Selvadurai Dayanandan, PhD

Education

PhD (Boston University)
Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Massachusetts-Boston)
Izaak W. Killam Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Alberta)

Research interests

Evolutionary Genomics, Microbiomics, Molecular Systematics, Population Genetics, Phylogeography, Biodiversity Conservation

My research program is aimed at gaining insights into the processes underlying the evolutionary origin and maintenance of biological diversity with specific focus on the ecology, evolution and genomics of forest trees. Understanding these processes provides the necessary basis for the development of sound conservation and sustainable management strategies for forest and agricultural areas. Current research projects in my laboratory include studies in forest tree community assembly, population genetics and microbiomics of tropical and temperate forest trees and crop plants.

Associate editor

BOTANY (Formerly Canadian Journal of Botany)

Council Member

Shastri Indo Canadian Institute
http://www.shastriinstitute.org/

Member

Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Sciences

Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative

President Elect

Canadian Botanical Association

2024 -

Associate Dean - Research and Infrastructure, Faculty of Arts and Science 

2020 - 2024

Chair (Head of the Department), Biology Department (2020-2024)

Board of Governors, Concordia University (2020-2024)
        Vice Chair - Board of Governors (2023-2024)
        Committee memberships
                Executive Committee - Board of Governors (2020-2024)
                Honorary Degree Committee - Board of Governors (2022-2024 )
                Governance and Ethics Committee - Board of Governors (2020-2022)

Member of the Senate, Concordia University (2020-2024)
        Steering Committee Member - Senate (2020-2023)

2017-2018

Chair -Interim, Biology Department (2017-2018)

2010-2016

Director, Graduate Program in Biology (2010-2016)

2008-2010

Director, Graduate Diploma in Biotechnology and Genomics (2008-2010)

2006-2008

Honors Program Advisor, Biology Department (2006-2008)

Recent

BIOL225  Form and Function of Organisms
 
BIOL340  Plant Biology

BIOL452  Population and Conservation Genetics

Past

BIOL208 Environmental Biology

BIOL466 Advanced Techniques in Molecular Biology

BIOL490 Independent Study

BIOL508 Ecology for Environmentalists

BIOL511 Structural Genomics

BIOL516 Projects in Biotechnology

BIOL602 Molecular Phylogenetics

BIOL670 Scientific Communication

2020-2023

   Grant, K.R., J.T. Davies, S.M.Harish, J. A. Dar, S. Kothandaraman, T. Ray, D. Malasiya, S. Dayanandan and M.L. Khan (2023). Phylogenetic community patterns suggest Central Indian tropical dry forests are structured by montane climate refuges. Diversity and Distributions 29: 946-958

 

   Mo, L., C.M. Zohner, P. B. Reich, J. Liang et al., (2023). Integrated Global Assessment of the Natural Forest Carbon Potential Nature xxx:xxx-xxx

   Delavaux, C.S. et al., (2023). Native diversity buffers against severity of non-native tree invasions. Nature xxx:xxx

   

   Hordijk, I. et al., (2023). Evenness mediates the global relationship between forest productivity and richness. Journal of Ecology 111:1308-1326.

   Bansal, M. et al., (2022). Southeast Asian Dipterocarp origin and diversification driven by Africa-India floristic interchange. Science 375:455-460.

 

   Sengupta, A. and S. Dayanandan (2022). Biodiversity of India: Evolution, biogeography, and conservation. Biotropica. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13168

 Liang et al., 2022. Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients. Nature Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1038/S41559-022-01831-X

 Gatti et al., (2022). The number of tree species on Earth. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 119: e 2115329119

   Shivaprakash, K.N., J.M. Rajanna, S.V. Gunaga, G.Ravikanth, R.Vasudeva, R. Uma Shaanker and S. Dayanandan (2022). The flooded habitat adaptation, niche differentiation, and evolution of Myristicaceae trees in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India. Biotropica. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13078

   Kumara, M., S. Dayanandan, R. Vasudeva, G. Ravikanth and R. UmaShaanker (2022). Population Genetic Diversity of Dysoxylum binectariferum, an economically important tree species in the Western Ghats, India. In A. Kumar, B. Choudhury, S. Dayanandan and M.L.Khan (Eds). Molecular Genetics and Genomics Tools in Biodiversity Conservation. Springer Nature.

   Barbhuiya, A.R., M.L. Khan and S. Dayanandan (2022). Molecular Phylogeny of Citrus species in the Eastern Himalayan Region of Northeast India based on Chloroplast and Nuclear DNA sequence data. In A. Kumar,  B. Choudhury, S. Dayanandan and M.L.Khan (Eds). Molecular Genetics and Genomics Tools in Biodiversity Conservation. Springer Nature.

 

   Kumar, A., B. Choudhury, S. Dayanandan and M.L.Khan (2022). Molecular Genetics and Genomics Tools in Biodiversity Conservation. Springer Nature.

 

   Sachin, N., S. Palys, Di. F. Marcos, A. Tsang, P. Périnet, R. UmaShaanker and S. Dayanandan (2021). Isolation and characterization of Bacillus velezensis EB14, an endophytic bacterial strain antagonistic to poplar stem canker pathogen Sphaerulina musiva and its interactions with the endophytic fungal microbiome in poplars. PhytoFrontiers DOI:10.1094/PHYTOFR-10-20-0023-R

Dubey, A., M. A. Malla, A. Kumar, S. Dayanandan and M. L. Khan (2020) Plants and endophytes: unveiling hidden agenda for bioprospecting toward sustainable agriculture, Critical Reviews in Biotechnology. 

            DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2020.1808584

   Sachin, N., A.Tsang, R. UmaShaanker and S. Dayanandan (2020). Genome Sequence Resource of Bacillus velezensis EB14, a native endophytic bacterial strain with biocontrol potential against the poplar stem canker causative pathogen, Sphaerulina musiva. Phytopathology DOI: 10.1094/PHYTO-09-20-0433-A

Zohner et al., (2020). Late-spring frost risk between 1959 and 2017 decreased in North America but increased in Europe and Asia. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1920816117

2010-2019

Sen, S.,  S. Dayanandan, T. Davis, R. Ganesan, M. R. Jagadish, P. J. Mathew and G. Ravikanth (2019). Origin and evolution of the genus Piper in Peninsular India.  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 138:102-113

Steidinger, B.S., T. W. Crowther, J. Liang, M. E.Van Nuland, G. D. A. Werner, P. B. Reich et al., (2019). Climatic controls of decomposition drive the global biogeographyof forest-tree symbioses. Nature 569:404

Mirzahosseinia, Z., L.Shabani, M. R. Sabzalian and S. Dayanandan (2019). Comparative physiological and proteomic analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana revealed differential wound stress responses following exposure to different LED light sources. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 

Dar,J.A.,  K Subashree, S. Sundarapandian, P. Saikia, A.Kumar, P. K. Khare, S. Dayanandan, and M. L. Khan (2019).  Invasive Species and Their Impact on TropicalForests of Central India: A Review. In. S. C. Garkoti et al. (eds.), TropicalEcosystems: Structure, Functions and Challenges in the Face of Global Change.Springer Nature.

Naik,S., R. UmaShaanker, G. Ravikanth and S. Dayanandan (2019).How and why do endophytes produce plant secondary metabolites? Symbiosis. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-019-00614-6

Shooner,S., J. Davies, P. Saikia, J. Deka, S, Bharali, O.P. Tripathi, L. Sinha, M.L.Khan and S. Dayanandan (2018).  Phylogenetic diversity patterns in Himalayan forests reveal evidence for environmental filtering of distinct lineages. Ecosphere 00(00):e02157. 10.1002/ecs2.2157

Verma,S., J. A. Dar, D. Malasiya, P. K. Khare, S. Dayanandan and M. L. Khan(2018). A MODIS-based spatiotemporal assessment of agricultural residue burning in Madhya Pradesh, India. Ecological Indicators 10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.04.042

Shivaprakash,N.,B. R.  Ramesh, R. Umashaanker and S. Dayanandan(2018). Functional trait and community phylogenetic analyses reveal environmental filtering as the major determinant of assembly of tropical forest tree communities in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot in India. Forest Ecosystems 5:25

Saikia,P, J. Deka, S. Bharali, Amit Kumar, O. P. Tripathi, L. B. Singha, S. Dayanandanand M. L. Khan (2017). Plant diversity patterns and conservation status ofeastern Himalayan forests in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India. Forest Ecosystems 4:28

Nagachaitanya, B., M. Venkateshwarlu, S. Bourque, V. Reshmy, K. Santoshkumar, S. Dayanandan, S. Sameer, K. Chandrashekara (2017) Characterization of two novel antimicrobial peptides from the cuticular extracts of the ant Trichomyrmex criniceps (Mayr), (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology 94:e21381

Barbhuiya, A., M. L. Khan and S. Dayanandan (2016).  Genetic structure and diversity of natural and domesticated populations of Citrus medica in the Eastern Himalayan region of Northeast India. Ecology and Evolution 6:3898

Sen, S., N. Shivaprakash, N. A. Aravind, G. Ravikanth, and S. Dayanandan (2016). Ecological niche modeling for conservation planning of an endemic snail in the verge of becoming a pest in cardamom plantations in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Ecology and Evolution 6:6510

Bari, A., H. Khazaei, F. L. Stoddard, K. Street, M. J. Sillanpää. Y. P.Chaubey  S. Dayanandan,  D. T. F. Endresen,  E. De Pauw  and A. B. Damania (2016).  In silico evaluation of plant genetic resources to search traits for adaptation to climate change. Climate Change, 134:667

Bari, A., A.B. Damania, M. Mackay and S. Dayanandan (2016). Applied Mathematics and Omics to Assess Crop Genetic Resources for Climate Change Adaptive Traits. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL.

Dayanandan, S., and A. Bari (2016) .Developing Climate-Change Adaptive Crops to Sustain Agriculture in Dryland Systems through Applied Mathematics andGenomics. In: A. Bari, A.B. Damania, M. Mackay and S. Dayanandan (Eds.).Applied Mathematics and Omics to Assess Crop Genetic Resources for Climate Change Adaptive Traits. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL.

Thomson, A., C.W. Dick, A. L. Pascoini and S. Dayanandan (2015). Despite introgressive hybridization, North American birches (Betula spp.) maintain strong differentiation at nuclear microsatellite loci. Tree Genetics & Genomes 11:101

Singh Shweta,B. R. Gurumurthy, M. M. Vasanthakumari, G. Ravikanth, S. Dayanandan, R. Storms, M. B. Shivanna and R. Uma Shaanker (2015).  Endophyte fungal diversity in Nothapodytes  nimmoniana along its distributional gradient in the Western Ghats, India: are camptothecine  (anticancer alkaloid) producing endophytes  restricted to specific clades?  Current Science, 109:127

Thomson, A., C. Dick and S. Dayanandan (2015). A similar phylogeographical structure among sympatric North American birches (Betula) is better explained by introgression than by shared biogeographical history. Journal of Biogeography. 42:339

Wu, Z., J. Shi, M. Xi, F.Jiang, M. Deng and S. Dayanandan (2015). ISSR data reveals high genetic diversity in wild populations of narrowly distributed endemic lily, Lilium regale in the Minjiang river valley in China. PLoS ONE 10: e0118831

Choudhury, B., M.L.Khan and S. Dayanandan (2014) Genetic relatedness among traditionally cultivated rice ecotypes in the Eastern Himalayan region based on nucleotide sequences of the Waxy gene. BMC Research Notes  7:953

Ramesha, B. T., K.N.Shivaprakash, G. Ravikanth, S. Dayanandan and R. Uma Shaanker (2014) Genetic structure, diversity and long term viability of a medicinal plant, Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Icacinaceae), in protected and non-protected areas in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.PLoS ONE 9(12): e112769

Choudhury, B., M.L.Khan and S. Dayanandan (2014). Patterns of Nucleotide Diversity and Phenotypes of Two Domestication Related Genes (OsC1 and Wx) in Indigenous Rice Varieties in Northeast India. BMC Genetics 15:71

Choudhury, B., M.L.Khanand S. Dayanandan (2014). Functional Androdioecy in Critically Endangered Gymnocladus assamicus (Leguminosae) inthe Eastern Himalayan Region of Northeast India. PLOS ONE 9:e87287

Moses, M., P. Umaharan and S. Dayanandan (2014) Microsatellite BasedAnalysis of the Genetic Structure andDiversity of Capsicum chinense in the Neotropics. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 61:741-755.

Choudhury, B., M.L.Khan andS. Dayanandan (2014) Genetic Characterization of Indigenous  RiceVarieties in the Eastern Himalayan Region of Northeast India. Rice Science 21:90-98.

Sumangala R C, R.Umashaanker, S. Dayanandan, R. Vasudeva and G. Ravikanth (2013). Development of novel microsatellite markers for Saraca asoca, a medicinally important tree species in India. Journal of Genetics 92:c93.

Zhao, J., L. Zhang, S. Dayanandan, S. Nagaraju and Q. Li (2013). The Tertiary origin and Pleistocene diversification with restricted gene flow in Dragon Blood Tree (Dracaena cambodiana - Asparagaceae) populations in the Asian tropical forests. PLoS ONE 8(4): e60102

Choudhury,B., M.L.Khan and S. Dayanandan (2013). Genetic structure and diversity of indigenous rice (Oryza sativa) varieties in the Eastern Himalayan region of Northeast India. SpringerPlus 2:228.

Kornblatt M.J., R. J. Albert, S. Mattie, J. Zakaib, S. Dayanandan, P.J. Hanic-Joyce andP.B.M Joyce (2013). The Saccharomycescerevisiae enolase-related regions encode proteins that are active enolases.  YEAST 30:55-69.

Bergmame, L., J.Huffman, R. Cole, S. Dayanandan, V. Tkach and D. McLaughlin (2011). Sphaeridotrema globulus and Sphaeridotrema pseudoglobulus (Digenea): Species differentiation based on mtDNA (barcode) and partial LSU-rDNA sequence. Journal of Parasitology. 97:1132-6

Locke, S.,D. McLaughlin, S. Dayanandan and D. Marcogliese (2010) Diversity and specificity in Diplostomum spp. metacercariae in freshwater  fishes revealed by cytochrome c oxidase I and internal transcribed spacer sequences. International Journal of Parasitology 40:333–343 

2000 - 2009

Ramesha, B.T., R. Srirama, G. Ravikanth, K.V. Ravishankar, S.Dayanandan, N. Sreejayan, R. Vasudeva, K.N. Ganeshaiah, and  R. Uma Shaanker (2009). Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Nothapodytes nimmoniana, a medicinally important tree from the Western Ghats, India. Molecular Ecology Resources 9: 365-367.

Marszalek, M., S. Dayanandan and E.J. Maly (2009). Phylogenyof the genus Hesperodiaptomus (Copepoda) based on nucleotide sequence data of the nuclear ribosomal gene. Hydrobiologia 624:61-69. 

Brodeur, N., M. Noel, O. Venter, L. Bernatchez, S. Dayanandan and J. Grant (2008). No evidence of kin bias in dispersion of young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in anatural stream. Journal of Fish Biology73:2361-2370.

Hamzeh,M., C. Sawchyn, P. Périnet and S. Dayanandan (2007). Asymmetrical natural hybridization between Populus deltoides and P. balsamifera (Salicaceae). Canadian Journal of Botany 85:1227-1232

Lam, K.C., R. K.Ibrahim, B. Behdad and S. Dayanandan (2007). Structure, Function, and Evolution of Plant O-Methyltransferases. Genome,50:1001-1013.

Hamzeh, M., P. Périnet and S. Dayanandan 2006. Genetic relationships among species of Populus (Salicaceae) based on nuclear genomic data. Journal of the TorreyBotanical Society, 133:519-527

Boys, J., M. Cherry, S.Dayanandan 2005. Microsatellite analysis reveals genetically distinct populations of red pine (Pinus resinosa:Pinaceae). American Journal of Botany 92:833-841

Hamzeh, M., and S.Dayanandan 2004. Phylogeny of Populus (Salicaceae) based on nucleotide sequences of chloroplast trnT-trnF region and the nuclear rDNA. American Journal of Botany. 91:1398-1409.

Galazzo, D.E., S. Dayanandan, D.Marcogliese and J.D. McLaughlin. 2002. Molecular systematics of some North American species of Diplostomum (Digenea) based on rDNA sequence data and comparisons with European congeners. Canadian Journalof Zoology, 80:2207-2217.

Stacy, E.A., S.Dayanandan, B.P. Dancik, and P.D. Khasa. 2001. Microsatellite DNA markers for the Sri Lankan rainforest tree species, Shorea cordifolia (Dipterocarpaceae) and cross-species amplification in S. megistophylla. Molecular Ecology Notes, 1:A20

Rajora, O.P., M.H. Rahman, S. Dayanandan and A. Mosseler.2001. Isolation, characterization, inheritance and linkage of microsatellite DNA markers in white spruce (Picea glauca) and their usefulness in other spruce species. Molecular and General Genetics, 264:871-883.

Mohana, G.S., R. Uma Shaanker, K. N. Ganeshaiah, and S.Dayanandan. 2001. Genetic relationships among developing seeds and intra-fruit seed abortion in Dalbergia sissoo (Fabaceae). American Journal of Botany, 88:1181-1188.

Rahman, M.H., S. Dayanandan, and O. P.Rajora. 2000. Microsatellite DNA markers in Populus tremuloides. Genome, 43:293-297.

1990-1999

Dayanandan, S., P.S.Ashton, S.M. Williams, and R.B. Primack. 1999. Phylogeny of the tropical tree Family Dipterocarpaceae based on nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast rbcL gene. American Journal of Botany, 86:1182-1190.

Dayanandan, S., J. Dole, K.S. Bawa, and R.V. Kesseli. 1999. Population structure delineated with microsatellite markers in fragmented populations of a tropical tree, Carapa guianensis  (Meliaceae). Molecular Ecology, 8:1585-1592.

Dayanandan, S., O.P.Rajora, and K.S. Bawa.  1998. Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides).  Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 96:950-956.

Sanchez-Azofeifa, G.A.,C. Quesada-Mateo, P. Gonzalez-Quesada, S. Dayanandan, and K.S. Bawa. 1999.  Protected areas and conservation of biodiversity in the tropics. Conservation Biology,13:407-411

Morton, C.M., S.Dayanandan, and D. Dissanayake. 1999. Phylogeny and biosystematics of Pseudomonotes  based on molecular and morphological data. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 216:197-205.

Dayanandan S., K.S.Bawa, and R.V. Kesseli. 1997. Conservation of microsatellites among tropical trees (Leguminosae). American Journal of Botany, 84:1658-1663.

Bawa, K.S. and S.Dayanandan. 1997. Climate change and tropical forest genetic resources. Climate Change, 39:473-485.

Bawa, K.S. and S.Dayanandan. 1997. Tropical deforestation: Causes and institutional constraints to conservation. In: B. Goldsmith (ed.) TropicalRainforest: A wider perspective. Chapman and Hall, England.

Bawa, K.S. and S. Dayanandan1997.  Socio-economic factors and tropical deforestation.   Nature, 386 (6625):562-563.

Chase, M. W., D.E.Soltis, R.G. Olmstead, D. Morgan, D.H. Les, B.D. Mishler,  M.R. Duvall, R.Q. Price,  H.G. Hills, Y.L. Qiu, K.A. Kron, J.H. Rettig,E. Conti, J.D. Palmer,  J.R.Manhart,  K.J. Sytsma,  H.J. Michaels, W.J. Kress,  K.G. Karol, W.D. Clark, M. Hedren, B.S. Gaut, R.K. Jansen, K.J. Kim, C.F. Wimpee,J.F. Smith, G.R. Furnier, S.H. Strauss, Q.Y. Xiang,  G.M. Plunkett, P.S. Soltis, S. Swensen, S.E.Williams, P.A. Gadek, C.J. Quinn, L.E. Eguiarte, E. Golenberg, G.H. Learn, S.W.Graham, S.C.H. Barrett, S. Dayanandan, and V. Albert. 1993.  Phyogenetics of seed plants: An analysis of nucleotide sequences from the plastid gene rbcL. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 80:528-580.

Dayanandan, S., D.N.C.Attygala, A.W.W.L. Abeygunasekera, I.A.U.N. Gunatilleke, and C.V.S.Gunatilleke. 1990. Phenology and floral morphology in relation to pollination of some Sri Lankan Dipterocarps.  In:K.S. Bawa, and M. Hadley (eds.), Reproductive ecology of tropical forest plants, UNESCO, Man and Biosphere series Vol.7,pp.103-133. Parthenon Publishing group, Carnforth, England.