About

Christopher Dick is a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as well as the Curator and Director of the U-M Herbarium and the U-M Museum of Zoology at the University of Michigan. His lab group studies the evolution, ecology, and historical biogeography of trees, with a particular focus on understanding the drivers of species richness in tropical forests. His research sites include Central America, the Andean slopes, the Amazon basin, and deciduous forests of eastern North America. Dr. Dick's educational background includes postdoctoral fellowships at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, a Ph.D. from Harvard University obtained in 1999, an M.A. from Harvard University, and a B.A. from Hampshire College. His work contributes to the understanding of tropical forest biology and molecular ecology, and he is affiliated with the Program in the Environment at the University of Michigan.

Research topics

• Ecology
• Biology
• Geography
• Oceanography
• Paleontology
• Environmental resource management
• Evolutionary biology
• Geology
• Environmental science
• Zoology
• Climatology

Selected publications

• Sustainability communications via sponsorship: Potential, characteristics and managerial challenges

  Sustainable Development · 2024-01-25 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Sustainability communications have become a key issue for organisations. While most studies have focused on sustainability reporting and green advertising, other communication tools such as sponsorship are under‐researched. The present study addresses this void by exploring the potential and identifying key characteristics and challenges of sustainable sponsorships, theoretically conceptualised as a social contract between sponsorship contractors and society. As such, it is the first to identify the potential and key characteristics of sponsorship for sustainability communications. The authors took an explorative, qualitative research approach, conducting 13 in‐depth interviews. The interviewees highlighted eight characteristics that determined sustainable sponsorships across all three sustainability dimensions. Sustainability was identified as a key driver in managing sponsorship effectively. In light of the study's findings, it is recommended that sponsors and sponsees should adapt their sponsorship management to incorporate sustainability. Measuring the outcome and success of sustainable sponsorships could be a subject for future research.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Global Blueberry Phylogeny: Evolution, Diversification, and Biogeography of Tribe Vaccinieae (Ericaceae)

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Reclassification of the Bertholletia Clade of the Brazil Nut Family (Lecythidaceae) Based on a Phylogenetic Analysis of Plastome and Target Sequence Capture Data

  Harvard Papers in Botany · 2024-06-30 · 7 citations

  articleSenior author

  The Neotropical clade of Lecythidaceae—Lecythidoideae—comprises 10 genera and more than 230 woody species that are usually rainforest trees. Lecythidoideae range from Mexico to southeast Brazil but are most diverse and abundant in the central Amazon and Guiana Shield regions. Previous studies found weak support for monophyly in the two species rich Amazon-centered genera, Eschweilera and Lecythis, and ambiguous relationships within the Bertholletia clade (Eschweilera, Lecythis, Bertholletia and Corythophora). We performed a phylogenomic analysis of Lecythidoideae with focus on the Bertholletia clade, using target capture sequencing of 343 nuclear loci and 10 informative plastome regions. Our sampling included 206 individuals from 130 described Neotropical species and ca. 10 undescribed taxa. Our limited sampling outside the Bertholletia clade confirmed the monophyly of Grias, Gustavia, Couroupita, Allantoma, Cariniana, and Couratari. Within the Bertholletia clade, however, our work shows that Lecythis and Eschweilera, as currently circumscribed, are polyphyletic. To align Lecythidaceae taxonomy with phylogeny, we propose six genus name changes within the former Lecythis and Eschweilera. Our new circumscription maintains the core Lecythis (Ollaria clade) and Eschweilera (Parvifolia clade). For the clade comprising the Poiteau and Chartacea sections of Lecythis we reinstate Chytroma Miers. For the former Pisonis section of Lecythis we reinstate Pachylecythis Ledoux. For the former Tetrapetala section of Eschweilera we propose Imbiriba gen. nov. For the Corrugata clade (formerly of Lecythis) we propose Guaiania gen. nov. We propose to elevate the Integrifolia clade of Eschweilera as a new genus, Scottmoria gen. nov. We determined that the Manaus-area endemic, Eschweilera amazoniciformis, is an isolated sister lineage to Corythophora and Imbiriba. We recognize this species as the monotypic genus Waimiria gen. nov. Our proposal for taxonomic changes highlights distinct evolutionary histories and eliminates paraphyletic and polyphyletic genera, resulting in 60 name changes for species or subspecies.

  PublisherDOI

• Participatory communication in the provision of development services in the Ghanaian decentralised government system: evidence from the Central Region

  Discover Sustainability · 2024-09-12 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Abstract This paper explores citizens’ views regarding the application of participatory communication in the delivery of development services within the decentralised government system of Ghana. The participatory theory informed the core issues of this study. Data were obtained from 309 inhabitants selected from three administrative areas in the Central Region using the quota sampling technique. Questionnaires and researcher-administered survey were used to gather data and analysed using means, standard deviations, Kruskal Wallis test, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The study revealed that issues of empowerment were moderately applied in development services. Again, people-centred approaches to the delivery of development services were lowly considered. Overall, participatory communication principles have not received adequate attention during the delivery of development services. The situation was the same across the three-tier decentralised government system. Despite their educational differences, respondents expressed similar opinions on the application of participatory development principles. Participatory communication faced challenges like the absence of well-trained development communicators, inadequate resources, low motivation on the part of local representatives, a low sense of ownership, and an absence of clear institutional policies on communication. The paper outlines key practical implications of the findings, including the need for governments to set up the necessary institutional framework to aid the incorporation of participatory communication techniques into the development strategies of Assemblies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Do Persons with Disabilities Really Participate in Community Development Services in Ghana? Evidence from the Adenta Municipality

  E-Journal of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences · 2024-06-14

  articleOpen access

  This study examined the views of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) with respect to their participation in community development services in Ghana from the perspective of the Adenta Municipality, Greater Accra Region. The study was a mixed method involving 50 PWDs. Researcher-administered survey and focus group discussion methods were used for data collection. Frequencies, percentages and content analysis were used for analysing the data obtained. The study found that though various community development projects had been undertaken in the Municipality most of these projects were not PWD-friendly. It was discovered that the participation of PWDs in planning, implementing, and evaluating development projects in the Municipality was low. Again, the study found that a one-way directional form of communication characterized community development services in the Municipality. Besides, communication challenges faced by PWDs in community development include inadequate information, poor consultation, and poor engagement. Moreover, existing communication strategies used by development actors particularly do not promote the active participation of PWDs in community development. This has resulted in a feeling of exclusion among PWDs in the design, planning and execution of community development initiatives. The study highlights the need for better communication strategies in community development practice that are inclusive of PWDs. The study offered a number of policy recommendations including the need for development actors in the Municipality to devise measures to identify PWDs groups, send them messages about development issues, involve them in community development decisions at all stages, and adopt more proactive and innovative measures to improve communication in community development practice. Keywords: Communication, Community Development, Participation, Persons with Disability

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A global blueberry phylogeny: Evolution, diversification, and biogeography of Vaccinieae (Ericaceae)

  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution · 2024-09-15 · 11 citations

  articleOpen access

  • The area of origin for the blueberry tribe (Vaccinieae) is inferred as North America. • Biogeographic analysis reveals multiple, independent movements from north-temperate regions into the tropics. • Four diversification rate increases are inferred across the tribe, one of which is associated with movement into the tropics. • The finding of highly polyphyletic genera and sections of Vaccinium clarifies the necessity for infratribal reclassification. • Poorly understood and understudied tropical diversity hinders reclassification efforts. Vaccinieae is a morphologically diverse and species-rich (∼1430 species) tribe in Ericaceae. Although the majority of diversity is tropical, Vaccinieae are best known for temperate crops (i.e., blueberries, cranberries, and lingonberries) in Vaccinium . Vaccinium itself (∼500 species) has been previously suggested as highly polyphyletic and taxonomic boundaries among many of the other genera in the tribe remain uncertain. We assessed the evolutionary history of Vaccinieae with phylogenomic analyses based on a target-enrichment dataset containing 256 low-copy nuclear loci and 210 species representing 30 of the 35 genera in the tribe and 25 of the 29 sections of Vaccinium . We conducted time-calibrated biogeographic analyses and diversification analyses to explore the area of origin and global dispersal history of the tribe. The analysis recovered a temperate North American origin for Vaccinieae approximately 30 million years ago. Tropical diversity of Vaccinieae was inferred to result from multiple, independent movements into the tropics from north-temperate ancestors. Diversification rate increases corresponded to radiation into the Andes and SE Asia. The pseudo-10-locular ovary evolved once in the tribe from the five-locular state, coinciding with the diversification of a major clade that includes most Asian Vaccinium and the group from which commercial blueberries are derived ( V. sect. Cyanococcus ). A reconstruction from available chromosome counts suggests that a major polyploid event predated the evolution of nearly half the diversity of Vaccinieae. The extent of polyphyly in Vaccinium documented here supports the need for a generic reclassification of the tribe.

  PublisherDOI

• Patterns in the genetic structure of 49 lowland rain forest tree species co‐distributed on opposite sides of the northern Andes

  Biotropica · 2024-02-22 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract The Andes are a major dispersal barrier for lowland rain forest plants and animals, yet hundreds of lowland tree species are distributed on both sides of the northern Andes, raising questions about how the Andes influenced their biogeographic histories and population genetic structure. To explore these questions, we generated standardized datasets of thousands of SNPs from paired populations of 49 tree species co‐distributed in rain forest tree communities located in Panama and Amazonian Ecuador and calculated genetic diversity ( π ) and absolute genetic divergence ( d XY ) within and between populations, respectively. We predicted (1) higher genetic diversity in the ancestral source region (east or west of the Andes) for each taxon and (2) correlation of genetic statistics with species attributes, including elevational range and life‐history strategy. We found that genetic diversity was higher in putative ancestral source regions, possibly reflecting founder events during colonization. We found little support for a relationship between genetic divergence and species attributes except that species with higher elevational range limits exhibited higher d XY , implying older divergence times. One possible explanation for this pattern is that dispersal through mountain passes declined in importance relative to dispersal via alternative lowland routes as the Andes experienced uplift. We found no difference in mean genetic diversity between populations in Central America and the Amazon. Overall, our results suggest that dispersal across the Andes has left enduring signatures in the genetic structure of widespread rain forest trees. We outline additional hypotheses to be tested with species‐specific case studies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Evidence for a Miocene pulse of diversification of the tropical American clade of the Brazil nut family (Lecythidaceae)

  Botany Letters · 2024-10-01 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  International audience

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Repeated shifts out of tropical climates preceded by whole genome duplication

  New Phytologist · 2024-10-23 · 17 citations

  articleOpen access

  While flowering plants have diversified in virtually every terrestrial clime, climate constrains the distribution of individual lineages. Overcoming climatic constraints may be associated with diverse evolutionary phenomena including whole genome duplication (WGD), gene-tree conflict, and life-history changes. Climatic shifts may also have facilitated increases in flowering plant diversification rates. We investigate climatic shifts in the flowering plant order Ericales, which consists of c. 14 000 species with diverse climatic tolerances. We estimate phylogenetic trees from transcriptomic data, 64 chloroplast loci, and Angiosperms353 nuclear loci that, respectively, incorporate 147, 4508, and 2870 Ericales species. We use these phylogenetic trees to analyse how climatic shifts are associated with WGD, gene-tree conflict, life-history, and diversification rates. Early branches in the phylogenetic trees are extremely short, and have high levels of gene-tree conflict and at least one WGD. On lineages descended from these early branches, there is a significant association between climatic shifts (primarily out of tropical climates), further WGDs, and life-history. Extremely short early branches, and their associated gene-tree conflict and WGDs, appear to underpin the explosive origin of numerous species rich Ericales clades. The evolution of diverse climatic tolerances in these species rich clades is tightly associated with WGD and life-history.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mycorrhizal feedbacks influence global forest structure and diversity

  Communications Biology · 2023-10-19 · 52 citations

  articleOpen access

  One mechanism proposed to explain high species diversity in tropical systems is strong negative conspecific density dependence (CDD), which reduces recruitment of juveniles in proximity to conspecific adult plants. Although evidence shows that plant-specific soil pathogens can drive negative CDD, trees also form key mutualisms with mycorrhizal fungi, which may counteract these effects. Across 43 large-scale forest plots worldwide, we tested whether ectomycorrhizal tree species exhibit weaker negative CDD than arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species. We further tested for conmycorrhizal density dependence (CMDD) to test for benefit from shared mutualists. We found that the strength of CDD varies systematically with mycorrhizal type, with ectomycorrhizal tree species exhibiting higher sapling densities with increasing adult densities than arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species. Moreover, we found evidence of positive CMDD for tree species of both mycorrhizal types. Collectively, these findings indicate that mycorrhizal interactions likely play a foundational role in global forest diversity patterns and structure.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Dimensions US-BIOTA-Sao Paulo: Assembly and evolution of the Amazonian biota and its environment: an integrated approach

  NSF · $265k · 2012–2018

• Dissertation Research: Plant-herbivore community assembly and the problem of specificity: Do insect herbivores specialize among sympatric, congeneric plants in tropical forests?

  NSF · $15k · 2010–2013

• DISSERTATION RESEARCH: A hypothesis test for cryptic northern refugia in bitternut and shagbark hickory, with implications for migration and adaptation

  NSF · $18k · 2015–2017

• Comparative Phylogeography of 12 Widespread Tropical Rainforest Tree Species

  NSF · $509k · 2007–2012

• DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Miconia affinis in a tropical forest and coffee landscape mosaic: the population genetics of a buzz-pollinated understory tree

  NSF · $14k · 2009–2012

Frequent coauthors

• Eldredge Bermingham

  29 shared

• Rémy J. Petit

  Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement

  27 shared

• Feng Sheng Hu

  Guizhou Provincial Meteorological Bureau

  26 shared

• Rogério Gribel

  National Institute of Amazonian Research

  18 shared

• Myriam Heuertz

  Fondazione Edmund Mach

  17 shared

• Pamela S. Soltis

  Florida Museum of Natural History

  17 shared

• Maristerra R. Lemes

  National Institute of Amazonian Research

  16 shared

• S. Joseph Wright‬

  Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

  16 shared

Education

• PhD, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

  Harvard University

  1999