Ryan Buck, Ph.D.

La Kretz postdoctoral researcher fellow Ryan Buck is an evolutionary biologist interested in conservation genomics and hybridization in plants. At UCLA, he works in Dr. Victoria Sork’s lab, partnering with Dr. Scott Butterfield at The Nature Conservancy to address the conservation needs of foundational oak species across California using genomic tools. His research examines five oak species (coast live oak – Q. agrifolia, scrub oak – Q. berberidifolia, blue oak – Q. douglasii,  Engelmann oak – Q. engelmannii, and valley oak – Q. lobata), aiming to identify populations that will either be at risk under future climate or be suitable candidates as seed sources in restoration planting. The findings of his research will be directly implemented into adaptive conservation management at The Nature Conservancy to ensure the resilience of their oak woodlands.

Ryan earned his Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from the joint doctoral program at San Diego State University/University of California Riverside in 2023, where his dissertation work in Dr. Flores-Rentería’s lab focused on hybridization and genetics in the Southwestern pinyon pine syngameon. Ryan discovered multidirectional hybridization events across four different pinyon species, one of which resulted in the formation of a drought-adapted hybrid species that he is currently advocating for conservation status.