Chemical Ecology; Natural Product Chemistry
Background
BS in Botany (USF 1985) classical botany and ecology
MS in Natural Product Chemistry (USF 1990) on nonprotein amino acids of a genus of tropical leguminous tree
PhD SUNY Stony Brook working with Doug Futuyma to expand my research base to include insects (1990-1994)
Penn State transfer to the Schultz for chemical analysis (PhD in Entomology 1997)
Post Doc in Joy Bergelson’s lab (1997-2001) to help her lab develop chemical ecology
Visiting Assistant Professor at Lake Forest College (2000-2003)
Visiting Assistant Professor at Ursinus College (2003-2006)
Associate Professor at College of Lake County (2007-2009)
Adjunct Professor at Carthage College (2012)
Returned to University of Chicago as Research Manager in Bergelson lab (2012-)
Selected Publications
Articles:
S.L. Jackrel and T.C. Morton 2018. Inducible phenotypic plasticity in plants regulates aquatic ecosystem functioning. Oecologia 186(4), 895-906.
B. Brachi, D. Filiault, P. Darme, M. Le Mentec, E. Kerdaffrec, F. Rabanal, A. Anastasio, M. Box, S. Duncan, T.C. Morton, P. Novikova, M. Perisin, T. Tsuchimatsu, R. Woolley, M. Yu, C. Dean, M. Nordborg, S. Holm, J. Bergelson 2017. Plant genes influence microbial hubs that shape beneficial leaf communities. BioRxiv 181198 doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/181198
S.L. Jackrel, T.C. Morton, and T. Wootten (2016). Intraspecific leaf chemistry drives locally accelerated ecosystem function in aquatic and terrestrial communities. Ecology 97(8), 2125-2135.
J.F. Pierre, K.B. Martinez, H. Ye, A. Nadimpalli, T.C. Morton, J. Yang, Q. Wang, N. Patno, E.B. Chang, and D.P. Yin (2016). Activation of Bile Acids Signaling Improves Metabolic Phenotypes in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese (DIO) Mice. American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology 311(2): G286-G304.
B. Brachi, C. Meyer, R. Villoutreix, A. Platt, T.C. Morton, F. Roux, J. Bergelson (2015). ‘Co-selected genes determine adaptive variation in herbivore resistance throughout the native range of Arabidopsis thaliana. PNAS 112(13), 4032-4037.
T.E. Juenger, T.C. Morton, R.E. Miller, and J. Bergelson. (2005) “Scarlet gilia resistance to insect herbivory; the effects of early season browsing, plant apparency, and chemical defense on patterns of seed fly attack.’ Evolutionary Ecology, 19:79-101.
F.V. Vencl, T.C. Morton, R.O. Mumma, and J.C. Schultz (1999). ‘Fecal shield defense of a larval tortoise beetle.’ Journal of Chemical Ecology, 25 (3): 549-566.
T.C. Morton (1998) ‘Chemotaxonomic significance of hydroxylated pipecolic acids in Central American Inga (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae: Ingeae).’ Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 26 (4): 379-401.
T.C. Morton and F.V. Vencl (1998). ‘Larval beetles form defense from recycled host plant chemicals discharged as fecal wastes.’ Journal of Chemical Ecology, 24 (5): 765-75.
F.V. Vencl, and T.C. Morton (1998a). ‘The shield defense of the sumac flea beetle, Blepharida rhois (Chrysomelidae: Alticinae).’ Chemoecology, 8 (1), 25-32.
K.L. Olmstead, R.F. Denno, T.C. Morton, and J.T. Romeo (1997). ‘Influence of Prokelisia planthoppers on amino acid composition and growth of Spartina alterniflora.’ Journal of Chemical Ecology, 23 (2), 303-321.
J. Gurevitch, D.R. Taub, T.C. Morton, P.L. Gomez, and I.-N. Wang (1996). ‘Competition and genetic background in a rapid-cycling cultivar of Brassica rapa (Brassicaceae).’ American Journal of Botany, 83 (7), 932-938.
D.J. Futuyma, J.S. Walsh, T.C. Morton, D.J. Funk, and M.C. Keese (1994). ‘Genetic variation in a phylogenetic context: Responses of two leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) to host plants of their congeners.’ Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 7, 127-146.
T.C. Morton, A.S. Zektzer, J.P. Rife, and J.T. Romeo (1991). ‘Trans-4 methoxypipecolic acid, an amino acid from Inga paterno.’ Phytochemistry, 30 (7), 2397-2399.
J.D. Weidenhamer, T.C. Morton, and J.T. Romeo (1987). ‘Solution volume and seed number: Often overlooked factors in allelopathic bioassays.’ Journal of Chemical Ecology, 13 (6), 1481-1491.
Book chapters:
F.V. Vencl and T.C. Morton (1999). ‘Macroevolutionary aspects of larval shield defenses.’ Advances in Chrysomelidae Biology 1. Cox (ed.) Bachuys, Leiden, Neth. 217-239.
F.V. Vencl and T.C. Morton (1998b). ‘Did chemical change in shield defenses promote diversification of shining leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae: Criocerinae)?’ Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on the Chrysomelidae. Biondi, Daccordi, and Furth, (eds.) Monografie del Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino. 1-14.
J.T. Romeo and T.C. Morton (1994). ‘Nonprotein amino acids of the Ingeae: taxonomic and ecological considerations.’ Advances in Legume Systematics 5: The Nitrogen Factor, Sprent and McKey, eds. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England, 89-99.
