My principal research interest is in the evolution of communication.  My work has three major objectives.  First, to understand the causes of diversity in communication signals.  To address this question I test models of signal evolution as explanations for diverse mating signals in sticklebacks.  This work has the long-term objective of integrating several important models of sexual selection - sensory drive, condition dependence, and Fisherian runaway.  By studying these models in concert I hope to help create a more unified conceptual foundation for studying sexual selection.  Second, to understand the role divergent sexually selected signals play in speciation.  Here I test reproductive isolation between species that differ in male mating signals and female preferences.  Third, to understand how signal evolution and ecological adaptation interact in generating new species.  Sexual selection operates in an ecological context and ecological divergence figures prominently in most models of speciation.  To address the third question I explore the interaction of sexually selected traits and ecological traits in the evolution of reproductive isolation.
 
My other interest -- in cooperation -- arises from our lack of knowledge about the evolutionary mechanisms that favor cooperation among unrelated individuals.  With low levels of relatedness, conflict of interest between social partners should be intense, yet many species do cooperate.  Why?  And how are cheaters prevented from undermining such cooperation?  How does social communication mediate cooperation?  I studied these questions in greater spear-nosed bats.

I use a combination of field observations, field experiments, and laboratory experiments.  My interests and training cross levels of organization from sensory biology to behavioral ecology to evolutionary ecology.  I integrate these levels in my research to address questions of how communication systems evolve.

Graduate Students:

I welcome students interested in working on the evolution of behavior, especially those who want to focus on sexual selection and speciation, and/or communication. The main things I am looking for in prospective students is a high level of curiosity about evolution and behavior, good intellectual ability, the ability to work independently, some research experience, and a close enough match in interests so that I can effectively advise them.

Postdoctoral Associates Currently Supervised:

Dr. Megan Head, Ph.D from University of New South Wales with Rob Brooks.
Megan is supported on my NSF grant. Her expertise is in testing sexual selection theory, in conducting selection analysis, and mate choice experiments.

Graduate Students Currently Supervised:

Genevieve Kozak, University Fellow (04-05), NSF Pre-doctoral Fellow 2005-2008. (kozak@wisc.edu)
   Genny is investigating how social behavior contributes to the evolution of reproductive isolation in sticklebacks by testing how social experience influences preferences for group members and mates between the recently evolved benthic and limnetic stickleback species. She is testing if experience alters recognition in these species, and how experience with parents (imprinting) and experience with other juveniles alters schooling and mate choice. She was awarded an NSF predoc in spring 2005.

Alycia Reynolds ( acreynolds@wisc.edu )
Alycia's work investigates ecological causes of hybridization between two endangered species. The putative cause of ecological change is an invasive crayfish. She will be measuring the magnitude of premating isolation remaining, and investigating which ecological changes are responsible for increased hybridization.

Courses:

Zoology 151 Introductory Biology (the evolution component)
Zoology 425 Evolution of Behavior
Zoology 957 Seminar - Speciation
Zoology 950 Interdisciplinary Seminar in Animal Behavior
Zoology 962 Seminar in Ethology

Sample Recent Publications:

• Boughman JW. (2007) Sticklebacks and humans walk hand in fin to lighter skin. Cell. 131: 11-13. 

• Boughman JW. (2007) Condition dependent expression of red color differs between stickleback species. Journal of Evolutionary Biology.

• Rafferty N & Boughman JW. (2006) Olfactory mate recognition in a sympatric species pair of threespine sticklebacks. Behavioral Ecology,17: 965-970.

• Boughman JW (2006) Divergence and speciation in sticklebacks. In OstlundNilsson S, Mayer I, & Huntingford F. (eds) The Biology of the Threespine Stickleback. pp 83-126, CRC Press.

• Boughman JW. (2006) Selection on social traits in greater spearnosed bats. Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, 60: 766-777.

• Taylor EB, Boughman JW, Groenenboom M, Sniatynksi M, Schluter D & Gow J. (2006) Speciation in reverse: morphological and genetic evidence of the collapse of a stickleback species pair (Gasterosteus). Molecular Ecology 15: 343-355.

• Boughman, J.W., Rundle, H.D. & Schluter, D. (2005) Parallel evolution of sexual isolation in sticklebacks. Evolution 59(2): 361-373.

• Bohn, K.M., Boughman, J.W., Wilkinson, G.S. & Moss, C.F. 2004. Infant isolation call frequency matches hearing sensitivity in greater spear-nosed bats. J. Comparative Physiology A. 190: 185-192.

• Boughman, J.W. (2003) Social sounds: vocal learning and development of mammal and bird calls. In Megela-Simmons, A., Popper, A.N. & Fay, R. (eds.) Acoustic Communication. Springer Handbook of Auditory Research pp 138-224.

• Boughman, J.W. (2002) How sensory drive can promote speciation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 17: 571-577.

• Boughman, J.W. (2001) Divergent sexual selection enhances reproductive isolation in sticklebacks. Nature 411: 944-948.

• Rundle, H.D., Nagel, L.M., Boughman, J.W. & Schluter, D. (2000) Natural selection and parallel speciation in sympatric sticklebacks. Science. 287: 306-308.

• Boughman, J.W. (1998) Vocal learning by greater spear-nosed bats. Proceedings Royal Society B 265: 227-233.

Evolutionary Biology at UW-Madison