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Publications: PROF Richard Buggs

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Friis G, Cotterill N, Barsoum N, Webberley M, Vatanparast M, Charters M, Carleial R, Buggs R et al. ( 2025 ) . Genetic Consequences of Tree Planting Versus Natural Colonisation: Implications for Afforestation Programmes in the United Kingdom . Evolutionary Applications vol. 18 , ( 8 )
Plumb WJ, Kelly LJ, Mullender J, Powell RF, Csiba L, Nemesio‐Gorriz M, Carey D, Mason ME et al. ( 2025 ) . Preliminary genetic barcodes for ash (Fraxinus) species and generation of new wide hybrids . Plants People Planet
Metheringham CL, Plumb WJ, Flynn WRM, Stocks JJ, Kelly LJ, Nemesio Gorriz M, Grieve SWD, Moat J et al. ( 2025 ) . Rapid polygenic adaptation in a wild population of ash trees under a novel fungal epidemic . Science vol. 388 , ( 6754 ) 1422 - 1425 .
Yan F, Liu L, Ding J, Fan K, Buggs RJA ( 2025 ) . Impacts of climatic niche breadth, phylogeny, traits and ploidy on geographical ranges of Betula species . Journal of Systematics and Evolution vol. 63 , ( 4 ) 939 - 951 .
Flynn WRM, Grieve SWD, Henshaw AJ, Owen HJF, Buggs RJA, Metheringham CL, Plumb WJ, Stocks JJ et al. ( 2024 ) . UAV‐derived greenness and within‐crown spatial patterning can detect ash dieback in individual trees . Ecological Solutions and Evidence vol. 5 , ( 2 )
Rampersad C, Geto T, Samuel T, Abebe M, Pironon S, Büchi L, Haggar J, Stocks J et al. ( 2023 ) . Indigenous crop diversity maintained despite the introduction of major global crops in an African centre of agrobiodiversity . Plants People Planet vol. 5 , ( 6 ) 985 - 996 .
White OW, Biswas MK, Abebe WM, Dussert Y, Kebede F, Nichols RA, Buggs RJA, Demissew S et al. ( 2023 ) . Maintenance and expansion of genetic and trait variation following domestication in a clonal crop . Molecular Ecology vol. 32 , ( 15 ) 4165 - 4180 .
Hill R, Levicky Q, Pitsillides F, Junnonen A, Arrigoni E, Bonnin JM, Kermode A, Buddie AG et al. ( 2023 ) . Tapping Culture Collections for Fungal Endophytes: First Genome Assemblies for Three Genera and Five Species in the Ascomycota . Genome Biology and Evolution vol. 15 , ( 3 )
Nocchi G, Wang J, Yang L, Ding J, Gao Y ( 2022 ) . Genomic signals of local adaptation and hybridization in Asian white birch . Molecular Ecology vol. 32 , ( 3 ) 595 - 612 .
Buggs RJA ( 2022 ) . The challenge of demonstrating contemporary natural selection on polygenic quantitative traits in the wild . Molecular Ecology vol. 31 , ( 24 ) 6383 - 6386 .
White O, Biswas M, Abebe WM, Dussert Y, Kebede F, Nichols R, Buggs RJA, Demissew S et al. ( 2022 ) . Maintenance and expansion of genetic and trait variation following domestication in a clonal crop .
Hill R, Buggs RJA ( 2022 ) . Lifestyle Transitions in Fusarioid Fungi are Frequent and Lack Clear Genomic Signatures . Molecular Biology and Evolution vol. 39 , ( 4 )
Buggs RJA ( 2022 ) . Reconfiguring Darwin’s abominable mystery . Nature Plants1 - 2 .
Gathercole LAP, Nocchi G, Brown N, Coker TLR, Plumb WJ, Stocks JJ, Nichols RA, Denman S et al. ( 2021 ) . Evidence for the Widespread Occurrence of Bacteria Implicated in Acute Oak Decline from Incidental Genetic Sampling . Forests vol. 12 , ( 12 ) 1683 - 1683 .
Rossi F, Crnjar A, Comitani F, Feliciano R, Jahn L, Malim G, Southgate L, Oakey R et al. ( 2021 ) . Extraction and high-throughput sequencing of oak heartwood DNA: Assessing the feasibility of genome-wide DNA methylation profiling . PLOS ONE vol. 16 , ( 11 )
Cowell C, Paton A, Borrell JS, Williams C, Wilkin P, Antonelli A, Baker WJ, Fay MF et al. ( 2021 ) . Uses and benefits of digital sequence information from plant genetic resources: Lessons learnt from botanical collections . Plants People Planet vol. 4 , ( 1 ) 33 - 43 .
Nocchi G, Brown N, Coker TLR, Plumb WJ, Denman S ( 2021 ) . Genomic structure and diversity of oak populations in British parklands . Plants People Planet
Oztolan-Erol N, Helmstetter AJ, İnan A, Buggs RJA ( 2021 ) . Unraveling Genetic Diversity Amongst European Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) Varieties in Turkey . Frontiers in Plant Science vol. 12 ,
Wang N, Kelly LJ, McAllister HA, Zohren J ( 2021 ) . Resolving phylogeny and polyploid parentage using genus-wide genome-wide sequence data from birch trees . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution vol. 160 ,
Ding J, Hua D, Borrell JS, Buggs RJA, Wang L ( 2021 ) . Introgression between Betula tianshanica and Betula microphylla and its implications for conservation . Plants, People, Planet
Buggs RJA ( 2021 ) . The origin of Darwin’s “abominable mystery” . American Journal of Botany
Lucas SJ, Kahraman K, Buggs RJA ( 2021 ) . A chromosome-scale genome assembly of European hazel (Corylus avellana L.) reveals targets for crop improvement . The Plant Journal
Buggs R ( 2020 ) . The Origin of Novel Genes . Inference: International Review of Science vol. 5 , ( 3 )
Kelly L, Plumb W, Carey D, Mason M, Cooper E, Crowther W, Whittemore A, Rossiter S et al. ( 2020 ) . Convergent Molecular Evolution Among Ash Species Resistant to the Emerald Ash Borer . Nature Ecology and Evolution
Seaman J, Buggs RJA ( 2020 ) . FluentDNA: Nucleotide Visualization of Whole Genomes, Annotations, and Alignments . Frontiers in Genetics vol. 11 ,
Helmstetter AJ, Oztolan‐Erol N, Lucas SJ ( 2020 ) . Genetic diversity and domestication of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) in Turkey . Plants, People, Planet Article ppp3.10078 ,
Buggs RJA ( 2019 ) . Changing perceptions of tree resistance research . Plants, People, Planet vol. 2 , ( 1 ) 2 - 4 .
Stocks J, Metheringham C, Plumb W, Lee S, Kelly L, Nichols R, Buggs R ( 2019 ) . Genomic basis of European ash tree resistance to ash dieback fungus . Nature Ecology and Evolution
Showalter DN, Saville RJ, Orton ES ( 2019 ) . Resistance of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) saplings to larval feeding by the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) . Plants, People, Planet vol. 2 , ( 1 ) 41 - 46 .
Helmstetter AJ, Buggs RJA, Lucas SJ ( 2019 ) . Repeated long-distance dispersal and convergent evolution in hazel . Scientific Reports vol. 9 , ( 1 )
BORRELL J, ZOHREN J, Nichols R, Buggs R ( 2019 ) . Genomic assessment of local adaptation in dwarf birch to inform assisted gene flow . Evolutionary Applications: evolutionary approaches to environmental, biomedical and socio-economic issues
Plumb WJ, Coker TLR, Stocks JJ, Woodcock P, Quine CP, Douglas GC ( 2019 ) . The viability of a breeding programme for ash in the British Isles in the face of ash dieback . Plants, People, Planet vol. 2 , ( 1 ) 29 - 40 .
Hu Y-N, Zhao L, Buggs RJA, Li J ( 2019 ) . Population structure of Betula albosinensis and Betula platyphylla: evidence for hybridization and a cryptic lineage . Annals of Botany vol. 123 , ( 7 ) 1179 - 1189 .
Coker T, Rozsypálek J, Edwards A, Harwood T ( 2018 ) . Estimating mortality rates of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) under the ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) epidemic . Plants People Planet vol. 1 , ( 1 ) 48 - 58 .
Borrell JS, Wang N, Nichols RA, Buggs RJA ( 2018 ) . Genetic diversity maintained among fragmented populations of a tree undergoing range contraction . Heredity vol. 121 , ( 4 ) 304 - 318 .
Sollars ESA ( 2018 ) . Genome-wide epigenetic variation among ash trees differing in susceptibility to a fungal disease . BMC Genomics vol. 19 , ( 1 ) 502 - 502 .
Sambles CM, Salmon DL, Florance H, Howard TP, Smirnoff N, Nielsen LR, McKinney LV, Kjær ED et al. ( 2017 ) . Ash leaf metabolomes reveal differences between trees tolerant and susceptible to ash dieback disease . Sci Data vol. 4 , 170190 - 170190 .
Stocks JJ, Buggs RJA ( 2017 ) . A first assessment of Fraxinus excelsior (common ash) susceptibility to Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (ash dieback) throughout the British Isles . Sci Rep vol. 7 , ( 1 ) 16546 - 16546 .
Woodcock P, Cottrell JE, Quine CP ( 2017 ) . Mitigating pest and pathogen impacts using resistant trees: A framework and overview to inform development and deployment in Europe and North America . Forestry vol. 91 , ( 1 ) 1 - 16 .
SOLLARS E ( 2017 ) . Emerging Genomics of Angiosperm Trees . Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics of Angiosperm Trees , vol. 21 , Springer
Buggs RJA ( 2017 ) . The deepening of Darwin's abominable mystery . Nat Ecol Evol vol. 1 , ( 6 ) 169 - 169 .
Sollars ES, Harper AL, Kelly LJ, Sambles CM, Ramirez-Gonzalez RH, Swarbreck D, Kaithakottil G, Cooper ED et al. ( 2016 ) . Genome sequence and genetic diversity of European ash trees . Nature
Zohren J, Wang N, Kardailsky I, Borrell JS, Joecker A, Nichols RA, Buggs RJA ( 2016 ) . Unidirectional diploid-tetraploid introgression among British birch trees with shifting ranges shown by RAD markers . Molecular Ecology
Wang N, McAllister HA, Bartlett PR ( 2016 ) . Molecular phylogeny and genome size evolution of the genus Betula (Betulaceae) . Annals of Botanymcw048 - mcw048 .
Harper AL, McKinney LV, Nielsen LR, Havlickova L, Li Y, Trick M, Fraser F, Wang L et al. ( 2016 ) . Molecular markers for tolerance of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) to dieback disease identified using Associative Transcriptomics . Scientific Reports vol. 6 , ( 1 )
Nelson PA, Buggs RJA ( 2016 ) . Next generation apomorphy: the ubiquity of taxonomically restricted genes . The Systematics Association Special , Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Matthews A, Emelianova K, Hatimy AA, Chester M, Pellicer J, Ahmad KS, Guignard MS, Rouhan G et al. ( 2015 ) . 250 years of hybridization between two biennial herb species without speciation . AoB Plants vol. 7 ,
Vallejo-Marín M, Buggs RJA, Puzey JR ( 2015 ) . Speciation by genome duplication: Repeated origins and genomic composition of the recently formed allopolyploid species Mimulus peregrinus . Evolution vol. 69 , ( 6 ) 1487 - 1500 .
Vallejo-Marín M, Buggs RJA, Cooley AM ( 2015 ) . Speciation by genome duplication: Repeated origins and genomic composition of the recently formed allopolyploid species Mimulus peregrinus . Evolution vol. 69 , ( 6 ) 1487 - 1500 .
Boshier D, Buggs RJA ( 2014 ) . The potential for field studies and genomic technologies to enhance resistance and resilience of British tree populations to pests and pathogens . Forestry vol. 88 , ( 1 ) 27 - 40 .
Wang N, Borrell JS ( 2014 ) . Is the Atkinson discriminant function a reliable method for distinguishing between Betula pendula and B. pubescens (Betulaceae)? . New Journal of Botany vol. 4 , ( 2 ) 90 - 94 .
Buggs RJA, Wendel JF, Doyle JJ ( 2014 ) . The legacy of diploid progenitors in allopolyploid gene expression patterns . Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci vol. 369 , ( 1648 )
Wang N, Borrell JS, Bodles WJA, Kuttapitiya A, Nichols RA, Buggs RJA ( 2014 ) . Molecular footprints of the Holocene retreat of dwarf birch in Britain . Mol Ecol vol. 23 , ( 11 ) 2771 - 2782 .
Sollars E, Zohren J, Boshier D, BUGGS RJA ( 2014 ) . The British Ash Tree Genome Project: Sequencing the Genome of Fraxinus excelsior (European Ash) . Presented at: Plant and Animal Genome XXII , Notes: https://pag.confex.com/pag/xxii/webprogram/Paper9597.html ,
Wang N, Borrell JS, Bodles WJA, Kuttapitiya A, Nichols RA, Buggs RJA ( 2014 ) . Molecular footprints of the Holocene retreat of dwarf birch in Britain . Molecular Ecology
Abbott R, Albach D, Ansell S, Arntzen JW, Baird SJE, Bierne N, Boughman JW, Brelsford A et al. ( 2013 ) . Hybridization and speciation . JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY vol. 26 , ( 2 ) 229 - 246 .
Buggs RJA ( 2013 ) . The consequences of polyploidy and hybridisation for transcriptome dynamics Unravelling gene expression of complex crop genomes . HEREDITY vol. 110 , ( 2 ) 97 - 98 .
Wang N, Thomson M, BUGGS RJA ( 2012 ) . Genome sequence of dwarf birch (Betula nana) and cross-species RAD markers . Molecular Ecology
Soltis DE, Buggs RJA, Barbazuk WB, Chester M, Soltis PS ( 2012 ) . The early stages of polyploidy: Rapid and repeated evolution in Tragopogon . Polyploidy and Genome Evolution , vol. 9783642314421 ,
Soltis DE, Buggs RJA, Barbazuk WB, Chamala S, Chester M, Gallagher JP, Soltis PS ( 2012 ) . The Early Stages of Polyploidy: Rapid and Repeated Evolution in Tragopogon . Polyploidy and Genome Evolution , Springer Nature
Buggs RJA, Renny-Byfield S, Chester M, Jordon-Thaden IE, Viccini LF, Chamala S, Leitch AR, Schnable PS et al. ( 2012 ) . Next-generation sequencing and genome evolution in allopolyploids . Am J Bot vol. 99 , ( 2 ) 372 - 382 .
BUGGS RJA, RENNY-BYFIELD S, CHESTER M, JORDON-THADEN IE, VICCINI LF, CHAMALA S, LEITCH AR, SCHNABLE PS et al. ( 2012 ) . Next-generation sequencing and genome evolution in allopolyploids . American Journal of Botany vol. 99 , ( 2 ) 372 - 382 .
Buggs RJA ( 2012 ) . Monkeying around with ploidy . MOLECULAR ECOLOGY vol. 21 , ( 21 ) 5159 - 5161 .
Buggs RJA, Chamala S, Wu W, Tate JA, Soltis DE, Soltis PS ( 2012 ) . Rapid, Repeated, and Clustered Loss of Duplicate Genes in Allopolyploid Plant Populations of Independent Origin . CURRENT BIOLOGY vol. 22 , ( 3 ) 248 - 252 .
Buggs RJA, Zhang LJ, Miles N, Tate JA, Gao L, Soltis PS, Soltis DE ( 2011 ) . Transcriptomic shock generates evolutionary novelty in a newly formed, natural allopolyploid plant . CURR BIOL vol. 21 , ( 7 ) 551 - 556 .
Buggs RJA, Zhang L, Miles N, Tate JA, Gao L, Wei W, Schnable PS ( 2011 ) . Transcriptomic shock generates evolutionary novelty in a newly formed, natural allopolyploid plant . Curr Biol vol. 21 , ( 7 ) 551 - 556 .
Buggs RJA, Soltis PS, Soltis DE ( 2011 ) . Biosystematic relationships and the formation of polyploids . TAXON vol. 60 , ( 2 ) 324 - 332 .
BUGGS RJA, Zhang L, Miles N, Gao L, Wu W ( 2011 ) . Transcriptomic shock generates evolutionary novelty in a newly formed, natural allopolyploid plant . Current Biology vol. 21 , 551 - 556 .
Soltis DE, Buggs RJA, Soltis PS ( 2010 ) . What we still don't know about polyploidy . TAXON vol. 59 , ( 5 ) 1387 - 1403 .
Buggs RJA, Chamala S, Wu W, Gao L, May GD, Schnable PS, Soltis DE ( 2010 ) . Characterization of duplicate gene evolution in the recent natural allopolyploid Tragopogon miscellus by next-generation sequencing and Sequenom iPLEX MassARRAY genotyping . MOL ECOL vol. 19 , 132 - 146 .
Buggs RJA, Elliott NM, Zhang LJ, Koh J, Soltis DE ( 2010 ) . Tissue-specific silencing of homoeologs in natural populations of the recent allopolyploid Tragopogon mirus . NEW PHYTOL vol. 186 , ( 1 ) 175 - 183 .
Buggs RJA, Soltis PS ( 2009 ) . Does hybridization between divergent progenitors drive whole-genome duplication? . MOL ECOL vol. 18 , ( 16 ) 3334 - 3339 .
Buggs RJA, Doust AN, Tate JA, Koh J, Feltus FA, Soltis PS ( 2009 ) . Gene loss and silencing in Tragopogon miscellus (Asteraceae): comparison of natural and synthetic allotetraploids . HEREDITY vol. 103 , ( 1 ) 73 - 81 .
Tate JA, Symonds VV, Doust AN, Mavrodiev E, Majure LC ( 2009 ) . SYNTHETIC POLYPLOIDS OF TRAGOPOGON MISCELLUS AND T-MIRUS (ASTERACEAE): 60 YEARS AFTER OWNBEY'S DISCOVERY . AM J BOT vol. 96 , ( 5 ) 979 - 988 .
Soltis DE, Buggs RJA, Schnable PS, Soltis PS ( 2009 ) . On the Origins of Species: Does Evolution Repeat Itself in Polyploid Populations of Independent Origin? . Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology . vol. 74 , 215 - 223 .
Buggs RJA, Mavrodiev EV, Symonds VV, Soltis DE ( 2008 ) . Does phylogenetic distance between parental genomes govern the success of polyploids? . CASTANEA vol. 73 , ( 2 ) 74 - 93 .
Buggs RJA ( 2008 ) . Towards natural polyploid model organisms . MOL ECOL vol. 17 , ( 8 ) 1875 - 1876 .
Buggs RJA ( 2007 ) . Empirical study of hybrid zone movement . HEREDITY vol. 99 , ( 3 ) 301 - 312 .
Buggs RJA ( 2007 ) . Ecological differentiation and diploid superiority across a moving ploidy contact zone . EVOLUTION vol. 61 , ( 1 ) 125 - 140 .
Obbard DJ, Harris SA, Buggs RJA ( 2006 ) . Hybridization, polyploidy, and the evolution of sexual systems in Mercurialis (Euphorbiaceae) . EVOLUTION vol. 60 , ( 9 ) 1801 - 1815 .
Buggs RJA, Pannell JR ( 2006 ) . Rapid displacement of a monoecious plant lineage is due to pollen swamping by a dioecious relative . CURR BIOL vol. 16 , ( 10 ) 996 - 1000 .
Hegarty MJ, Jones JM, Wilson ID, Barker GL, Coghill JA, Liu GQ, Buggs RJA ( 2005 ) . Development of anonymous cDNA microarrays to study changes to the Senecio floral transcriptome during hybrid speciation . MOL ECOL vol. 14 , ( 8 ) 2493 - 2510 .
BUGGS R ( 2005 ) . Factors affecting the location of a diploid-hexaploid contact zone in Mercurialis annua L . Presented at: University of Oxford ,
Pannell JR, Obbard DJ ( 2004 ) . Polyploidy and the sexual system: what can we learn from Mercurialis annua? . BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY vol. 82 , ( 4 ) 547 - 560 .
Lucas SJ, Kahraman K, Avşar B, Buggs RJA . A chromosome-scale genome assembly of European Hazel (Corylus avellana L.) reveals targets for crop improvement .
Rey M-D, Labella-Ortega M, Guerrero-Sánchez VM, Carleial R, Castillejo MÁ, Rodríguez-Franco A, Buggs RG, Ruggieri V et al. . A first draft genome of Holm oak (Quercus ilex L.), the most representative species of the Mediterranean forest and the Spanish agrosilvopastoral ecosystem “dehesa” .
Huff M, Seaman J, Wu D, Zhebentyayeva T, Kelly LJ, Faridi N, Nelson CD, Cooper E et al. . A high quality reference genome for Fraxinus pennsylvanica for ash species restoration and research . Molecular Ecology Resources
Ding J, Hua D, Borrell JS, Buggs RJA, Wang L, Wang F, Li Z, Wang N . Bidirectional introgression between Betula tianshanica and Betula microphylla and its implications for conservation .
Wood DP, Vatanparast M, Galanti D, Wheeler K, Curran E, Yant L, Whittet R, Nichols RA et al. . European ash pangenome reveals widespread structural variation and a diverse genetic basis for low ash dieback susceptibility .
Gathercole L, Nocchi G, Brown N, Coker T, Plumb W, Stocks J, Nichols R, Denman S et al. . Evidence for the Widespread Occurrence of Bacteria Implicated in Acute Oak Decline from Incidental Genetic Sampling .
Rossi F, Crnjar A, Comitani F, Feliciano R, Jahn L, Malim G, Southgate L, Kay E et al. . Extraction and high-throughput sequencing of oak heartwood DNA: assessing the feasibility of genome-wide DNA methylation profiling .
Kelly LJ, Plumb WJ, Carey DW, Mason ME, Cooper ED, Crowther W, Whittemore AT, Rossiter SJ et al. . Genes for ash tree resistance to an insect pest identified via comparative genomics .
Plumb WJ, Kelly LJ, Mullender J, Powell RF, Csiba L, Nemesio-Gorriz M, Carey D, Mason ME et al. . Genetic barcodes for ash (Fraxinus) species and generation of new wide hybrids .
Carleial R, Charters MD, Finzgar D, Swift P, Anthoney E, Sahlstedt E, Rinne-Garmston K, Clark J et al. . Genetic basis of traits and local adaptation in UK silver birch .
Helmstetter AJ, Oztolan-Erol N, Lucas SJ, Buggs RJA . Genetic diversity and domestication of hazelnut (Corylus avellana) in Turkey .
Borrell JS, Zohren J, Nichols RA, Buggs RJA . Genomic assessment of local adaptation in dwarf birch to inform assisted gene flow .
Stocks JJ, Metheringham CL, Plumb W, Lee SJ, Kelly LJ, Nichols RA, Buggs RJA . Genomic basis of European ash tree resistance to ash dieback fungus .
Nocchi G, Wang J, Yang L, Ding J, Gao Y, Buggs RJA, Wang N . Genomic signals of local adaptation and hybridization in Asian white birch .
Nocchi G, Brown N, Coker T, Plumb W . Genomic structure and diversity of oak populations in British Parklands .
Rampersad C, Geto T, Samuel T, Abebe M, Gomez MS, Pironon S, Büchi L, Haggar J et al. . Introduced crops supplement rather than replace indigenous crops in an African center of agrobiodiversity .
Kelly LJ, Coates SER, Lee SJ, Rossiter SJ, Buggs RJA . Molecular convergence analyses identify candidate genes for low susceptibility to the ash dieback pathogen .
Metheringham CL, Plumb WJ, Flynn WRM, Stocks JJ, Kelly LJ, Gorriz MN, Grieve SWD, Moat J et al. . Rapid polygenic adaptation in a wild population of ash trees under a novel fungal epidemic .
Dussert Y, Borrell JS, Stocks J, Hunt HV, White OW, Wilkin P, Buggs R, Büchi L et al. . Recurrent evolution of cryptic triploids in cultivated enset increases yield .
Wang N, Kelly LJ, McAllister HA . Resolving phylogeny and polyploid parentage using genus-wide genome-wide sequence data from birch trees .
BUGGS RJA . www.ashgenome.org .
BUGGS RJA . www.birchgenome.org .
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