Biology Department

Ann Willyard, Ph.D

Ann Willyard

2009 - Nancy and Craig Wood Odyssey Associate Professor of Biology 
Ph.D, Oregon State University '07
M.S., California State University, Chico '01
B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz '74

DW Reynolds Room #316
501-450-1376501-450-1376
Fax 501-450-4547

Email: willyard@hendrix.edu

Courses Taught

BIOL 101 – Concepts of Biology: Plants and People  (see sample syllabus)
BIOL 108 – Tropical Field Botany ( 2013 fieldwork in India)
BIOL 190 – Botany ( see sample syllabus) 
BIOL 330 – Plant Systematics  (see sample syllabus)
BIOL 360 – Biology of Algae and Fungi  (see sample syllabus)
BIOL 497 – Biology Senior Seminar

 

Academic Background 

Post Doctoral Fellow: University of South Dakota
Faculty Research Assistant: Oregon State University Herbarium

Research 

Phylogeography - the study of the processes that shaped the current geographic distribution of plant species - uses the tools of phylogenetics (inferring evolutionary relationships) and species delimitation (measuring how unique a lineage has become). The genetic makeup of any population is strongly influenced by the ability to exchange genes within and among populations, to migrate, to adapt to different climates, and to interact with symbionts and pathogens. Dr. Willyard conducts collaborative research with Hendrix students on the ponderosa pine species complex, focusing on populations that are apparently unique to high-elevation habitats, specialized soil types, or unusual coastal and desert climates. Hendrix students have traveled to 12 states in the Western U.S. to observe these pine populations and to collect plant samples. By comparing DNA similarities among trees, students have shed light on the phylogeography of these pines. Recent student presentations have included posters and talks at international, national, and regional conferences in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; New Orleans, LA; and at the Arkansas Academy of Science. A paper co-authored with undergraduate researchers was recently published in the American Journal of Botany (Willyard et al. 2017 BJB 104-161).  

  

Publications

Willyard, Gernandt, Potter, Hipkins, Marquardt, Mahalovich, Langer, Telewski, *Cooper, *Douglas, *Finch, *Karemera, *Lefler, *Lea, *Wofford. (2017). Pinus ponderosa: a checkered past obscured four species. Am. J. Bot. 104: 161-181 doi:10.3732/ajb.1600336.

Willyard, A. (2015). Iridaceae in The Flora of Oregon New Link

*Harrington, A.H., *A.F. Bigott, *B.W. Anderson, *M.J. Boone, *S.M. Brick, *J.F. del Sol, *C.A. Hotchkiss, *R.A. Huddleston, *E.H. Kasper, *J.J. McGrady, *M.L. McKinnie, *M.V. Ottenlips, *N.E. Skinner, *K.C. Spatz, *A.J. Steinberg, *F. van den Broek, *C.N. Wilson, *A.M. Wofford and A. Willyard.(2015). Sampling local fungal diversity in an undergraduate laboratory using DNA barcoding. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 68: 65-72.

*Wofford, A., *K. Finch, *A. Bigott, and A. Willyard. (2014). A set of plastid loci for use in multiplex fragment length genotyping for intraspecific variation in Pinus(Pinaceae). Appl. in Plant Sciences 2(5). ( download PDF)

Willyard, A; Wallace, L.; Wagner, W.L.; Weller, S.G.; Sakai, A.; Nepokroeff, M. (2011). Estimating the species tree for Hawaiian Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae) from multiple loci in the presence of reticulate evolution.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 60:29-48.  (download abstract) 

Willyard, A. (in press) Iridaceae in The Flora of Oregon. 
Available online at http://www.oregonflora.org/flora.php  

Gernandt, D., A. Willyard, J. Syring, and A. Liston (2011).
The conifers (Pinophyta) In C. Plomion and J. Bousquet, editors
Conifers, Science Publishers, New Hampshire, USA.  (download abstract)  

Willyard, A, R. Cronn, and A. Liston (2009).
Reticulate evolution and incomplete lineage sorting among the ponderosa pines.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 52:498-511. (download pdf).

Epperson, B., F. Telewski, and A. Willyard (2009).
Chloroplast diversity in a putative hybrid swarm of Ponderosae.
American  Journal of Botany  96(3):707-712. (download pdf).

Gernandt, D., S. Magallón, G. López, O. Flores, A, Willyard, and A. Liston (2008).
Use of simultaneous analyses to guide fossil–based calibrations of Pinaceae Phylogeny.
International Journal Plant Science 169(8):1086-1099. (download pdf)

Willyard, A., J. Syring, D. Gernandt, A. Liston, and R. Cronn (2007).
Fossil calibration of molecular divergence in Pinus: inferences for ages and mutation rates. Molecular Biology and Evolution 24: 90–101. (download pdf).

Liston, A. M. Parker–Defeniks, J. Syring, A. Willyard, and R. Cronn (2007).
Interspecific phylogenetic analysis enhances intraspecific phylogeographic inference: A case study in Pinus lambertiana.
Molecular Ecology 16: 3926–3937. (download abstract).

Syring, J., A. Willyard, R. Cronn, and A. Liston (2005).
Evolutionary relationships among Pinus (Pinaceae) subsections inferred from multiple low–copy nuclear loci.
American Journal of Botany 92: 2086–2100. (download pdf)




Funding Sources 

2014: US Forest Service, National Forest Genetics Laboratory, Challenge Cost Share Agreement
2014-2016: Nancy and Craig Wood Odyssey Professorship
2013: Arkansas DHE SURF: Austin Wofford, student researcher
2013: Beta Beta Beta: Adam Bigott, student researcher
2013: Beta Beta Beta: Austin Wofford, student researcher
2013: Arkansas Academy of Science: Austin Wofford, student researcher
2013: Hendrix Odyssey Faculty Project to support three summer research student
2013: Associated Colleges of the South, Blended Learning
2012: Arkansas DHE SURF: Dalton Hoose, student researcher
2012: Arkansas Academy of Science: Adam Bigott, student researcher
2011: Beta Beta Beta: Payton Lea, student researcher
2011: Arkansas DHE SURF: Brian Schumacher, student researcher
2011: Arkansas Academy of Science: Kristen Finch, student researcher
2011: California Native Plant Society: Jack Finney, student researcher
2010: Arkansas DHE SURF: Kristen Finch, student researcher
2010: Arkansas Academy of Science: Nicole Segear, student researcher
2009: Arkansas DHE SURF, Brandon Linz, student researcher
2009: Odyssey Faculty Project
2007: American Philosophical Society Franklin Research Grant
2006: Leslie and Vera Gottlieb Research Fund in Plant Evolutionary Biology
1998: Jim Jokerst Field Botany Award

 

Invited Presentations 

2016: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas
2013: Department of Botany, Oklahoma State University
2013: BCM College, Kottayam, Kerala, India
2013: St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
2013: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University
2012: Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University
2011: Seminarios del IBUNAM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
2011: The Arboretum at University of California, Santa Cruz
2010: Dead Plant Society, Cornell University
2009: Hendrix Biological Society
2008: Association for Computing Machinery, University of South Dakota
2007: Department of Biology, University of South Dakota
2005: Native Plant Society of Oregon
2003: California Native Plant Society

 

Conference Presentations 

2017: Willyard, Northern California Botanists, Chico, CA
              View talk at this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LWg10GLDzc
2016: *Dobbins, Botanical Society of America, Savannah, GA
2016: *Lockhart, Botanical Society of America, Savahnah, GA
2016: *Sifford, Botanical Society of America, Savannah, GA
2016: *Wills, Botanical Society of America, Savannah, GA
2016: *Karemera, Arkansas Academy of Science, Fayetteville, AR
2016: *Lefler, Arkansas Academy of Science, Fayetteville, AR
2015: *Huynh. Botany, Edmonton, Canada
2015: *Karemera, Botany, Edmonton, Canada
2015: *Lefler, Botany, Edmonton, Canada
2014: *Cooper, B., A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Boise, ID
2014: *Douglas, C., A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Boise, ID
2014: *Hoose, D., A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Boise, ID
2014: *Wofford, A., A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Boise, ID
2014: *Cooper, B. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2014: *Douglas, C. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2014: *Hoose, D. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2014: *Wofford, A. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2014: *Bigott, A. Beta Beta Beta Convention, Kingston, OK|
2014: *Skinner, N., M. Ottenlips et al. Arkansas Academy of Science, Searcy, AR
2013: *Hoose, D., A. Willyard, R. Cronn, and T. Jennings. Hendrix Biological Society, Conway, AR
2013: *Bigott, A. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, New Orleans, LA
2013: *Hoose, D., A. Willyard, R. Cronn, and T. Jennings. Botanical Society of America, New Orleans, LA
2013: *Smith, J., P. Marquardt, R. Cronn, F. W. Telewski, T. Jennings, and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, New Orleans, LA
2013: *Wofford, A. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, New Orleans, LA
2013: *Bigott, A. and A. Willyard. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2013: *Hoose, D., A. Willyard, R. Cronn, and T. Jennings. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2013: *Smith, J., P. Marquardt, R. Cronn, F. W. Telewski, T. Jennings, and A. Willyard. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2013: *Wofford, A. and A. Willyard. Central Arkansas UG Research Symposium, Little Rock, AR
2013: *Bigott, A. and A. Willyard. Arkansas Academy of Science, Little Rock, AR – 2nd place, life science undergraduate oral presentation category
2013: *Bigott, A. and A. Willyard. Arkansas STEM Posters at the Capitol, Little Rock, AR
2012: *Bigott, A. and A. Willyard. Hendrix Biological Society, Conway, AR
2012: *Bigott, A. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Columbus, OH
2012: *Pouncey, D. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Columbus, OH
2012: *Lea, P. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Columbus, OH
2012: *Spatz, K. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Columbus, OH
2012: *Schumacher, B. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Columbus, OH
2012: *Finch, K. Arkansas Academy of Science, Magnolia, AR
2011: *Segear, N. Arkansas Academy of Science, Monticello, AR
2011: *Finch, K., S. Meyers, and A. Willyard.  Botanical Society of America, St. Louis, MO
2011: *Finney, J. and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, St. Louis, MO
2010: *Linz, B., A. Willyard, A. Liston, and R. Cronn. Botanical Society of America, Providence, RI  View Slide Show
2010: *Nguyen, H., N. Segear,K. Finch, D.A. Gernandt, and A. Willyard. Botanical Society of America, Providence, RI  View Poster  http://www.botany.org/botany-without-borders.php
2009: Willyard, A., L. Wallace, W. Wagner, S Weller, A. Sakai, and M. Nepokroeff. Botanical Society of America, Snowbird, UT
2009: Jacobs, B., Willyard, A., L. Wallace, and M. Nepokroeff.  Botanical Society of America, Snowbird, UT
2008: Willyard, A., L. Wallace, W. Wagner, S Weller, A. Sakai, and M. Nepokroeff. Evolution, Minneapolis, MN
2007: Willyard, A., A. Liston, and R. Cronn. Botanical Society of America, Chicago, IL (recipient: George A. Cooley award)
2006: Willyard, A., A. Liston, and R. Cronn. Botanical Society of America, Chico, CA, and Evolution, Stony Brook, NY
2005: Willyard, A., A. Liston, and R. Cronn.  Western Forest Genetics Association, Corvallis, OR (recipient: William B. Critchfield award)
2005: Willyard, A., J. Syring, D. Gernandt, R. Cronn, and A. Liston.  Botanical Society of America, Austin, TX
2000: Willyard, A., D. Neale, B. Kinloch, and K. Schierenbeck. Plant and Animal Genome VIII, San Diego, CA
1998: Willyard, A. and K. Schierenbeck. California Botanical Society Graduate Student Meetings, San Luis Obispo, CA