Dr. Lars W. ChatrouAssistant Professor
Expertise: phylogenetics, biogeography, phylogeography, tropics, Annonaceae
Room number Ww4Aa063
Tel +31 (0)317 483854 Fax +31 (0)317 484917 
Lars.Chatrou@wur.nl
Research
My research and that of students focuses on phylogenetic systematics, biogeography and phylogeography. I test hypotheses on the origin and demise of tropical woody plants, on changes in their geographical distribution, and on the evolution of ecological preferences, and morphological and physiological features of these plants.
The group of organisms that I use most to address my research questions, and that I have studied extensively in the field and in the herbarium, is the tropical plant family of Annonaceae. I have a long-term commitment to the research area of taxonomy, including database development and DNA barcoding, concentrated on this plant family.
Key collaborators
James Richardson
Kate Goodrich
Richard Saunders
External boards & editorial functions
Member of the Dutch CITES-committee
Member of the editorial board of Blumea
Teaching
Evolution & Systematics (GEN-11306)
Fieldcourse European Flora and Fauna (BIS-20803)
Advanced Biosystematics (BIS-30306)
Molecular Phylogenies: Reconstruction & Interpretation (PhD course)
PhD Students
Michael Pirie, Utrecht University (2001-2005)
Cremastosperma (and other evolutionary digressions); molecular phylogenetic, biogeographic, and taxonomic studies in Neotropical Annonaceae.
Supervisors: Paul Maas, Lars Chatrou
Roy Erkens, Utrecht University (2002-2007)
From morphological nightmare to molecular conundrum; phylogenetic, evolutionary and taxonomic studies on Guatteria (Annonaceae).
Supervisors: Paul Maas, Lars Chatrou
Thomas Couvreur, Wageningen University (2004-2008)
Revealing the secrets of African Annonaceae; systematics, evolution and biogeography of the syncarpous genera Isolona and Monodora.
Supervisors: Marc Sosef, James Richardson, Lars Chatrou
Tanawat Chaowasku, Leiden University (2007-2011)
Systematics and biogeography of Miliusa (Annonaceae)
Supervisors: Erik Smets, Paul Kessler, Lars Chatrou
Svenja Meinke, Leiden University (2008-2012) Evolutionary studies on the liana habit within Annonaceae
Supervisors: Erik Smets, Paul Kessler, Lars Chatrou
Pulcherie Bissiengou, Wageningen University (2008-2012)
Systematics and evolutionary history of Campylospermum Tiegh. (Ochnaceae) in Africa.
Supervisors: Marc Sosef, Lars Chatrou
Alfred Maroyi, Wageningen University (2008-2012)
Systematics of Gloriosa L. and Littonia Hook. (Colchicaceae).
Supervisors: Jos van der Maesen, Lars Chatrou
Selected publications
Couvreur, T.L.P., Porter-Morgan, H., Wieringa, J.J. & Chatrou, L.W. (2011). Little ecological divergence associated with speciation in two African rain forest tree genera. BMC Evol. Biol. 11: 296.
Couvreur, T.L.P., M.D. Pirie, L.W. Chatrou, R.M.K. Saunders, Y.C.F. Su, J.E. Richardson & R.H.J. Erkens. 2011. Early evolutionary history of the flowering plant family Annonaceae: steady diversification and boreotropical geodispersal. J. Biogeogr. 38: 664-680
Chatrou, L.W., J.J. Wieringa & T.L.P Couvreur. 2011. The impact of climate change on the origin and future of East African rainforest trees. Pp. 304-319. In: Hodkinson, T., M. Jones, S. Waldren & J. Parnell (eds.), Climate Change, Ecology and Systematics. Systematics Association Special Volume Series, vol. 75, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Couvreur, T.L.P., G. Gort, J.E. Richardson, M.S.M. Sosef & L.W. Chatrou 2010. Insights into the influence of priors in posterior mapping of discrete morphological characters: a case study in Annonaceae. PLoS One 5: e10473.
Huysmans, S., B. Verstraete, E. Smets & L.W. Chatrou. 2010. Distribution of orbicules in Annonaceae mirrors evolutionary trend in angiosperms. Pl. Ecol. Evol. 142: 199 – 211.
Chatrou, L.W., T.L.P. Couvreur & J.E. Richardson. 2009. Spatio-temporal dynamism of hotspots enhances plant diversity. J. Biogeogr. 36: 1628-1629.
Chatrou, L.W., M.P. Escribano, M.A. Viruel, J.W. Maas, J.E. Richardson, J.I. Hormaza. 2009. Flanking regions of monomorphic microsatellite loci provide a new source of data for plant species-level phylogenetics. Mol. Phyl. Evol. 53: 726–733.
Publications