World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
59
Citations
12728
World Ranking
2434
National Ranking
858

Overview

Thomas A. Kursar was affiliated with the University of Utah in the United States and contributed to research primarily within Agricultural and Biological Sciences and Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology. Their work spanned related subfields including Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Molecular Biology, Food Science, Nature and Landscape Conservation, and Genetics.

The primary topics explored in their research included:

  • Plant and animal studies
  • Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
  • Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity
  • Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
  • Plant Diversity and Evolution
  • Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions
  • Genetic diversity and population structure

Their recent publications reflect a focus on plant secondary metabolites, tropical tree evolution, and ecological community dynamics. Notable papers included:

  • Diversity and divergence: evolution of secondary metabolism in the tropical tree genus Inga, 2022, New Phytologist
  • The role of plant secondary metabolites in shaping regional and local plant community assembly, 2021, Journal of Ecology
  • Continuous colonization of the Atlantic coastal rain forests of South America from Amazônia, 2025, Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
  • Diversity and Divergence: Evolution of defense chemistry in the tropical tree genus Inga, 2021, bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Frequent coauthors in their work included María-José Endara, James A. Nicholls, Phyllis D. Coley, Dale L. Forrister, and Kyle G. Dexter, each collaborating on multiple publications.

Kursar's research was published in several venues, notably:

  • New Phytologist
  • Journal of Ecology
  • Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Best Publications

  • Drought sensitivity shapes species distribution patterns in tropical forests.

    Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;Liza S. Comita;Richard S. Condit;Thomas A. Kursar;Thomas A. Kursar

  • Are tropical fungal endophytes hyperdiverse

    A.E. Arnold;Z. Maynard;G.S. Gilbert;P.D. Coley

  • The global distribution of diet breadth in insect herbivores

    Matthew L. Forister;Vojtech Novotny;Vojtech Novotny;Anna K. Panorska;Leontine Baje

  • Host specificity of Lepidoptera in tropical and temperate forests

    L. A. Dyer;M. S. Singer;J. T. Lill;J. O. Stireman

  • Convergence in Defense Syndromes of Young Leaves in Tropical Rainforests

    Thomas A. Kursar;Thomas A. Kursar;Phyllis D. Coley;Phyllis D. Coley

  • The evolution of antiherbivore defenses and their contribution to species coexistence in the tropical tree genus Inga

    Thomas A. Kursar;Thomas A. Kursar;Kyle G. Dexter;John Lokvam;R. Toby Pennington

  • Comparative drought-resistance of seedlings of 28 species of co-occurring tropical woody plants.

    Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;Thomas A. Kursar;Thomas A. Kursar

  • Causes and Consequences of Monodominance in Tropical Lowland Forests

    Sylvia D. Torti;Phyllis D. Coley;Thomas A. Kursar

  • Tolerance to low leaf water status of tropical tree seedlings is related to drought performance and distribution.

    Thomas A. Kursar;Thomas A. Kursar;Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;Amy Burke;Melvin T. Tyree;Melvin T. Tyree;Melvin T. Tyree

  • The effects of plant quality on caterpillar growth and defense against natural enemies

    Phyllis D. Coley;Phyllis D. Coley;M. L. Bateman;Thomas A. Kursar

  • Drought effects on seedling survival in a tropical moist forest

    Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;Thomas A. Kursar;Thomas A. Kursar;Melvin T. Tyree

  • Does leaf shedding protect stems from cavitation during seasonal droughts? A test of the hydraulic fuse hypothesis

    Brett T. Wolfe;Brett T. Wolfe;John S. Sperry;Thomas A. Kursar;Thomas A. Kursar

  • A novel DNA-based microfluorimetric method to evaluate antimalarial drug activity.

    Yolanda Corbett;Liuris Herrera;Jose Gonzalez;Luis Cubilla

  • Light-Harvesting System of the Red Alga Gracilaria tikvahiae: I. Biochemical Analyses of Pigment Mutations.

    Thomas A. Kursar;John van der Meer;Randall S. Alberte

  • Desiccation tolerance of five tropical seedlings in panama. Relationship to a field assessment of drought performance.

    Melvin T. Tyree;Bettina M.J. Engelbrecht;Gustavo Vargas;Thomas A. Kursar

  • Delayed greening in tropical leaves: an antiherbivore defense?

    Thomas A. Kursar;Phyllis D. Coley

  • Photosynthetic Unit Organization in a Red Alga: Relationships between Light-Harvesting Pigments and Reaction Centers

    Thomas A. Kursar;Randall S. Alberte

  • The effects of weather on fungal abundance and richness among 25 communities in the Intermountain West

    Sharon M Talley;Phyllis D Coley;Thomas A Kursar

  • Bioactivity of fungal endophytes as a function of endophyte taxonomy and the taxonomy and distribution of their host plants.

    Sarah J. Higginbotham;A. Elizabeth Arnold;Alicia Ibañez;Carmenza Spadafora

  • Short dry spells in the wet season increase mortality of tropical pioneer seedlings

    Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht;James W. Dalling;James W. Dalling;Timothy R. H. Pearson;Robert L. Wolf

  • Coevolutionary arms race versus host defense chase in a tropical herbivore-plant system

    María José Endara;Phyllis D. Coley;Gabrielle Ghabash;James A. Nicholls

  • Novel Phycoerythrins in Marine Synechococcus spp. : Characterization and Evolutionary and Ecological Implications

    Randall S. Alberte;A. Michelle Wood;Thomas A. Kursar;Robert R. L. Guillard

Frequent Co-Authors

Phyllis D. Coley
Phyllis D. Coley University of Utah
Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht
Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht University of Bayreuth
Melvin T. Tyree
Melvin T. Tyree Zhejiang Normal University
Kyle G. Dexter
Kyle G. Dexter University of Edinburgh
William H. Gerwick
William H. Gerwick University of California, San Diego
R. Toby Pennington
R. Toby Pennington University of Exeter
A. Elizabeth Arnold
A. Elizabeth Arnold University of Arizona
Randall S. Alberte
Randall S. Alberte University of Chicago
Graham N. Stone
Graham N. Stone University of Edinburgh
Klaus Winter
Klaus Winter Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Many students interested in Ecology and Evolution also explore healthcare professions due to their impact on environmental and community well-being. Online programs offer flexible options to advance your education and career, whether you're just starting or looking to specialize.

Accelerated nursing degrees, such as rn to bsn 6 months, allow registered nurses to quickly earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and open new career opportunities. For those aiming to become nurse practitioners, rn to np bridge programs provide a streamlined path from associate degrees to advanced practice.

If you do not have a nursing background, online direct entry msn programs are designed for non-nurses seeking a rapid transition into the field. When choosing where to enroll, comparing institutions like capella vs chamberlain rn to bsn helps identify programs that best fit your needs.

Exploring these degree options can enhance your scientific foundation and expand your career pathways, whether in research, healthcare, or public policy.

Best Scientists Citing Thomas A. Kursar

Recently Published Articles