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Andrew Lee
PeerJ Author & Reviewer
555 Points

Contributions by role

Author 405
Reviewer 150

Contributions by subject area

Developmental Biology
Evolutionary Studies
Histology
Zoology
Anatomy and Physiology
Paleontology
Biophysics

Andrew H Lee

PeerJ Author & Reviewer

Summary

I am an evolutionary morphologist with expertise in bone histology, biomechanics, and growth. This expertise gives me a unique perspective that integrates form, function, and time. With this perspective, I seek to understand why skeletons have certain microscopic features.

By using the annual growth lines preserved in dinosaur bones to estimate growth rates, my work shows that large dinosaurs matured about five times faster than living reptiles scaled to comparable size. Even small dinosaurs grew about 40% faster than living reptiles. A potential ecological advantage of rapid growth is the increase in lifetime reproductive success. These findings clarify how dinosaurs were successful for 150 million years as well as the precedent for rapid growth in their descendants, birds.

More is known about bone histology in extinct species than in living ones. Therefore, my current research focuses on living species. I am currently testing whether laminar bone is an adaptation to flight. Laminar bone is thought to resist twisting loads and is prevalent in some of the wing bones of birds. But it is absent in bats. The absence of laminar bone in bats is best explained by relatively slow growth compared to birds. This work suggests that growth is an important constraint on wing bone histology. To test this further, my students are tracking how laminar bone develops in the wings of growing birds. I believe that this ontogenetic approach is a powerful tool when testing for adaptation.

Evolutionary Studies Histology Paleontology Zoology

Past or current institution affiliations

Midwestern University

Work details

Associate Professor

Midwestern University
Department of Anatomy

Websites

  • Paleohistology Repository
  • Google Scholar

PeerJ Contributions

  • Articles 3
  • Reviewed 1
September 8, 2020
Development of limb bone laminarity in the homing pigeon (Columba livia)
Rylee S. McGuire, Raffi Ourfalian, Kelly Ezell, Andrew H. Lee
https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9878 PubMed 33194361
September 25, 2019
The effects of growth rate and biomechanical loading on bone laminarity within the emu skeleton
Amanda L. Kuehn, Andrew H. Lee, Russell P. Main, Erin L.R. Simons
https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7616 PubMed 31579580
March 5, 2015
Wing bone laminarity is not an adaptation for torsional resistance in bats
Andrew H. Lee, Erin L.R. Simons
https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.823 PubMed 25780775

Signed reviews submitted for articles published in PeerJ Note that some articles may not have the review itself made public unless authors have made them open as well.

December 15, 2020
Polyester or epoxy: assessing embedding product efficacy in paleohistological methods
Christian T. Heck, Gwyneth Volkmann, Holly N. Woodward
https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10495 PubMed 33362969