Drs. B.M. (Ben) Wielstra
Biogeographical patterns in the Mediterranean region using newts as a model system
- ben.wielstra@ncbnaturalis.nl
- Phone
- +31610242379
- Room Number
- Sylvius buiding 6.4.16b
I studied Biology at Leiden University and graduated in 2007. Currently I am conducting PhD research in a collaboration between ITC (Enschede, The Netherlands) and NCB Naturalis. This project aims to bring together the fields of GIS and Genetics, in order to increase the detail in which biogeographical patterns can be analyzed.
Research interests
Me and Wieslaw Babik dipnetting for newts. Picture by Gonçalo Espregueira Themudo
As a model I employ crested newts (Triturus cristatus superspecies). This group comprises several forms which are distinct enough to be deemed species, but similar enough to exclude one another ecologically. Their ranges are largely parapatric and border each other along narrow contact zones where there are still traces of genetic interaction to be detected. No doubt the historical biogeography of this groups is heavily influenced by the turbulent geological and climatological history of the area in which they are distributed: the Mediterranean region.
I started on this project during my Master education. This resulted in the following Master thesis: 'The molecular systematics of the crested newt Triturus cristatus superspecies based on mtDNA sequence data'. Now, while pursuing my PhD, I am elaborating on this subject, delving into the crested newt case deeper and exploring aspects like historical biogeography, competition, niche evolution and gene flow.
Triturus cristatus superspecies: your new favourite model organism. Upper panel: left a larva just hatched; right a larva close to metamorphosis. Lower panel: left a female; right a male in breeding costume. These sleepy newts were temporarily sedated and after non-invasisve tissue sampling they were released again. Pictures by me
Click here for a page on the avifauna of the Sunda region
Publications
Naturalis Repository
Wielstra B, Crnobrnja-Isailovic J, Skidmore AK, Sotiropoulos K, Toxopeus AG, Tzankov N, Vukov T, Arntzen JW (submitted) Tracing glacial refugia of Triturus newts based on mitochondrial DNA phylogeography and species distribution modeling.
Wielstra B, Beukema W, Arntzen JW, Skidmore AK, Toxopeus AG, Raes N (submitted) Corresponding mitochondrial DNA and niche divergence for cryptic crested newt species.
Arntzen JW, Wallis GP, Wielstra B (submitted) Spatial patterns of nuclear, mitochondrial and morphological transition in Triturus newts.
Ivanović A, Üzüm N, Wielstra B, Olgun K, Litvinchuk SN, Kalezić ML, Arntzen JW (submitted) Is mitochondrial DNA divergence of Near Eastern crested newts (Triturus karelinii group) reflected by differentiation of skull shape?
Wielstra B, Arntzen JW (submitted) The shifting interchange of two species of Triturus newts deduced from asymmetrically introgressed mitochondrial DNA.Vukov TD, Sotiropoulos K, Wielstra B, Džukić G, Kalezić ML (2011) The evolution of the adult body form of the crested newt (Triturus cristatus superspecies, Caudata, Salamandridae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 49: 324-334. pdf
Wielstra B, Arntzen JW (2011) Unraveling the rapid radiation of crested newts (Triturus cristatus superspecies) using complete mitogenomic sequences. BMC Evolutionary Biology 11: 162. pdf
Arntzen JW, Wielstra B (2010) Where to draw the line? A nuclear genetic perspective on proposed range boundaries of the crested newts Triturus karelinii and T. arntzeni. Amphibia-Reptilia 31: 311-322. pdf
Wielstra B, Espregueira Themudo G, Güclü Ö, Olgun K, Poyarkov NA, Arntzen JW (2010) Cryptic crested newt diversity at the Eurasian transition: the mitochondrial DNA phylogeography of Near Eastern Triturus newts. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56: 888-896. pdf
Espregueira Themudo G, Wielstra B, Arntzen JW (2009) Multiple nuclear and mitochondrial genes resolve the branching order of a rapid radiation of crested newts (Triturus, Salamandridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 52: 321-328. pdf [Erratum in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 53: 359. pdf]
Arntzen JW, Espregueira Themudo G, Wielstra B (2007) The phylogeny of crested newts (Triturus cristatus superspecies): nuclear and mitochondrial genetic characters suggest a hard polytomy, in line with the paleogeography of the centre of origin. Contributions to Zoology 76:261-278. pdf
Friday, April 20, 2012