Forest, Félix
Job TitleHead of Molecular Systematics
DepartmentJodrell Laboratory
SectionMolecular Systematics
Science Teams:
- Large-Scale Syntheses
- Leguminosae
- Myrtaceae
- Madagascar
- Mycology
- Monocots I: General Alismatids & Lilioids
Joined Kew: 2007
Foreign Language(s): French (mother tongue)
Qualifications & Appointments
BSc, Univ of Montréal, Canada, 1995
MSc, Univ. of Montréal, Canada, 1999
PhD, Univ. of Reading, UK, 2004
Editorial Board, Kew Bulletin
Associate Editor, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
Board of Reviewers, PLoS Current: Tree of Life
Member, DIVERSITAS bioGENESIS Scientific Committee
Member, GEO BON, Working Group 1 - Genetics/Phylogenetic Diversity
Role
Molecular systematics, evolutionary biology and biogeography research.
Molecular systematics, biogeography and speciation of numerous plant groups, particularly from the Cape Region of South Africa (e.g. Iridaceae, Asparagaceae, Tecophilaeaceae, Fabaceae); evolutionary questions, including the evolution of pollination syndromes, the processes responsible for modern biogeographical patterns and the biotic and abiotic factors promoting diversification; use of phylogenetic diversity measurements in conservation planning and the understanding of environmental pressures on biomes (Cape, Southwestern Australia Floristic Region); identification of the most evolutionary distinct and globally endangered species of gymnosperms using phylogenetic information and IUCN Categories and Criteria, the EDGE-Gymnosperm project.
Projects
- African & Indian Ocean Syzygium
- Biodiversity and Evolutionary Patterns in Mediterranean-type Ecosystems
- The Historical Role of Africa in the Biogeography of the Detarieae (Leguminosae)
- The Dalbergioid Legumes (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae)
- Drivers of speciation in large Myrtaceae genera (Eugenia, Syzygium)
- Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) Plants
- Evolution and Systematics of Puelia and Guaduella
- Global Patterns and Processes of Plant Diversity
- Investigating the Cradle of the Angiosperms Based on State-of-the-Art Parametric Biogeographic Methods
- Systematics and Evolution of Palms
- New Phylogeny of the Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae
- Origin and Evolution of the New Caledonian Flora
- Phylogenetic Diversity of the Malagasy Legumes: New Insights for the Conservation of the Malagasy Flora
- Phylogeny and karyology of Psidium and Campomanesia
- Phylogeny of the 'Eugenia' and 'Plinia'' groups
- Phylogeny of Myrcia s.l. (Myrtaceae)
- Phylogeny of Tribe Myrteae (Myrtaceae)
- Pollen of the Cercideae
- Pollen Evolution
- Development of best practices for rehabilitation after mining – plants and their associated mycorrhizas and implications for soil regeneration
- Science and Horticulture Systems
- Systematics and Conservation Genetics of Asparagales
- Systematics of Dioscoreales
- Systematics and biogeography of the Pandanaceae family
- Systematics of Lamiaceae subfamily Viticoideae and allies
- Systematics, Sustainable Use and Conservation of Tribe Ocimeae (Basil and Allies, Lamiaceae)
Selected Recent Publications
Selected Publications 2006-2011
- Forest, F., M.W. Chase, C. Persson, P.R. Crane, J.A. Hawkins. (2007). The role of biotic and abiotic factors in the evolution of ant-dispersal in the milkworth family (Polygalaceae). Evolution 61: 1675–1694.
- Forest, F., R. Grenyer, M. Rouget, T.J. Davies, R.M. Cowling, A. Balmford, D.P. Faith, J.C. Manning, Ş. Procheş, M. van der Bank, G. Reeves, T.A.J. Hedderson, V. Savolainen. (2007). Preserving the evolutionary potential of floras in biodiversity hotspots. Nature 445: 757-760.
Forest, F. (2009). Calibrating the Tree of Life: fossils, molecules and evolutionary timescales (Botanical Briefing). Annals of Botany 104: 789-794.
- Manning, J.C., F. Forest, D.S. Devey, M.F. Fay, P. Goldblatt (2009). A molecular phylogeny and a revised classification of Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) based on an analysis of four plastid DNA regions. Taxon 58: 77-107.
Buerki, S., F. Forest, N. Alvarez, J.A.A. Nylander, N. Arrigo, I. Sanmartín (2011). An evaluation of new parsimony-based versus parametric inference methods in biogeography: a case study using the globally distributed plant family Sapindaceae. Journal of Biogeography 38: 531-550.
Selected Earlier Publications
Selected Publications pre 2006
Forest, F., V. Savolainen, M.W. Chase, R. Lupia, A. Bruneau, P.R. Crane (2005). Teasing apart molecular- versus fossil-based error estimates when dating phylogenetic trees: a case study in the birch family (Betulaceae). Systematic Botany 30:118-130.
- Barabé, D., A. Bruneau, F. Forest, C. Lacroix (2002). The correlation between development of atypical bisexual flowers and phylogeny in the Aroideae (Araceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 232: 1-19.
- Bruneau, A., F. Forest, P.S. Herendeen, B.B. Klitgaard, G.P. Lewis (2001). Phylogenetic relationships in the Caesalpinioideae (Leguminosae) as inferred from chloroplast trnL intron sequences. Systematic Botany 26: 487-514.
- Forest, F., J.N. Drouin, R. Charest, L. Brouillet, A. Bruneau (2001). A morphological phylogenetic analysis of Aesculus L. and Billia Peyr. (Sapindaceae). Canadian Journal of Botany 79: 154-169.
- Forest, F., A. Bruneau (2000). Phylogenetic analysis, organization, and molecular evolution of the nontranscribed spacer of the 5S ribosomal RNA genes in Corylus (Betulaceae). International Journal of Plant Sciences 161: 793-806.
