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Rick Overson

Rick Overson

Research Scientist, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

rick.overson@asu.edu

School of Sustainability
Arizona State University
PO Box 875502
Tempe, AZ 85287-5502

Titles

  • Senior Global Futures Scientist, School of Sustainability, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
  • Research Scientist, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures
  • Co-Director, Global Locust Initiative, Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation

Biography

My research seeks to understand the mechanisms which produce and maintain variation both within and between species and how this variation ultimately affects the evolution of natural populations. I am particularly interested in variation in insect phenotypes as they relate to plant-insect interactions. I use approaches in behavioral ecology, population genetics, and phylogenetics to understand how traits surrounding these interactions are partitioned in space and time, and how this mosaic of variation affects speciation and ultimately biodiversity. My current research is aimed at understanding variation in locust behavioral and nutritional ecology in a collaborative effort to improve locust management and global food security. As Co-director of the Global Locust Initiative, I also coordinate broadly with global stakeholders to more sustainably manage grasshopper and locust outbreaks which have negative impacts on human livelihoods worldwide. I am involved in several ongoing efforts to increase stakeholder representation in this space, foster increased transparency and information sharing, as well as develop community-built resources for locust management.

Education

  • PhD, Biology, Arizona State University, 2011
  • BS, Biology, Arizona State University, 2004

Expertise

Journal Articles

2019

Le Gall, M., R. Overson and A. Cease. 2019. A global review on locusts (Orthoptera: Acrididae) and their interactions with livestock grazing practices. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7:263. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00263.

2017

Jogesh, T., R. P. Overson, R. A. Raguso and K. A. Skogen. 2017. Herbivory as an important selective force in the evolution of floral traits and pollinator shifts. AoB Plants 9(1):plw088. DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plw088. (link )

2016

Overson, R., J. Fewell and J. Gadau. 2016. Distribution and origin of intraspecific social variation in the California harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus. Insectes Sociaux 63(4):531-541. DOI: 10.1007/s00040-016-0497-8. (link )

2015

Overson, R. and B. L. Fisher. 2015. Taxonomic revision of the genus Prionopelta (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the Malagasy region. ZooKeys 507:115-150. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.507.9303. (link )

2014

Overson, R., J. Gadau, R. M. Clark, S. C. Pratt and J. H. Fewell. 2014. Behavioral transitions with the evolution of cooperative nest founding by harvester ant queens. Behavioral ecology and Sociobiology 68(1):21-30. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1618-2. (link )

2013

Holbrook, C. T., T. H. Eriksson, R. P. Overson, J. Gadau and J. H. Fewell. 2013. Colony-size effects on task organization in the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus. Insectes Sociaux 60(2):191-201. DOI: 10.1007/s00040-013-0282-x. (link )

Johnson, R. A., R. P. Overson and C. S. Moreau. 2013. A new species of seed-harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America. Zootaxa 3646(3):201-227. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3646.3.1. (link )

2012

Smith, A. A., R. P. Overson, B. Holldobler, J. Gadau and J. Liebig. 2012. The potential for worker reproduction in the ant Aphaenogaster cockerelli and its absence in the field. Insectes Sociaux 59(3):411-416. DOI: 10.1007/s00040-012-0235-9. (link )

2011

Smith, C. R., C. D. Smith, H. M. Robertson, M. Helmkampf, A. Zimin, M. Yandell, C. Holt, H. Hu, E. Abouheif, R. Benton, E. Cash, V. Croset, C. R. Currie, E. Elhaik, C. G. Elsik, M. Fave, V. Fernandes, J. D. Gibson, D. Graur, W. Gronenberg, K. J. Grubbs, D. E. Hagen, A. Ibarraran Vinisegra, B. R. Johnson, R. M. Johnson, A. Khila, J. W. Kim, K. A. Mathis, M. C. Munoz-Torres, M. C. Murphy, J. A. Mustard, R. Nakamura, O. Niehuis, S. Nigam, R. P. Overson, J. E. Placek, R. Rajakumar, J. T. Reese, G. Suen, S. Tao, C. W. Torres, N. D. Tsutsui, L. Viljakainen, F. Wolschin and J. Gadau. 2011. Draft genome of the red harvester ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(14):5667-5672. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1007901108. (link )

Smith, C. D., A. Zimin, C. Holt, E. Abouheif, R. Benton, E. Cash, V. Croset, C. R. Currie, E. Elhaik, C. G. Elsik, M. Fave, V. Fernandes, J. Gadau, J. D. Gibson, D. Graur, K. J. Grubbs, D. E. Hagen, M. Helmkampf, J. Holley, H. Hu, A. Ibarraran Vinisegra, B. R. Johnson, R. M. Johnson, A. Khila, J. W. Kim, J. Laird, K. A. Mathis, J. A. Moeller, M. C. Munoz-Torres, M. C. Murphy, R. Nakamura, S. Nigam, R. P. Overson, J. E. Placek, R. Rajakumar, J. T. Reese, H. M. Robertson, C. R. Smith, A. V. Suarez, G. Suen, E. L. Suhr, S. Tao, C. W. Torres, E. van Wilgenburg, L. Viljakainen, K. K. Wilson, A. L. Wild, M. Yandell, J. A. Yorke and N. D. Tsutsui. 2011. Draft genome of the globally widespread and invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(14):5673-5678. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1008617108. (link )

Suen, G., C. Teiling, L. Li, C. Holt, E. Abouheif, E. Bornberg-Bauer, P. Bouffard, E. J. Caldera, E. Cash, A. Cavanaugh, O. Denas, E. Elhaik, M. Fave, J. Gadau, J. D. Gibson, D. Graur, K. J. Grubbs, D. E. Hagen, T. Harkins, M. Helmkampf, H. Hu, B. R. Johnson, J. Kim, S. E. Marsh, J. A. Moeller, M. C. Munoz-Torres, M. C. Murphy, M. C. Naughton, S. Nigam, R. Overson, R. Rajakumar, J. T. Reese, J. J. Scott, C. R. Smith, S. Tao, N. D. Tsutsui, L. Viljakainen, L. Wissler, M. Yandell, F. Zimmer, J. Taylor, S. C. Slater, S. W. Clifton, W. C. Warren, C. G. Elsik, C. D. Smith, G. M. Weinstock, N. M. Gerardo and C. R. Currie. 2011. The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. PLoS Genetics 7(2):e1002007. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002007. (link )

2010

Anderson, K. E., S. L. Zeltzer, R. P. Overson and W. H. Clark. 2010. Identification of cryptic hosts for two inquiline parasites of the seed-harvester ant Pogonomyrmex and new localities for P. anergismus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Southwestern Naturalist 55(4):532-538. DOI: 10.1894/JC-32.1. (link )

Holbrook, C. T., R. M. Clark, D. Moore, R. P. Overson, C. A. Penick and A. A. Smith. 2010. Social insects inspire human design. Biology Letters 6(4):431-433. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0270. (link )