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A. Jonathan Shaw

Professor of Biology
Biology
Box 90338, Durham, NC 27708-0338
Box 90338, 137 Bio Sciences, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


My research centers on the evolution and diversity of bryophytes. Current projects in the lab include molecular phylogenetic analyses of familial and ordinal level relationships in the arthrodontous mosses, studies of hybridization using molecular and morphological markers, and investigations of cryptic speciation within geographically widespread species. My own particular focus (as opposed to those of post-docs and graduate students in the lab) at present is the genus Sphagnum (peatmosses). Ongoing research is grounded in phylogenetic analyses at various levels of biological organization from populations up to genus-wide. We utilize DNA sequence data from the nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial genomes to infer historical processes of biodiversification. I have a special interest in the genetic structure of both rare and widespread species. Morphological and molecular information is being used to explore geographic patterns in phylogenetic diversity within the peatmosses. Of particular interest are biogeographic relationships between boreal, tropical, and Southern Hemisphere taxa, and between New and Old World taxa. Our data base presently includes nucleotide sequences from multiple loci representing some 500-600 accessions of peatmosses. Additional information about this ongoing work can be found here. The bryology laboratory is engaged in ongoing collaborative research projects with the New York Botanical Garden, the University of Connecticut, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the University of Alberta. Additional information about these projects can be found here. I serve as Curator of the Bryophyte Herbarium, which includes approximately 230,000 collections of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. The collections represent a central resource for bryological research at Duke, and we are actively integrating molecular investigations with field work and collections- based approaches.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Biology · 2001 - Present Biology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

In the News


Published March 18, 2024
Climate Change Alters the Hidden Microbial Food Web in Peatlands
Published January 19, 2024
The Duke Herbarium Needs a Bigger Home for Its 825,000 Plant Species

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Recent Publications


Newly identified sex chromosomes in the Sphagnum (peat moss) genome alter carbon sequestration and ecosystem dynamics.

Journal Article Nature plants · February 2023 Peatlands are crucial sinks for atmospheric carbon but are critically threatened due to warming climates. Sphagnum (peat moss) species are keystone members of peatland communities where they actively engineer hyperacidic conditions, which improves their co ... Full text Cite

Habitat-adapted microbial communities mediate Sphagnum peatmoss resilience to warming.

Journal Article The New phytologist · June 2022 Sphagnum peatmosses are fundamental members of peatland ecosystems, where they contribute to the uptake and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon. Warming threatens Sphagnum mosses and is known to alter the composition of their associated microbiome. Her ... Full text Cite

Novel metabolic interactions and environmental conditions mediate the boreal peatmoss-cyanobacteria mutualism.

Journal Article The ISME journal · April 2022 Interactions between Sphagnum (peat moss) and cyanobacteria play critical roles in terrestrial carbon and nitrogen cycling processes. Knowledge of the metabolites exchanged, the physiological processes involved, and the environmental conditions allowing th ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


From viruses to protists: temperature response of the neglected components of microbial controls on peatland nutrient cycling

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Energy · 2019 - 2025

Accessioning and curating the BING peatmoss (Sphagnum) collection into DUKE

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2022 - 2025

Digitization TCN: Collaborative Research: Building a global consortium of bryophytes and lichens: keystones of cryptobiotic communities

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2020 - 2025

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Michigan, Ann Arbor · 1983 Ph.D.
University of Alberta (Canada) · 1980 M.S.
Cornell University · 1977 B.S.