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John P. Janovec, Ph.D.

Research Botanist
Director, Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program

B.S., Agriculture and Botany, Kansas State University, May 1995

Ph.D., Botany, Texas A&M University, August 2000

John Janovec was born in the Flint Hills of northeastern Kansas, in the town of Mahattan, and he remained there until graduating in 1995 with a B.S. in Botany/Agriculture from Kansas State University. His life until that point was a mixture between experience on the small farm of his grandparents and in this small Kansas university town. During his undergraduate studies at Kansas State University he was influenced early on by the former Dr. Ted Barkley, a legendary botanist of North America, who prepped John for a career as a tropical botanist. During 1995-2000 John earned his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University working under Dr. James Manhart on a monograph of a tropical American genus of the nutmeg family of trees. He worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow during 2000-2003 with Dr. Scott Mori and Dr. Dennis Stevenson in the Institute of Systematic Botany and Dr. Michael Balick in the Institute of Economic Botany at the New York Botanical Garden.

John joined the staff of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas as a research botanist and director of the Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program, which he co-founded with Amanda Neill, BRIT Herbarium Director. He is an Adjunct Professor of the Texas Christian University College of Science and Engineering where he serves as graduate advisor to six M.S. students who are conducting botanical and ecological research through BRIT and in Peru. He is also a visiting professor at two Peruvian universities.

John is interested in the diversity, ecology, evolution, biogeography, and conservation of plants, particularly in the American tropics. Driven by this interest, his research is focused on two scales of tropical plant diversity, from the Myristicaceae (nutmeg) family of trees to the flora of the Andes-Amazon region of southeastern Peru. John's first expedition to tropical America was carried out during January 1996 in Costa Rica. Since that first trip to Costa Rica in 1996, John has conducted nearly 40 expeditions to tropical America, including the countries Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru, where he has been working since 1998 and where he is now stationed for 10 months per year running the BRIT field programs in the Andes-Amazon region. He has published 20 scientific articles during the last five years and his first book (with Peruvian colleague Fernando Cornejo) is in review for publication at Princeton University Press.

E-mail: jjanovec@brit.org

Publications

Newmaster, S.G., A.J. Fazekas, A.J., R.A.D. Steeves, and J.P. Janovec.  2007.  Testing
Candidate Plant Barcode Regions with Species of Recent Origin in the Myristicaceae.  Molecular Ecology.

J. P. Janovec, Jason D. Wells, Renan Valega, Daniel Lam, Amanda K. Neill, and Collaborators. Native Plant Species from the Peruvian Amazon and their Potential in Ornamental Horticulture: A Case Study in Madre de Dios, Peru. 

Cornejo, F & J.P. Janovec. 2007. A Protocol for Long-Term Studies and
Monitoring of Plant Phenology in Tropical Forests and Beyond. Biotropica or Journal of
BRIT.

Chambi, B. R., J. P. Janovec, R. Moran, & M. Sundue. 2007. The Pteridophyte Diversity
of a Lowland Amazonian Rainforest: Los Amigos River Watershed, Madre de Dios, Peru.

Chocce, M, J. P. Janovec y Eric Christenson. 2006. Orquídeas del área de conservación “Río Amigos” y del Centro de Investigación y Capacitación “Río Amigos”, Madre de Dios-Perú.

Chocce, M, J. P. Janovec y Eric Christenson. 2006. Orquídeas de los aguajales de Madre de Dios, Perú.

J. P. Janovec , A. K. Neill, and M. G. Mistry. Comparative Androecium Morphology of the Compsoneura capitellata complex (Myristicaceae) with descriptions of two new species.

Cornejo, F., J. P. Janovec, and M. Tobler. 2006. Floristic diversity and composition of terra firme and seasonally inundated palm swamp forests in the Palma Real watershed in Lower Madre de Dios, Peru. Sida, BRIT Contributions to Botany 22(1): 615-633.

Bletter, N., J. P. Janovec, B. Brosi, and D. C. Daly. 2004. A digital base map for studying the neotropical flora. Taxon 53(2): 469-477.

Chocce, M., J. P. Janovec, and E. Christenson. 2004. A synopsis of Otostylis (Orchidaceae: Maxillarieae subtribe Zygopetalinae) with a new record from Peru. SIDA, BRIT Contributions to Botany 21(2): 841-852.

Janovec, J. P. and R. Garcia. 2004. Myristicaceae in the Encyclopedia of Forest Science. Elsevier Press, London.

Majestyk, P. and J. P. Janovec. 2004. Contributions to the moss flora of the Amazonian lowlands of Madre de Dios, Peru. SIDA, BRIT Contributions to Botany 21(2): 1231-1238. Download PDF of article.

Freeman, C. E., J. S. Harrison, J. P. Janovec, and R. Scogin. 2003. The utility of noncoding chloroplast DNA sequences in reconstructing phylogeny in Keckiella (Scrophulariaceae). Systematic Botany 28(4): 782-790.

Janovec, J. P., L. G. Clark, S. A. Mori. 2003. Is the Neotropical flora ready for the PhyloCode? Botanical Review 69(1): 22-43.

Janovec, J. P. and A. K. Neill. 2003. Exploring the palms and cycads of the Maya Mountains of Belize: Reflections on MBC-sponsored Expeditions to Belize, 1999-2001. The Montgomery News 11(1): 5-6.

Janovec, J. P. and A. K. Neill. 2003. Studies of the Myristicaceae: An overview of the Compsoneura atopa complex, with descriptions of new species from Colombia. Brittonia 54(3): 251-261.

Janovec, J. P. 2002. Compsoneura camilodiazii J. Janovec, an interesting new species from the Rio Cenepa area, Peru. Novon 12(3): 366-369.

Janovec, J. P. and J. S. Harrison. 2002. A Morphological Analysis of the Compsoneura sprucei Complex (Myristicaceae), With a New Combination for the Central American Species Compsoneura mexicana. Systematic Botany 27(4): 672-673.

Neill, A. K. and J. P. Janovec. 2001. Occidente y Oriente: Collecting palms and cycads in Ecuador. The Montgomery News 9(2): 5.

Janovec, J.P. & A.K. Neill. 2000. Exploring the palms and cycads of Belize. The Montgomery News 8(1): 8.

Janovec, J. P. and H. Robinson. 1997. Charadranaetes, a new genus of the Senecioneae (Asteraceae) from Costa Rica. Novon 7: 162-168.

Barkley, T. M. and J. P. Janovec. 1996. Robinsonecio (Asteraceae: Senecioneae): A new genus from Mexico and Guatemala. Sida 17: 77-81.

Janovec, J. P. and T. M. Barkley. 1996. Sinosenecio newcombei (Asteraceae: Senecioneae): A new combination for a North American plant in an Asiatic genus. Novon 6: 265-267.

Tobler, M., E. Honorio, J. P. Janovec, and C. Reynel.  2007.  Implications of collection patterns of two neotropical plant families (Moraceae and Myristicaceae) in Peru for botany and conservation planning.  Biodiversity and Conservation 16(2):  In press.

 

Digital Publications

Janovec, J. P., A. K. Neill, M. Tobler, J. Best, K. McNew, and collaborators. 2004 to present.  The Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program, Botanical Research Institute of Texas.  http://www.andesamazon.org. 

Janovec, J. P., A. K. Neill, M. Tobler, J. Best, K. McNew, A. Webber, S. Murphy, and collaborators.  2005 to present.  The Atrium Biodiversity Information System, Version 1.5.  http://atrium.andesamazon.org. 

 

Public Lectures and Seminars

April 2007 - From Nutmeg Trees to Madre de Dios, Peru:  Reflections on the Importance of Scanning Electron Microscopy in Botanical Exploration of Tropical Rainforests.  Texas Society of Microscopy, keynote lecture, Fort Worth, Texas.April 2007 - Scientific Exploration of a Biolgocially Diverse and Vast Tropical Wilderness Area in the Andes to Amazon Region of Southeastern Peru.  SWAN Annual Meeting, Stephenville, Texas.

Feb 2007 - Demostracion de Atrium, la Sistema de Informatcion de Biodiversidad version 1.5.  APECO, Lima, Peru

Feb 2007 - Exploracion de la Biodiversidad de la Region Andes-Amazonia del Sureste de Peru:  Un Sumario de la Vision y los Resultados de un Programa de Ciencia, Tecnologia, y Capacitacion de BRIT-Peru.  APECO, Lima, Peru. 

Feb 2007 - Estudios de la Botanica, Ecologia, y Biogeografia de lost humedales de Madre de Dios, Peru, con Implicaciones para su Conservacaion.  Simposio del Dia Internacional de Humedales, February 2, 2007, Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales (INRENA), Ministerio de Agricultura, Lima, Peru.

Jan 2007 - Demostracion de Atrium, la Sistema de Informatcion de Biodiversidad version 1.5.  APECO, Lima, Peru. 

 Oct 2006 - Overview of the Andes to Amazon Botany Program at BRIT, Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas.

Oct 2006 - Exploring the Deepest Amazon, the Peruvian Andes, and the Jungles of Cyberspace, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Oct 2006 - Exploring the Deepest Amazon, the Peruvian Andes, and the Jungles of Cyberspace, BRIT Distinguished Lecture Series, Fort Worth Botanical Gardens.

Oct 2006-Fulfilling the Vision:  An Update on Two Years of Progress of the Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program at BRIT and in Peru, BRIT Brownbag Lecture.

Oct 2006-The Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas:  Integrating Science, Education, and Technology for Conservation in the Andes-Amazon Region of Peru. FW Presbyterian Church, Fort Worth, Texas. 

Oct 2006-The Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas:  Integrating Science, Education, and Technology for Conservation in the Andes-Amazon Region of Peru. Rotary Club at Ridglea Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas

Sep 2006 - The Botany, Ecology, Biogeography, and Conservation of Gigantic Amazonian Wetlands in Southeastern Peru, T. M. Barkley Systematics and Ecology Seminar, Texas Christian University.

July 2006 - La Importancia de Botánica y la Potencial de Horticultura en Programas de Conservación, Universidad Nacional La Molina Agraria, Lima, Peru.

July 2006 - La Botanica, Ecologia, y Biogeografia de los Humedales de Madre de Dios, Peru, ALB Conference, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republica ALB

Mar 2006 - From Science to Sustainability, The Horticulture Project of the AABP, BRIT Brownbag Lecture, Fort Worth, Texas

Mar 2006 - Overview of the Andes to Amazon Botany Program at BRIT, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Mar 2006 - The Andes to Amazon Botany Program at BRIT, The Land Institute, Salina, Kansas

Mar 2006 - Update on the Andes to Amazon Botany Program at BRIT, Stephen F. Austin   University, Nacogdoches, Texas

Mar 2006 - Overview of the Andes to Amazon Botany Program at BRIT, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas

Mar 2006 - Overview of the Andes to Amazon Botany Program at BRIT, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

Feb 2006 - Atrium, the Biodiversity Information System:  Introduction, Vision, and Demonstration, San Marcos Natural History Museum, Lima, Peru.

Feb 2006- The Andes to Amazon Botany Program and the Atrium Biodiversity Information System, Comision Nacional del Ambiente (CONAM), Lima, Peru.

Jan 2006 - The Andes to Amazon Botany Program:  Case Studies in Science, Education, and Technology as a Public Service, Comision Nacional del Ambiente de Peru (CONAM), Lima, Peru.

Jan 2005. The Importance of Botanical Research in Conservation Programs: Examples from the Andes-Amazon Region of Southeastern Peru. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dallas, Texas.

Dec 2004. Impacts of Botanical Research on Conservation: Examples from the Peruvian Amazon. TCU Biology Deparment Seminar.

Apr 2004. Botanical Research in the Andes-Amazon Region of SE Peru. Biology Lecture Series, North Central Texas College, Gainesville, Texas.

Mar 2004. Impacts of Botanical Research on Conservation: Examples from the Peruvian Amazon. Biology and Environmental Science Seminar Series, SMU, Dallas, Texas.

Feb 2004. La Familia Myristicaceae y El Proyecto Botanico Los Amigos en Madre de Dios: Estudios a dos Niveles de la Diversidad de Plantas Neotropicales. San Marcos National Museum of Natural History, Lima, Peru.

Feb 2004. From the Myristicaceae to Madre de Dios, Peru: Lessons from Botanical Studies at Two Levels of Neotropical Plant Diversity. TCU Biology Club Seminar Series.

Dec 2003. The Biodiversity Information Crisis – A Botanical Perspective. Rice University Library and Computer/Electrical Engineering Department. With by Janovec with co-authors Mathias Tobler, Amanda Neill, & Fernando Cornejo.

Nov 2003. Information System Challenges for Tropical Botany. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Library and Information Science.

Oct 2003. Information Flow and the Los Amigos Botany Project: Needs and Challenges. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, meeting between Rice University Computer Engineering colleagues and BRIT botanists.

Nov 2003. The Andes to Amazon Botany Programs at BRIT: History, Strategy, and Ongoing Activities. The Shinner Society Annual Dinner, BRIT. May 2003. Neotropical Plant Diversity and Assessing the State of our Knowledge: Case Studies from Myristicaceae to Madre de Dios. Organization for Tropical Studies, Amazonian Ecosystems Field Biology Course.

May 2003. Neotropical Plant Diversity and Assessing the State of our Knowledge: Case Studies from Myristicaceae to Madre de Dios. Organization for Tropical Studies, Amazonian Ecosystems Field Biology Course.

Feb 2003. Proyecto Aguajal. Presentation given to 20-student WWF-ProNatureleza Matero Botany Course. Los Amigos Research Station, Madre de Dios, Peru.

Feb 2003. Proyecto Botánica Los Amigos. Presentation given to 20-student WWF-ProNatureleza Matero Botany Course. Los Amigos Research Station, Madre de Dios, Peru.

Dec 2002. Neotropical Plant Diversity and Assessing the State of our Knowledge: Case Studies from Myristicaceae to Madre de Dios. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Ft. Worth, TX.

Nov 2002. From Myristicaceae to Madre de Dios, Peru: Examples from application of technology in studies of tropical forest plant diversity and distribution at multiple scales. The New York Botanical Garden.

Sep 2002. From the Peruvian Andes to the Amazon: A Field Course in Tropical Biology and Environmental Science. December 2002-January 2003. Long Island University, Department of Natural Sciences.

May 2002. Neotropical Plant Studies and the Geospatial Realm: The Role of GIS in the Organization, Analysis, Visualization, and Presentation of Phytogeographic Patterns. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal, Canada.

Apr 2002. Images from Botanical Studies in Rainforests of Tropical America. Department of Fine Arts, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Apr 2002. Exploration and Conservation of Tropical Rainforest, A Case Study: The Los Amigos Conservation Area, Madre de Dios, Peru. Long Island University Environmental Science Lecture Series.

Sep 2001. Tropical Field Studies In Biology And Environmental Science (Biology/Env. Science 225). Southampton College, Long Island, New York.

Apr 2001. Belize: A Culturally and Biologically Diverse Experience. Southampton College, Long Island, New York.

Mar 2000. Exploring the Palms and Cycads of Belize. The Montgomery Botanical Center, Miami, Florida.

Oct 1999. Exploring the Palms and Cycads of Belize. The Montgomery Botanical Center, Miami, Florida.

Mar 2000. Deforestation in the Tropics: Facts and Figures. Texas Environmental Action Committee, Invited Lecture, Student Research Week, TAMU.

Mar 2000. Taxonomy, Evolution, and Biogeography of Compsoneura (Myristicaceae): An Overview. Graduate Student Seminar, Dept. of Biology, TAMU.

Mar 1999. Reflections from the Rainforest. Wonder Workshop Youth Center, Manhattan, Kansas.

Jan 1999. Botanical Studies and Travels in Amazonian Peru. Audobon Society, College Station, Texas.