
Short, Kristen H, & Petren, Kenneth (2011). Multimodal dispersal during the range expansion of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia. Ecology and evolution, 1(2), 181-90.More Information
Brumm, H., Farrington, H., Petren, K., & Fessl, B. (2010). Evolutionary dead end in the Galápagos: divergence of sexual signals in the rarest of Darwin's finches. PLoS One, 5(6), e11191.More Information
Petren, K., Grant, P. R, Grant, B R., Clack, A. A, & Lescano, N. V (2010). Multilocus genotypes from Charles Darwin's finches: biodiversity lost since the voyage of the Beagle. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 365(1543), 1009-18.More Information
Parent, Christine E, Caccone, Adalgisa, & Petren, Kenneth (2008). Colonization and diversification of Galápagos terrestrial fauna: a phylogenetic and biogeographical synthesis. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 363(1508), 3347-61.More Information
Short, K.H., & Petren, K. (2008) Boldness underlies foraging success of invasive Lepidodactylus lugubris geckos in the human landscape. Animal Behaviour 76, 429-437.
Short, K.H., & Petren, K. (2008) Isolation and characterization of twelve polymorphic microsatellite markers in the tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia). Molecular Ecology Resources 3, 1319-1321.
Dame, E. & Petren, K. (2006). Behavioral mechanisms of invasion and displacement in Pacific Island Hemidactylus geckos. Animal Behaviour, 71, 1165-1173.
Tonnis, Brandon, Grant, Peter R, Grant, B Rosemary, & Petren, Kenneth (2005). Habitat selection and ecological speciation in Galápagos warbler finches (Certhidea olivacea and Certhidea fusca). Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society, 272(1565), 819-26.More Information
Grant, P. R., Grant, B. R., Petren, K., Keller, L. F. (2005). Extinction behind our backs: the possible fate of one of the Darwin';s finch species on Isla Floreana, Galapagos. Biological Conservation, 122(3), 499, 503.
Tonnis, B., Grant, P.R., Grant, B.R., & Petren, K (2005). Habitat selection and ecological speciation in the Galápagos warbler finches Certhidea fusca and C. olivacea. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B, 272, 819-826.
Grant, P.R., Grant, B.R., & Petren, K (2005). Hybridization in the recent past. American Naturalist, 166, 56-57.
Petren, K., Grant, B.R., Grant, P.R., & Keller, L.F. (2005). Comparative landscape genetics and the adaptive radiation of Darwin’s finches: the role of peripheral isolation. Molecular Ecology, 14, 2943-2957.
Grant, P.R., Grant, B.R., Petren, K., & Keller, L.F. (2004). Extinction behind our backs: the possible fate of one of the Darwin’s finch species on Isla Floreana, Galápagos. Biological Conservation, 122, 499-503.
Gee, J., Calkins, J.D., & Petren, K. (2003). Characterization of microsatellites from two quail, Callipepla californica and C. gambeli. Molecular Ecology Notes, 3, 35-36.
Wilmhoff, C.D., Csepeggi, C.E., & Petren, K. (2003). Characterization of dinucleotide microsatellite markers in the parthenogenetic mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris). Molecular Ecology Notes, 3, 400-402.
Grant, P.R., Grant, B.R., Keller, L.F., Markert, J.A., & Petren, K. (2003). Inbreeding and interbreeding of Darwin's finches. Evolution, 57, 2911-2916.
Keller, L. F., Grant, P. R., Grant, B. R., Petren, K. (2002). Environmental conditions affect the magnitude of inbreeding depression in survival of Darwin';s finches. Evolution, 56(6), 1229, 1239.
Mayer, A. L., Petren, K., Shelton, A., Cramer, M. J., Keane, B., Markert, J., Heath, B., Maurer, E., Roberts, J. A., Tonnis, B. (2002). Scaling natal dispersal distances: Confounding factors. Conservation Ecology, 6(1), r8, r8.
Keller, L. F., Grant, P. R., Grant, B. R., Petren, K. (2001). Heritability of morphological traits in Darwin';s Finches: misidentified paternity and maternal effects. Heredity, 87, 325, 336.
Grant, P. R., Grant, B. R., Petren, K. (2001). A population founded by a single pair of individuals: establishment, expansion, and evolution. Genetica, 112, 359, 382.
Grant, P. R., Grant, B. R., Petren, K. (2000). The allopatric phase of speciation: the sharp-beaked ground finch (Geospiza difficilis) on the Galapagos islands. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 69(3), 287, 317.
Grant, P. R., Grant, B. R., Petren, K. (2000). Vocalizations of Darwin's Finch relatives. Ibis, 142(4), 680, 682.
Grant, P. R., Grant, B. R., Keller, L. F., Petren, K. (2000). Effects of El Nino events on Darwin';s finch productivity. Ecology, 81(9), 2442, 2457.
Petren, K., Grant, B. R., Grant, P. R. (1999). A phylogeny of Darwin';s finches based on microsatellite DNA length variation. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Biological Sciences, 266(1417), 321, 329.
Petren, K., Grant, B. R., Grant, P. R. (1999). Low extrapair paternity in the cactus finch (Geospiza scandens). Auk, 116(1), 252, 256.
Hanley, K. A., Petren, K., Case, T. J. (1998). An experimental investigation of the competitive displacement of a native gecko by an invading gecko: no role for parasites. Oecologia, 115(1-2), 196, 205.
Petren, K., Case, T. J. (1998). Habitat structure determines competition intensity and invasion success in gecko lizards. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 95(20), 11739, 11744.
Petren, K. (1998). Microsatellite primers from Geospiza fortis and cross-species amplification in Darwin';s finches. Molecular ecology, 7(12), 1782, 1784.
Petren, K., Case, T. J. (1997). A phylogenetic analysis of body size evolution and biogeography in Chuckwallas (Sauromalus) and other iguanines. Evolution, 51(1), 206, 219.
Petren, K., Case, T. J. (1996). An experimental demonstration of exploitation competition in an ongoing invasion. Ecology, 77(1), 118, 132.
Irschick, D. J., Austin, C. C., Petren, K., Fisher, R. N., Losos, J. B., Ellers, O. (1996). A comparative analysis of clinging ability among pad-bearing lizards. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 59(1), 21, 35.
Case, T. J., Bolger, D. T., Petren, K. (1994). Invasions and Competitive Displacement among House Geckos in the Tropical Pacific. Ecology, 75(2), 464, 477.
Petren, K., Bolger, D. T., Case, T. J. (1993). Mechanisms in the Competitive Success of an Invading Sexual Gecko Over an Asexual Native. Science, 259(5093), 354, 358.
Encyclopedia Article
Petren, K. (2010) Galapagos Finches, in Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia.
Farrington, H. & Petren, K. (2009). Darwin's finches of the Galápagos.Encyclopedia of Islands, pp. 352-356.
Petren, K. (2001) The concepts of the habitat and the niche. In:The Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. S. A. Levin, Ed. Academic Press, San Diego. pp. 303-315.
Review
Petren, K. (2002) Putting ecology back into evolution. Review of The Ecology of Adaptive Radiation, D. Schluter. Ecology 83: 591-592.
Petren, K. (1999) The rising tide of mechanisms in experimental ecology. Review ofExperimental Ecology: issues and perspectives, W. J. Resetarits, Jr. and J. Bernardo, eds., Oxford. Ecology 80:1097-1098.
dispersal and species interactions in natural populations. Much of the lab's research is in the field of comparative landscape genetics, where molecular markers (like those used in forensics) are used to reconstruct migration, hybridization and population history. Other work explores how behavior affects ecological interactions. Research systems include the adaptive radiation of Darwin's finches and the dynamics of lizard invasions. The lab combines molecular genetics, genomics, behavioral experiments and field research in places like the Galápagos, southeast USA and Cincinnati, Ohio. Visit the Petren Lab homepage.