USDA ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory

 Saturday October 29, 2005

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John Gaskin Photograph showing an invasion of Tamarix also known as Tamarisk or Saltcedar
CONTACT INFORMATION

Research Botanist

Phone: 406.433.9444

Fax: 406.433.5038

E-mail: jgaskin[at]sidney.ars.usda.gov
EDUCATION
Image indenting B.S. Biology. B.S. Biology 1996 University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
Image indenting Ph. D. Evolutionary & Population Biology. Ph. D. Evolutionary & Population Biology 2002 Washington University in St. Louis & Missouri Botanical Garden, MO
CURRENT RESEARCH
The focus of my research is the systematics and population structure of invasive plants, particularly whitetop or hoarycress (Lepidium draba, formerly Cardaria draba) and saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) Both of these invasives are present in Montana and throughout the western U.S. Saltcedar typically dominates riparian areas and whitetop is considered a pest plant in fields, rangelands and natural areas. The specific goals of this research are to find out which genotypes of these exotic plants are invading, where the genotypes originated from in Eurasia, which native and exotic species they are most closely related to, and where the invasive genotypes are distributed in the U.S. This information will be used to insure that all of the genetic diversity of these invasions will be present in tests of current and proposed biological control agents, and that all native plants closely related to the invasion will be included in host-specificity tests.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Prior to joining the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in 2002, my dissertation at Washington University in St. Louis focused on the phylogeography of invasive Tamarix. I have done revision work on South American Smilax, and molecular systematic work in the family Campanulaceae. I also coordinate the website for the Missouri Exotic Pest Plant Council based at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
RELATED WEBPAGES

Link to MBG. Missouri Exotic Pest Plants. MBG: Missouri Exotic Pest Plants

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  • Eddie, W.M.M.,T. Shulkina, J. Gaskin, R.C. Haberle, and R.K. Jansen. 2003. Phylogeny of Campanulaceae s. str. inferred from ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 90: 554-575.

  • Schaal, B.A., J.F. Gaskin, and A.L. Caicedo. 2003. Phylogeography, haplotype trees, and invasive plant species. J. Heredity 94 (3): 197-204.

  • Olson, M.E., J.F. Gaskin, F. Ghahremani-nejad. 2003. Wood anatomy is congruent with molecular phylogenies placing Hypericopsis persica in Frankenia (Frankeniaceae); comments on vasicentric tracheids. Taxon (In Press).

  • Gaskin, J.F. 2003. Molecular systematics and the control of invasive plants: a case study of Tamarix (Tamaricaceae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 90: 109-118.

  • Gaskin, J.F. and B.A. Schaal. 2002. Hybrid Tamarix widespread in U.S. invasion and undetected in native Asian range. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99: 11256–11259.

  • Gaskin, J.F. and B.A. Schaal. Molecular phylogenetic investigation of invasive Tamarix in the U.S.A. Syst. Bot. 28(1): 86-95.

  • Gaskin, J.F. 2002. Tamaricaceae in The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants V. K. Kubitzki and C. Bayer (eds). Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

  • Gaskin, J.F. and P.E. Berry. In press. Smilacaceae in Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana, J.A.Steyermark, P.E. Berry and B.K. Holst (eds.). Timber Press, Portland, USA.

  • Gaskin, J.F. 1999. Smilacaceae in Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador, P.M. Jorgensen and S. Leon-Yanez (eds.). Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, USA.

  • Berry, P.E. and J.F. Gaskin. 1998. A new Croton (Euphorbiaceae) from the western Guayana Shield and its anomalous sectional placement. Systematic Botany 23(2): 171-175.

  • Gaskin, J.F. and P.E. Berry. 1998. New synonomy and useful taxonomic characters in Smilax (Smilacaceae) from the Venezuelan Guayana. Novon, 8(4):364-370.

  • Gaskin, J.F. and P.E. Elvander. 1997. A new chromosome number for Saxifraga californica (Saxifragaceae) with implications for its relationships. Madroņo 44(1):111-112.

  • Wood, S.E., J.F. Gaskin, and J.H. Langenheim. 1995. Loss of monoterpenes from Umbellularia californica leaf litter. Biochem. Syst. and Ecol. 23 (6):581-591.
 
Kim Mann Photograph of a flea beetle on leafy spurge
CONTACT INFORMATION

Biological Science Technician
Phone: 406.433.9428
Fax: 406.433.5038
E-mail: kmann[at]sidney.ars.usda.gov
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
1984-1988 B.S. in Range Science from Montana State University in Bozeman
1988-1996 Worked as a Biological Technician in Biological Control of Weeds for USDA-ARS in Bozeman, MT
1996-Present In addition to working as a biological technician in weed biocontrol, primarily leafy spurge, duties include serving the Sidney ARS location as Biological Safety Officer and Greenhouse Manager
 

USDA-ARS-NPARL  P.O. Box 463  Sidney, MT 59270  PH: 406.433.2020  FAX: 406.433.5038

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