Tim C. Theisen PhD: Florida Atlantic University, 2006 Instructor Research interests: Population genetics, phylogeography, movement patterns, and environmental preferences of aquatic organisms Contact information Office: ES 296 Phone: 954-236-1061 Email: ttheisen@fau.edu webpage: www.wahooproject.org

Research Interests:
My current research involves investigating the population genetic structure of fishes.  I am particularly interested in identifying patterns of genetic distribution in fish species, and then examining how these patterns may be related to historical events, reproductive behavior, and contemporary movements of individuals.  It is important to understand how observed levels of genetic variation reflect historical processes or events vs. contemporary processes such as movement patterns and environmental preferences.  This understanding can identify the effect that factors such as pollution, fisheries management practices, and introduction of exotics have on species distribution, now and in the future.  A suite of genetic and statistical tools are used to analyze and interpret DNA sequence data to make inferences about the genetic structure and phylogeography of the species.  The results of this research improve understanding of the ecology of the species, and are prominent in shaping individual fisheries management plans as well as overall fisheries management policies.

For many species, particularly highly mobile species, identifying the relative influences of contemporary vs. historical processes on genetic variation is aided by having an accurate description of movements such as egg/larval dispersal and adult movements (extended foraging, following preferred environments, seasonal migrations, reproduction-motivated movements).  I am currently studying the movement patterns of adult fishes by deploying pop-up satellite archival tags (PSAT’s).  PSAT’s are a relatively new technology that record and store the location, surrounding water temperature, and depth of a tagged animal for some period of time (usually several months), then send the data via satellite to the researcher; neither the animal nor the tag need to be recovered.

Publications:
Theisen et al (submitted) High connectivity on a global scale in the pelagic wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri.  Molecular Ecology.

Theisen et al (2006) Movement patterns and environmental preferences of the wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri. Proceedings of the 58th Annual Meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute.

Theisen et al (in prep.) Movement patterns and environmental preferences of the wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri, in the western North Atlantic ocean.

Theisen et al (in prep.) Conflicting genetic histories from two mitochondrial markers.