John Paul Kennedy

I’m broadly interested in community ecology. In particular, I’m interested in understanding distributional patterns of biological diversity and how different factors (both natural and anthropogenic) can affect these patterns. My research utilizes population genetic techniques to characterize within-species genetic variation and to test predictions based on ecological theory. Previous work has outlined patterns of range expansion and island biogeography in Neotropical mangrove species.

In 2017, I began my PhD in the Preziosi and Rowntree labs. My project will examine the relationship between within-species genetic diversity and ecosystem function. Specifically, I will address questions about the effect of genetic variation within Neotropical mangroves on associated community structure, leaf decomposition, and seedling performance.

Apart from research, I’m currently enjoying the process of learning to be a father and meandering walks to the park.

Conferences

[Poster PDF] JP Kennedy, RF Preziosi, JK Rowntree, and IC Feller. Is the central-marginal hypothesis a general rule? Evidence from three distributions of an expanding mangrove species, Avicennia germinans (L.) L. Poster. 5th International Mangrove and Macrobenthos Meeting. Singapore. July 2019

Publications

JP Kennedy, JM Sammy, JK Rowntree, and RF Preziosi (2020). Mating system variation in neotropical black mangrove, Avicennia germinans, at three spatial scales towards an expanding northern distributional limit. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, In press

JP Kennedy, H Craig, A Jara-Cavieres, A Lundy, RF Preziosi, and JK Rowntree (2020). Multiplex microsatellite PCR panels for the neotropical red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle: combining efforts towards a cost-effective and modifiable tool to better inform conservation and management. Conservation Genetics Resources, In press

JP Kennedy, RF Preziosi, JK Rowntree, and IC Feller (2020). Is the central‐marginal hypothesis a general rule? Evidence from three distributions of an expanding mangrove species, Avicennia germinans (L.) L. Molecular Ecology 29(4), 704-719

MA Hayes, AC Shor, A Jesse, C Miller, JP Kennedy, and IC Feller (2020). The role of glycine betaine in range expansions; protecting mangroves against extreme freeze events. Journal of Ecology 108(1), 61-69

JP Kennedy, L Garavelli, NK Truelove, DJ Devlin, SJ Box, LM Chérubin, IC Feller (2017). Contrasting genetic effects of red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle L.) range expansion along West and East Florida. Journal of Biogeography 44 (2), 335-347

JP Kennedy, MW Pil, CE Proffitt, WA Boeger, AM Stanford, DJ Devlin (2016). Postglacial expansion pathways of red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle, in the Caribbean Basin and Florida. American Journal of Botany 103 (2), 260-276

CL Hunter, E Krause, J Fitzpatrick, JP Kennedy (2008). Current and historic distribution and abundance of the inarticulated brachiopod, Lingula reevii Davidson (1880), in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, USA. Marine Biology 155 (2), 205-210