Biodiversity Studies in the Albert Lab

Neotropical freshwaters are home to an an unparalleled diversity of fishes, with more than 7,000 species representing a majority of the world’s freshwater fishes, and constituting perhaps 10% of all known vertebrate species. Any general understanding of vertebrate evolution must therefore address the spectacular evolutionary radiations of Neotropical fishes.

Research in the Albert Lab focuses on the spectacular evolutionary radiations of tropical fishes from Central and South America, with the goal to document the species and adaptations that characterize these highly diverse but fragile aquatic faunas.

Field collections and Species inventories

Field surveys and biotic inventories are critical for documenting patterns of diversity, identifying areas of endemism, and meeting management objectives for protected areas. Dr. Albert has worked for more than 20 years in the tropics, collecting fishes in remote areas of tropical South America and Southeast Asia.

Descriptions of species new to science

Species are fundamental units of biodiversity and conservation, yet only a fraction of the fish species in tropical regions have been formally described and named.  Undescribed species are literally invisible to the research and resource management communities, and many species are disappearing before their existence is even known to science. In the face of accelerating habitat and climate changes there is an urgent need to document species.  Species descriptions therefore form a large part of the research effort in the Albert Lab. To date Dr. Albert with colleagues and students have described 35 species, and many more species are currently in the process of being prepared for publication.

Phylogenetic Systematics

Phylogenetic systematics (cladistics) is a method of discovering the evolutionary relationships of species or higher taxa; in other words, to reconstruct the tree of life. Since the evolutionary history of any group of organisms is unique, the phylogenetic tree of their interrelationships is a natural information storage system that summarizes most aspects of their biology, from molecules to behaviors and everything in between.  Phylogenetic research in the Albert Lab currently focuses on several groups of South American electric fishes (Gymnotidae, Rhamphichthyidae) and a group of Central American miniature fishes related to guppies (Poecillidae).

Historical Biogeography

Historical biogeography is the study of animal distributions emphasiszing evolution and over evolutionary time scales, and using a combination of phylogenetic and distributional information. One of the main long term research goals of the Albert Lab is to help understand the ecological and evolutionary forces underlying the formation of highly diverse Neotropical ecosystems.