Emily Latch

Professor
Biological Sciences

Please visit my lab web page.

List of publications.

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park, 2007-2008
  • Visiting Scholar, Eastern Illinois University, 2006-2007
  • Postdoctoral fellow, Purdue University, 2004-2006
  • PhD, Purdue University, Population Genetics, 2004
  • BS, Cedar Crest College, 1999

Research Interests

I am interested in the ways in which ecological processes (both natural and anthropogenic) shape the evolutionary trajectory of a species. How organisms respond to ecological change and variability may represent the first steps toward the evolution of genetic differences among populations, and ultimately influence the process of speciation. My research takes on this challenge in two ways. First, I have utilized managed wildlife species to investigate the effects of anthropogenically-induced ecological changes on the evolutionary trajectory of populations. Second, I have more broadly investigated the role of ecological variability in shaping patterns of genetic differentiation over space and time. A related focus of my research involves genetic data analysis and the performance of existing analytical approaches when rigorously challenged with empirical datasets. I also am interested in applying genetic tools to design optimal strategies for conservation and management of wild species. Thus, an important component of my research focuses on applied conservation genetics.

I am currently working on a variety of projects, including: species-wide phylogeography and contemporary population structure of mule deer, historical and contemporary patterns of gene flow in fishers, evolution of mate fidelity in house wrens, comparative phylogeography in Amazonian antwrens, landscape genetics of desert tortoises, spatio-temporal dynamics of hybrid zone evolution, and genetics of population establishment.

Selected Publications

Oyler-McCance, Sara, Latch, Emily K., and Leberg, Paul. “Conservation genetics and molecular ecology in wildlife management” The Wildlife Techniques Manual8th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press. (2020): Chapter 25.
Latch, Emily K.“Integrating genomics into conservation management” Molecular Ecology Resources(2020).
Yi, Xueling, Donner, Deahn, Marquardt, Paula, Palmer, Jonathan, Jusino, Michelle, Frair, Jacqueline, Lindner, Daniel, and Latch, Emily K.“Major histocompatibility complex variation is similar in little brown bats before and after white‐nose syndrome outbreak” Ecology and Evolution10. (2020): 10031-10043.
Haines, Margaret, Luikart, Gordon, Amish, Stephen, Smith, Seth, and Latch, Emily K.“Evidence for adaptive introgression of exons across a hybrid swarm in deer” BMC Evolutionary Biology19. (2019): 199.
Jost, Lou, Archer, Frederick, Flanagan, Sara, Gaggiotti, Oscar, Hoban, Sean, and Latch, Emily K.“Differentiation measures for conservation genetics” Evolutionary Applications11. (2018): 1139-1148.
Flanagan, Sarah, Forester, Brenna, Latch, Emily K., Aitken, Sally, and Hoban, Sean. “Guidelines for planning genomic assessment and monitoring of locally adaptive variation to inform species conservation” Evolutionary Applications11. (2018): 1035-1052.
Giglio, Rachael M., Ivy, Jamie A., Jones, Lee C., and Latch, Emily K.“Pedigree-based genetic management improves bison conservation” Journal of Wildlife Management82. (2018): 766-774.
Martchenko, Daria, Prewer, Erin, Latch, Emily K., Kyle, Christopher, and Shafer, Aaron. “Population genomics of ungulates” Population Genomics: WildlifeSpringer. (2018).
Martinsen, Ellen S., McInerney, Nancy, Brightman, Heidi, Ferebee, Ken, Walsh, Tim, McShea, William J., Forrester, Tavis D., Ware, Lisa, Joyner, Priscilla H., Perkins, Susan L., Latch, Emily K., Yabsley, Michael J., Schall, Joseph J., and Fleischer, Robert C.“Hidden in plain sight: Endemic malaria parasites in North American white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)” Science Advances2.2 (2017): e1501486.
Mulder, KP, Walde, AD, Boarman, WI, Woodman, AP, Latch, Emily K., and Fleischer, RC. “No paternal genetic integration in desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) following translocation into an existing population” Biological Conservation210. (2017): 318-324.
Kierepka, EM, and Latch, Emily K.“High gene flow in the American badger overrides habitat preferences and limits broadscale genetic structure” Molecular Ecology25. (2016): 6055-6076.
Powell, John H., Cosart, Ted, Amish, Stephen J., Haynes, Gwilym D., Luikart, Gordon, and Latch, Emily K.“Identifying SNPs and candidate genes associated with lineage divergence: use of next-generation targeted resequencing in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)” Molecular Ecology Resources16. (2016): 1165-1172.