Alexandra Muellner
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Alexandra N. Muellner Group Leader Tel. +49-(0)69-97075-1158 |
Research Interests
We work in the fields of systematics, molecular phylogeography, historical biogeography, and generally on the evolution of temperate and tropical flowering plants, e.g. in families Asteraceae, Biebersteiniaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Gentianaceae, Meliaceae, and Urticaceae (in alphabetical order). Recently, research has centered largely upon taxa of the pantropical family Meliaceae (“mahogany” family) in the order Sapindales.
Education
2003 Dr. rer. nat. in Botany, University of Vienna, Austria
1999 M. Sc. in Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
Positions
2006 – Lab Manager & Group Leader, Grunelius-Moellgaard Laboratory
2006 – Lecturer, University of Frankfurt
2004-05 Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London
1999-03 Research Assistant and Lecturer, University of Vienna, Austria
Scientific Memberships
IAPT (International Association for Plant Taxonomy)
ASPT (American Society for Plant Taxonomy)
The Botanical Society of America (BSA)
The Systematics Association
GfBS – Gesellschaft fuer Biologische Systematik
Forum oesterreichischer Wissenschafter fuer Umweltschutz
German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (DHV)
Selected recent publications
Please note: The copyrights for the papers posted here as PDF files belong to the relevant journals. As in a library, a copy for personal use is permissible, but the documents may not be distributed.
Muellner, A.N., Maibach, M. & Kalheber, H. (in preparation): Biogeographic history and character evolution in Medicago (Fabaceae), and an evaluation of morphological and genetic variation in Medicago lupulina s.l.
Muellner, A.N., Schaefer, H. & Lahaye, R. (in preparation): Evaluation of DNA barcodes for economically important timber species of the mahogany family (Meliaceae).
Kenfack, D. & Muellner, A.N. (in preparation): Divergence times of transatlantic Carapa (Meliaceae, Sapindales) confirm the importance of long-distance dispersal for the establishment of disjunct tropical distribution patterns in angiosperms.
Wanntorp, L., Gotthardt, K. & Muellner, A.N. (submitted): Revisiting the wax plants (Hoya, Marsdenieae, Apocynaceae) phylogenetic tree using the chloroplast markers matK gene and psbA-trnH intergenic spacer.
Muellner, A.N. (2010, in press): Kirkiaceae. In: Kubitzki, K. et al. (from 1990), The families and genera of vascular plants.- Springer Verlag, Berlin – Heidelberg, Germany.
Muellner, A.N. (2010, in press): Biebersteiniaceae. In: Kubitzki, K. et al. (from 1990), The families and genera of vascular plants.- Springer Verlag, Berlin – Heidelberg, Germany.
Gemeinholzer, B., Rey, I., Weising, K., Grundmann, M., Muellner, A.N., Zetsche, H., Droege, G., Seberg, O., Petersen, G., Rawson, D.M. & Weigt, L.A. (2010, in press): Organizing specimen and tissue preservation techniques in the field for subsequent molecular analyses.- Abc Taxa. La Coopération Belge au Développement - Bruxelles.
Pennington, T.D. & Muellner, A.N. (2010, in press): A monograph of Cedrela (Meliaceae).- DH Books, Sherborne, UK.
Muellner, A.N., Pennington, T.D., Koecke, A.V. & Renner, S.S. (2010, in press): Biogeography of Cedrela (Meliaceae, Sapindales) in Central and South America.- Amer. J. Bot. 97 (3).
Muellner, A.N., Greger, H. & Pannell, C.M. (2009): Genetic diversity and geographic structure in Aglaia elaeagnoidea (Meliaceae, Sapindales), a morphologically complex tree species, near the two extremes of its distribution.- Blumea 54: 207-216.
Muellner, A.N., Pennington, T.D. & Chase, M. (2009): Molecular phylogenetics of Neotropical Cedreleae (mahogany family, Meliaceae) based on nuclear and plastid DNA sequences reveal multiple origins of “Cedrela odorata”.- Molec. Phylogen. Evol. 52: 461-469.
Muellner, A.N. & Mabberley, D.J. (2008): Phylogenetic position and taxonomic disposition of Turraea breviflora Ridl. (Meliaceae), a hitherto enigmatic species.- Blumea 53 (3): 607-616.
Muellner, A.N., Pannell, C.M., Coleman, A. & Chase, M.W. (2008): The origin and evolution of Indomalesian, Australasian and Pacific island biotas: insights from Aglaieae (Meliaceae, Sapindales).- J. Biogeogr. 35: 1769–1789.
Muellner, A.N., Samuel, R., Chase, M.W., Coleman, A. & Stuessy, T.F. (2007 online; 2008): An evaluation of tribes and of generic relationships in Melioideae (Meliaceae) based on nuclear ITS ribosomal DNA.- Taxon 57: 98-108.
Muellner, A.N., Vassiliades, D.D. & Renner, S. S. (2007): Placing Biebersteiniaceae, a herbaceous clade of Sapindales, in a temporal and geographic context.- Pl. Syst. Evol. 266: 233-252.
Muellner, A.N., Savolainen, V., Samuel, R. & Chase, M.W. (2006): The mahogany family “out-of-Africa”: divergence time estimation, global biogeographic patterns inferred from plastid rbcL DNA sequences, extant and fossil distribution of diversity.- Molec. Phylogen. Evol. 40: 236-250.
Jang, C.-G., Muellner, A.N. & Greimler, G. (2005): Conflicting patterns of genetic and morphological variation in European Gentianella section Gentianella.- Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 148: 175-187.
Muellner, A.N., Samuel, R., Chase, M.W., Pannell, C.M. & Greger, H. (2005): Aglaia (Meliaceae): an evaluation of taxonomic concepts based on DNA data and secondary metabolites.- Amer. J. Bot. 92: 534-543 [+ Supplement].
Muellner, A.N., Tremetsberger, K. & Stuessy, T.F. & Baeza, C.M. (2005): Pleistocene refugia and recolonization routes in the southern Andes: insights from Hypochaeris palustris (Asteraceae, Lactuceae).- Molec. Ecol. 14: 203-212.
Stuessy, T., Tremetsberger, K., Samuel, R., Jankowicz, J., Guo, Y.-P., Muellner, A.N. & Baeza, C.M. (2004): Phylogenetic relationships among South American species of Hypochaeris (Asteraceae) based on AFLP data. In: Plant evolutionary genetics and the biology of weeds (eds. Schaal B.A., Chiang T.-Y., Chou H.-C.).- Endemic Species Research Institute, Chi-Chi.
Muellner, A.N., Samuel, R., Johnson S.A., Cheek M., Pennington T.D. & Chase M.W. (2003): Molecular phylogenetics of Meliaceae (Sapindales) based on nuclear and plastid DNA sequences.- Amer. J. Bot. 90: 471-480 [+ Supplement]. [Journal Impact Factor 2003: 2.373]
Stuessy, T.F., Tremetsberger, K., Muellner, A.N., Jankovics, J., Baeza, C.M. & Samuel, R. (2003): The melding of systematics and biogeography through investigations at the populational level: examples from the genus Hypochaeris (Asteraceae).- Basic Appl. Ecol. 4: 287-296.
Selected previous publications on Lower Plants (Algae)
Please note: The copyrights for the papers posted here as PDF files belong to the relevant journals. As in a library, a copy for personal use is permissible, but the documents may not be distributed.
Muellner, A.N. & Schagerl, M. (2003): Abundance and vertical distribution of the phytobenthic community within a pool and riffle sequence of an alpine gravel stream.- Int. Rev. Hydrobiol. 88: 243-254.
Angeler, D.G., Schagerl, M. & Muellner, A.N. (2002): Taxonomic comments on the genus Menoidium (Euglenozoa), with a description of Menoidium intermedium sp. nov.- Eur. J. Protistol. 38: 393-404.
Muellner, A.N., Angeler, D.G., Samuel, R., Linton, E.W. & Triemer, R.E. (2001): Phylogenetic analysis of phagotrophic, phototrophic and osmotrophic euglenoids using the nuclear 18S DNA sequence.- Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 51: 783-791.
Angeler, D.G., Muellner, A.N. & Schagerl, M. (1999): Comparative ultrastructure of the cytoskeleton and nucleus of Distigma (Euglenozoa) – Systematic Implications.- Eur. J. Protistol. 35: 309-318.
Students
Sarah Cody (2009-2010): Phylogenetics of Sapindales.
Valerie Köcke (2008-2011): Systematics, evolution and biogeography of Meliaceae.
Miriam Maibach (2007-2008): Evolution in Medicago L. (Fabaceae), with emphasis on infraspecific variation in Medicago lupulina s.l.
Franziska Krauß (2006-2007): Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae of the Frankfurt city area: morphological and genetic diversity. Co-advisor.
Regina Zeelen (2006): Erweiterung der Datenbank SeSam: Konzeptionierung und Programmierung eines DNA-Probenmoduls. Co-advisor.
Julia Fontana (2004-2005): Study of the extent and mode of acquisition and spread of the cox1 group I intron on a generic, species and population level within the cosmopolitan families of Lamiaceae and Rhamnaceae. Co-advisor.
Students
Topics and post advertisements for Master and PhD theses and Postdoc positions
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Internships
Katherina Gotthardt (2008): Molecular phylogenetics of the Southeast Asian and Pacific plant group Hoya.
Helga Lob (2007): Molecular phylogenetics of selected families in the Sapindales (Meliaceae, Biebersteiniaceae).
Hendrike Schaefer (2006): Barcoding of economically useful timber taxa in the mahogany family (Meliaceae).
Mailing address for letters
Dr. Alexandra N. Muellner
Senckenberg Research Institute
Department of Botany and Molecular Evolution
Grunelius-Moellgaard Laboratory
Senckenberganlage 25
D-60325 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Mailing address for parcels
Dr. Alexandra N. Muellner
Senckenberg Research Institute
Department of Botany and Molecular Evolution
Grunelius-Moellgaard Laboratory
Kuhwaldstrasse 55
D-60486 Frankfurt am Main
Germany