Dr Stephen Cavers

Dr Stephen Cavers

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Bush Estate
Penicuik
Midlothian,
EH26 0QB 
Tel: +44 (0)131 445 4343
Fax: +44 (0)131 445 3943
E-mail: Dr Stephen Cavers
 

Current work and research interests

My research concerns genetic diversity, gene flow and adaptation in plants. Working with UK and international partners, I have studied how genetic variation is organised in populations, how this structure relates to life history characteristics and how such information can be used for better management and conservation of threatened species. Combined quantitative and population genetic approaches are used to identify demographic and evolutionary factors shaping genetic diversity and population structure and allow more thorough assessment of genetic resources for conservation. Recently, the importance of gene flow patterns and the consequences of forest fragmentation and restoration, e.g. through alteration of mating systems, have been explored in Scotland, Central America and Africa. Building on the knowledge gained on adaptive divergence within species, new research has begun to explore the link between trees as keystone organisms and other trophic levels.

Key Species: Cedrela odorata, Swietenia macrophylla, Vochysia ferruginea, Prunus africana, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus spp., Acacia senegal.

Current Projects

  • SEEDSOURCE (coordinator):  Developing best practice for sourcing and utilising seed for agroforestry and reforestation in the Latin American humid tropics. (EU FP6)
  • FOREAIM (partner): Bridging restoration and multi-functionality in degraded forest landscape of Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands (EU FP6)
  • ACACIAGUM (partner, WP leader): Innovative management of Acacia senegal trees to improve resource productivity and gum-arabic production in arid and semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa (EU FP6)
  • EVOLTREE (partner): Network of Excellence ‘Evolution of trees as drivers of terrestrial biodiversity’ (EU FP6)

Previous Projects

  • GENEO-TROPECO (project coordinator):  Sustainable management of neo-tropical tree genetic resources: combining molecular and modelling methods to understand structure and dynamics of gene diversity (EU FP5) Final report
  • TEAKDIV: Developing know-how for the improvement and sustainable management of teak genetic resources (EU FP5) Final Report
  • OAKFLOW: (Intra and interspecific gene flows in oaks as mechanisms promoting genetic diversity and adaptive potential) (EU FP5) Final Report

Current Group Members

Past staff/students: Cecile Bacles (staff), Katherine Walker (staff), Sam Davies (staff / PhD), Fernando Arenal (MSc), Gustavo Hernandez (MSc), Judith Nantongo (MSc), Tereza Rieglova (MSc), Jess Shepherd (MSc), Patrick Home Robertson (MSc), Annelise Decorde, Charlotte Aubrey (MSc), Chris Brown (MSc), Tom Heller (MSc)

 

Brief CV

  • PhD, University of Edinburgh (2002): Population genetic structure and phylogeography of two commercially important neotropical tree species: Vochysia ferruginea Mart. and Cedrela odorata L.
  • MSc Ecology, University of Wales, Bangor (1998)
  • BSc Chemistry, University of Edinburgh (1994)
Selected publications

See also the NERC Open Research Archive.

Nantongo J.S., J. B. L Okullo, G. Eilu, I. R. Ramonta, D. Odee and S. Cavers (In Press) Structuring of genetic diversity in Albizia gummifera C.A.Sm. among some East African and Madagascan populations. Journal of African Ecology

Navarro C., Cavers S., Lowe A.J. (In Press) Seedsourcing recommendations for neotropical forest restoration with native species. Journal of Sustainable Forestry

Hernandez G.,  Buonamici A., Walker K., Vendramin G.G., Navarro C., Cavers S. (2007) Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for Cedrela  odorata L. (Meliaceae). Conservation Genetics.

Ingleby K., Wilson, J., Munro R.C., Cavers S (2007) Mycorrhizas in agroforestry: spread and sharing of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi between trees and crops. Plant and Soil. 294:125–136.

Cavers, S., Degen, B., Caron, H., Hardy, O., Lemes, M., Gribel, R., Margis, R., Salgueiro, F. & Lowe, A.J. (2005) Optimal sampling strategy for estimation of spatial genetic structure in tree populations. Heredity.

Cavers, S., Navarro, C. & Lowe, A.J. (2004) Targeting genetic resource conservation in widespread species: a case study of Cedrela odorata L. Forest Ecology and Management 197, 285-294.

Cavers, S., Navarro, C. & Lowe, A.J. (2003) Chloroplast DNA phylogeography reveals colonisation history of a Neotropical tree, Cedrela odorata L., in Mesoamerica. Molecular Ecology 12, 1451-1460.

Cavers, S., Navarro, C. & Lowe, A.J. (2003) A combination of molecular markers identifies evolutionarily significant units in Cedrela odorata L. (Meliaceae) in Costa Rica. Conservation Genetics, 4, 571-580.

Lowe, A.J., Jourde, B., Breyne, P., Colpaert, N., Navarro, C., Wilson, J. & Cavers, S. (2003) Fine-scale genetic structure and gene flow within Costa Rican populations of Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). Heredity, 90, 268-275.