Research Interests Evolutionary diversification, molecular systematics and phylogenomics, species interactions within an evolutionary context, fungal symbioses, biogeography in arid environments, conservation, climate change and bio-monitoring, and scientific education/outreach.   
Professional Experience
2016 – present  Assistant Professor – Brigham Young University, Department of Biology, Provo, UT.
Appointments:

• Curator of Non-Vascular Cryptogams, M.L. Bean Life Science Museum (2016 – present)
• Associate Director, M.L. Bean Life Science Museum (2021 – present)

 

2015 – 2016    Postdoctoral Scientist – The Field Museum, Integrative Research Center, Chicago, IL.   
 
2013 – 2015     Postdoctoral Scientist – University of Chicago, Committee on Evolutionary Biology, Chicago, IL.
 
2014 – 2014    Adjunct Faculty – North Central College, Department of Biology, Naperville, IL.
 
2013 – 2013    Course Instructor/Research Associate – Brigham Young University, M. L. Bean Life Science Museum and Department of Biology, Provo, Utah.  

2010 – 2012    Postdoctoral Scientist– The Field Museum, Department of Botany, Chicago, IL, USA.    
         

Professional Service
Professional society membership

American Bryological and Lichenological Society (currently serving as Treasurer [July 2017 – present])
International Association of Lichenologists
Colorado Native Plant Society

 

Associate Editor

            Monographs in North American Lichenology (2021–present)
Western North American Naturalist (2021–present)
The Bryologist (2016–present)
Phytotaxa (2016– 2018)
 

Ad Hoc Reviewer (Journals)

Journal of Botany, Annals of Botany, Biodiversity Data Journal, Botany, Bryologist, Central European Journal of Biology, Environmental Earth Sciences, Folia Microbiologica, Frontiers, Fungal Biology, Genome, Genome Biology and Evolution, International Microbiology, Journal of Biogeography, Journal of Phycology, Lichenologist, Microorganisms, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Molecular Ecology, Molecular Ecology Resources, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Mycologia, Mycokeys, Mycotaxon, New Phytologist, Northeastern Naturalist, Nova Hedwigia, Organisms Diversity and Evolution, Phytotaxa, Phycologia, Plant and Fungal Systematics, Plant Molecular Biology, PLoS One, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Science of the Total Environment, Scientific Reports, Symbiosis.
 
Grant Reviewer
            Czech Science Foundation
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center
The Icelandic Research Fund
National Geographic Society
National Fellowships Committee for Sigma Delta Epsilon, Graduate Women in Science
Poland National Science Center

  Organized Symposia/Field Trips

• Upper Sand Creek Research Natural Area 2021 BioBlitz, organized with Grand Canyon Trust.
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 2019 BioBlitz, organized with Glen Canyon Institute & Wild Utah Project.
• Lichen Bioblitz 2017, Great Basin National Park, Nevada, USA.
• American Bryological and Lichenological Society 2015 Annual Meeting - “The negotiated surveillance of parts and wholes: A symbiosis-centered perspective on plant biology research” symposium, Edmonton, Canada.
• American Bryological and Lichenological Society 2014 Annual Meeting - “Species delimitation in composite organisms: the value of recognizing species boundaries in lichen symbionts” colloquium, Boise, ID, USA.
• American Bryological and Lichenological Society 2009 Annual Meeting Lichen Foray, Uintah Mountain Range, UT, USA.
• 6^th IAL/ABLS 2008 Lichen Field Trip to Point Reyes National Seashore, CA, USA.

     Grants and Awards
2021     BLM Research Grant
2020     National Science Foundation (Digitization TCN)
2020     Canyonlands Natural History Association
2019     Illumina Research Award
2019     BLM Research Grant
2019     USGC Research Grant
2019     Western North American Naturalist
2018     Canyonlands Natural History Association
2017     American Bryological and Lichenological Society “Tuckerman Award” for best paper in lichenology
2016     BYU Department of Biology Experienceship Fund
2016     Negaunee Seed Fund
2016     Negaunee Expeditions Fund
2014     ABLS “Tuckerman Award” for best paper in lichenology
2013     Colorado Native Plant Society, Myrna Steinkamp Fund
2009     Research Award, Ruth L. Glacy Foundation
2009     Student Research Grant, California Lichen Society
2009     Student Travel Grant, American Bryological and Lichenological Society 2008     Graduate Fellowship Award, Brigham Young University
2008     Student Travel Grant, American Bryological and Lichenological Society
2007     Student Travel Grant, American Bryological and Lichenological Society
2006     Graduate Mentored Research Grant, Brigham Young University
2006     Student Travel Grant, American Bryological and Lichenological Society
2005     Office of Research and Creative Activities, Brigham Young University

Publications   Peer-reviewed studies accepted with revision/under review: Names in red text indicate undergraduate students and names in blue text indicate graduate students.   Munger, I. A., Baugh, M., Henrie, J. R., Hollinger, J., Crepeau. R. & Leavitt, S. D. Integrative biodiversity inventories: characterizing lichen-forming fungal diversity in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area using DNA barcoding and vouchered specimens. Western North American Naturalist (in review)

Bordenave, C., Muggia, L., Chiva, S., Leavitt, S. D., Carrasco, P. & Barreno, E. Chloroplast morphology and ultrastructure analyses reappraise the diversity of the lichen photobiont genus Trebouxia. Algal Research (in review).

Heiner, M., Grimm, T., Smith, H., Leavitt, S. D., Christensen, W. F., Carling, G. T. & St. Clair, L. L. Multivariate Receptor Modeling with Widely Dispersed Lichens as Bioindicators of Air Quality. Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics (in review)

Keuler, R., Jensen, J., Barcena-Peña, A., Grewe, F., Lumbsch, H. T., Huang, J-P. & Leavitt, S. D. Distinguishing sources of phylogenetic conflict: Hybridization in the most speciose genus of lichen-forming fungi. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (in review).

 

Peer-reviewed Studies: Names in red text indicate undergraduate students and names in blue text indicate graduate students.   2021

110. Barcenas-Peña, A., Leavitt, S. D., Grewe, F. & & Lumbsch, H. T. Diversity of Xanthoparmelia (Parmeliaceae) species in Mexican xerophytic scrub vegetation, evidenced by molecular, morphological and chemistry data. Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 78, e107: https://doi.org/10.3989/ajbm.2564
111. Leavitt, S. D., Hollinger, J., Summerhays, S., Munger, I., Allen, J. & Smith, B. Alpine lichen diversity on an isolated sky island on the Colorado Plateau, USA – insight from an integrative biodiversity inventory. Ecology & Evolution (in press).
112. Jorna, J., Linde, J.B., Searle, P.C., Jackson, A.C., Nielsen, M-E., Nate, M.S., Saxton, N.A., Grewe, F., Herrera-Campos, M., Spjut, R.W., Wu, H., Ho, B., Lumbsch, H.T. & Leavitt, S. D. Species boundaries in the messy middle – testing the hypothesis of micro-endemism in a recently diverged lineage of coastal fog desert lichen fungi. Ecology & Evolution (in press).
113. Lücking, R., Leavitt, S. D. & Hawksworth, D. L. Species in lichen-forming fungi: balancing between conceptual and practical considerations and between phenotype and phylogenomics. Fungal Diversity (in press).
114. St. Clair, L. L., Leavitt, S. D., St. Clair, S. B., Newberry, C. C. & Rosentreter, R. R. Lichen Checklist for the Jarbidge Wilderness Area and Adjacent Forest Service Lands in Northeastern Nevada, USA. Evansia (in press).
115. Burgoyne, J., Crepeau, R., Jensen, J., Smith, H., Baker, G. & Leavitt, S. D. Lampenflora in a Show Cave in the Great Basin Is Distinct from Communities on Naturally Lit Rock Surfaces in Nearby Wild Caves. Microrganisms 9, 1188. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9061188
116. Nelsen, M. P., Leavitt, S. D., Heller, K., Muggia, L. & Lumbsch, H. T. Macroecological diversification and convergence in a clade of keystone symbionts. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, fiab072, https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiab072

    2020

103. Grewe, F., Ametrano, C., Widhelm, T. J., Leavitt, S. D., Distefano, I., Polyiam, W., Pizarro, D., Wedin, M., Crespo, A., Divakar, P. K. & Lumbsch, H. T. Using target enrichment sequencing to study the higher-level phylogeny of the largest lichen-forming fungi family: Parmeliaceae (Ascomycota). IMA Fungus 11, 27: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43008-020-00051-x
104. Smith, H., Dal Grande, F., Muggia, L., Keuler, R., Divakar, P. K., Grewe, F., Schmitt, I., Lumbsch, H. T. & Leavitt, S. D. Metagenomic data reveal diverse fungal and algal communities associated with the lichen symbiosis. Symbiosis 82, 133–147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-020-00699-4
105. Esslinger, T. L., McCune, B. & Leavitt, S. D. Two closely related but morphologically disparate new species of Physciafrom Western North America. The Bryologist 123, 204–214. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-123.2.204
106. LaGreca, S., Lumbsch, H. T., Kukwa, M., Wei, X., Han, J. E., Moon, K. H., Kashiwadani, H., Aptroot, H. & Leavitt, S. D. A molecular phylogenetic evaluation of the Ramalina siliquosa complex, with notes on species circumscription and relationships within Ramalina. Lichenologist 52, 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282920000110
107. Muggia, L., Nelsen, M.P., Kirika, P.M., Barreno, E., Beck, A., Lindgren, H., Lumbsch, H. T. & Leavitt, S. D. Formally described species woefully underrepresent phylogenetic diversity in the predominant lichen photobiont genus Trebouxia(Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta): impetus for developing an integrated taxonomy. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 149, 106821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106821
108. Leavitt, S. D. & Smith, B. Baseline population density estimates of rock shield lichens relative to mountain goats in the La Sal Mountains, Utah, USA. Evansia 37, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1639/0747-9859-37.1.1
109. Keuler, R., Garretson, A., Saunders, T., Erickson, R. J., St. Andre, N., Grewe, F., Smith, H., Lumbsch, H. T., Huang, J-P., St. Clair, L. L. & Leavitt, S. D. Genome-scale data reveal the potential role of hybrid speciation in lichen-forming fungi. Scientific Reports 10, 1497. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58279-x
110. Bradshaw, M., Grewe, F., Thomas, A., Harrison, C., Lindgren, H., Muggia, L., St. Clair, L.L., Lumbsch, H. T. & Leavitt, S. D.Characterizing the ribosomal tandem repeat and its utility as a DNA barcode in lichen-forming fungi. BMC Evolutionary Biology 20.1, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-019-1571-4

  2019

95. Leavitt, S. D., Keuler, R., Newberry, C. C., Rosentreter, R., St. Clair, L. L. Shotgun sequencing decades-old lichen specimens to resolve phylogenomic placement of type material. Plant and Fungal Systematics 64, 237–247. https://dx.doi.org/10.2478/pfs-2019-0020
96. Ametrano, C. G. Grewe, F., Crous, P. W., Goodwin, S. B., Liang, C., Selbmann, L., Lumbsch, H. T., Leavitt, S. D. & Muggia, L. Genome-scale data suggest an ancestral rock-inhabiting lifestyle of Dothideomycetes (Ascomycota). IMA Fungus 10,19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43008-019-0018-2
97. Huang, J-P., Kraichak, E., Nelsen, M. P., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Accelerated diversification in three diverse clades of morphologically complex lichen-forming fungi after the K-Pg boundary. Scientific Reports 9, 8518.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44881-1
98. Carter, O., Kropp, B., Noell, N., Hollinger, J., Baker, G., Tuttle, A., St. Clair, L. L. & Leavitt, S. D. A preliminary checklist of the lichens in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, USA. Evansia 3, 72–91. https://doi.org/10.1639/0747-9859-36.3.72
99. St. Clair L. L. & Leavitt, S. D. Anderson and Shushan: Lichens of Western North America Fascicle VII. Evansia 36, 24–29. https://doi.org/10.1639/0747-9859-36.2.24
100. Pizarro, D., Dal Grande, F., Leavitt, S. D., Dyer, P. S., Schmitt, I., Crespo, A., Lumbsch, H. T. & Divakar, P. K. Whole-genome sequence data uncover widespread heterothallism in the largest group of lichen-forming fungi. Genome Biology and Evolution 11, 721–730. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evz027
101. Hale, E., Fisher, M. & Leavitt, S. D. A biogeographic connection between Antarctic and montane regions of western North America highlights the need for further study of lecideoid lichens. The Bryologist 122, 315–324. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-122.2.315
102. Lumbsch, H. T & Leavitt, S. D. Introduction of subfamily names for four clades in Cladoniaceae and Peltigeraceae (Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes). Mycotaxon 134, 271–273. https://doi.org/10.5248/134.271
103. McCune, B., Wei, X., Cubas, P., Boluda, C. G., Leavitt, S. D., Crespo, A., Lumbsch, H. T. & Divakar, P. K. Parallel Miocene dispersal events explain the cosmopolitan distribution of the Hypogymnioid lichens. Journal of Biogeography 46, 945–955. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13554
104. Wright, B., St. Clair, L. L. & Leavitt, S. D. Is targeted community DNA metabarcoding suitable for biodiversity inventories of lichen-forming fungi? Ecological Indicators 98, 812–820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.11.061
105. Warren, S. D., St. Clair, L. L. & Leavitt, S. D. Aerobiology and passive restoration of biological soil crusts. Aerobiologia 35, 45–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-018-9539-1

  2018

84. Kraichak, E., Huang, J. P., Nelsen, M., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. A revised classification of orders and families in the two major subclasses of Lecanoromycetes (Ascomycota) based on a temporal approach. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 188, 233–249. https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boy060
85. Barcenas-Peña, A., Leavitt, S. D., Huang, J-P., Grewe, F. & Lumbsch, H.T. Phylogenetic study and taxonomic revision of the Xanthoparmelia mexicana group, including the description of a new species (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). MycoKeys40, 13-28. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.40.26724
86. Pizarro, D., Divakar, P. K., Grewe, F., Leavitt, S. D., Huang, J-P., Dal Grande, F., Schmitt, I., Wedin, M., Crespo, A. & Lumbsch, H. T. Phylogenomic analysis of 2556 single-copy protein-coding genes resolves most evolutionary relationships for the major clades in the most diverse clade of lichen-forming fungi. Fungal Diversity 92, 31-41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-018-0407-7
87. Leavitt, S. D., Newberry, C. C., Hollinger, J., Wright, B. & St. Clair, L. L. An integrative perspective into diversity in Acarospora (Acarosporaceae, Ascomycota), including a new species from the Great Basin, U.S.A. The Bryologist 121, 275-285. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-121.3.275
88. Huang, J. P., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Testing the impact of effective population size on speciation rates – a negative correlation or lack thereof in lichenized fungi. Scientific Reports, 8, 5729. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24120-9
89. Leavitt, S. D., Kirika, P. M., Amo de Paz, G., Huang, J-P., Hur, J-S., Elix, J. A., Grewe, F., Divakar, P. K. & Lumbsch, H. T. Assessing phylogeny and historical biogeography of the largest genus of lichen-forming fungi, Xanthoparmelia(Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). The Lichenologist 50, 299-312. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282918000233
90. Leavitt, S. D., Westberg, M., Sohrabi, M., Elix, J. A., Timdal, E., Nelsen, M. P., St. Clair, L. L., Williams, L., Wedin, M. & Lumbsch, H. T. Multiple, distinct intercontinental lineages but isolation of Australian populations in a cosmopolitan lichen-forming fungal taxon, Psora decipiens (Psoraceae, Ascomycota). Frontiers in Microbiology, 9, 283. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.00283
91. Muggia, L., Leavitt, S. D. & Barreno, E. The hidden diversity of lichenized Trebouxiophyceae. Phycologia, 57, 503-524. https://doi.org/10.2216/17-134.1

  2017

69. Wei, X-L., Leavitt, S. D. (corresponding author), Huang, J-P., Esslinger, T. L., Wang, L. S., Moncada, B., Lücking, R., Divakar, P. K. & Lumbsch, H. T. Parallel Miocene-dominated diversification of the lichen-forming fungal genus Oropogon (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) in different continents. Taxon, 66, 1269-1281. https://doi.org/10.12705/666.1
70.  Grewe, F., Huang, J-P., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Reference-based RADseq resolves robust relationships among closely-related species of lichen-forming fungi using metagenomic DNA. Scientific Reports, 7, 9884. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-09906-7
71. Sodamuk, M., Boonpragob, K., Mongkolsuk, P., Tehler, A., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Kalbionora palaeotropica, a new genus and species from coastal forests in Southeast Asia and Australia (Malmideaceae, Ascomycota). Mycokeys, 22, 15–25. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.22.12528
72. Lücking, R., Hodkinson, B. P. & Leavitt, S. D. Corrections and amendments to the 2016 classification of lichenized fungi in the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. The Bryologist, 120, 58-69. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-120.1.058
73. Mark, K., Saag, L., Leavitt, S. D., Will-Wolf, S., Nelsen, M. P., Tõrra, T., Saag, A., Randlane, T. & Lumbsch, H. T. Erratum to: Evaluation of traditionally circumscribed species in the lichen-forming genus Usnea, section Usnea (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) using a six-locus dataset. Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 17, 321. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-016-0273-7
74. Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Kraichak, E., Leavitt, S. D., Singh, G., Schmitt, I. & Lumbsch, H. T. Using a temporal phylogenic method to harmonize family- and genus-level classification in the largest clade of lichen-forming fungi. Fungal Diversity, 84, 101–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-017-0379-z
75. Kraichak, E., Crespo, A., Divakar, P. K., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. A temporal banding approach for consistent taxonomic ranking above the species level. Scientific Reports, 7, 2297. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02477-7
76. Nuñez-Zapata, J., Alors, D., Cubas, P., Divakar, P. K., Leavitt, S. D., Lumbsch, H. T. & Crespo, A.Understanding disjunct distribution patterns in lichen-forming fungi – insights from the genus Parmelina (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). Botanical Journal of the Linnaean Society, 184, 238–253. https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/box022  

78. Kirika, P. M., Divakar, P. K., Buaruang, K., Leavitt, S. D., Crespo, A., Gatheri, G. W., Mugambi, G., Bentatti, M. N. & Lumbsch, H. T. Molecular phylogenetic studies unmask overlooked diversity in the tropical lichenized fungal genus Bulbothrixl. (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 184, 387–399.https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/box027
79. Kirika, P. M., Divakar, P. K., Leavitt, S. D., Buaruang, K., Crespo, A., Mugambi, G., Gatheri, G. W. & Lumbsch, H. T. The genus Relicinopsis is nested with Relicina (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). The Lichenologist, 49, 189–197.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282916000748
80. Zhao, X., Fernández-Brime, S., Wedin, M., Locke, M., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Using multi-locus sequence data for addressing species boundaries in commonly accepted lichen-forming fungal species. Organisms, Diversity, and Evolution, 17, 351–363. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-016-0320-4

  2016

65. Lücking, R., Hodkinson, B. P. & Leavitt, S. D. The 2016 classification of lichenized fungi in the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota – Approaching a thousand genera. The Bryologist, 119, 361–416. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-119.4.361
66. Kirika, P. M., Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Leavitt, S. D., Mugambi, G., Gatheri, G. W. & Lumbsch, H. T. Polyphyly of the genus Canoparmelia - uncovering incongruences between phenotype-based classification and molecular phylogeny within lichenized Ascomycota (Parmeliaceae). Phytotaxa, 289, 036–048. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.289.1.2
67. Leavitt, S. D., Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A. & Lumbsch, H. T. A matter of time – understanding the limits of the power of molecular data for delimiting species boundaries. Herzogia, 29 (2), 479–492. https://doi.org/10.13158/heia.29.2.2016.479
68. Wei, X., McCune, B., Lumbsch, H. T., Li, H., Leavitt, S. D., Yamamoto, Y., Tchabanenko, S. & Wei, J. Limitations in species delimitations based on phylogenetic analyses: A case study in the Hypogymnia hypotrypa group (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). PLoSOne, 11, e0163664. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163664
69. Lindgren, H., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Characterization of microsatellite markers in the cosmopolitan lichen-forming fungus Rhizoplaca melanophthalma (Lecanoraceae). Mycokeys, 14, 31–36. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.14.9729
70. Widhelm, T., Egan, R. S., Bertoletti, F. R., Asztalos, M. J., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Picking holes in traditional species delimitations: an integrative taxonomic reassessment of the Parmotrema perforatum group (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 182, 868–884. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12483
71. Kirika, P. M, Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Gatheri, G. W., Mugambi, G., Leavitt, S. D., Moncada, B. & Lumbsch, H. T. Molecular data show that Hypotrachyna sorocheila (Parmeliaceae) is not monophyletic. The Bryologist, 119, 172–180. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-119.2.172
72. Leavitt, S. D., Esslinger, T. L., Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A. & Lumbsch, H. T. Hidden diversity before our eyes: delimiting and describing cryptic lichen-forming fungal species in camouflage lichens (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). Fungal Biology, 120, 1374–1391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2016.06.001
73. Kirika, P. M, Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Gatheri, G. W., Mugambi, G., Orock, E. A., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. Phylogenetic studies uncover a predominantly African lineage in a widely distributed lichen-forming fungal species (Parmelinella, Parmeliaceae). Mycokeys, 14, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.14.8971
74. Altermann, A., Leavitt, S. D. & Goward, T. Tidying up the genus Letharia: introducing L. lupina sp. nov. and a new circumscription for L. columbiana. The Lichenologist, 48, 423–439. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282916000396
75. Crespo, A., Divakar, P. K., Leavitt, S. D., & Lumbsch, H. T. A synopsis on the generic classification of Parmeliaceae in Mexico in light of molecular data. Bibliotheca Lichenologica, 110, 55–66.
76. Leavitt, S. D., Kraichak, E., Vondrak, J., Nelsen, M. P., Sohrabi, M^., Perez-Ortega, S., Fernandez-Mendoza, F., St. Clair, L. L. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2016). Cryptic diversity and symbiont interactions in rock-posy lichens. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 99, 261–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2016.03.030
77. Leavitt, S. D., Grewe, F., Widhelm, T., Muggia, L. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2016). Resolving evolutionary relationships in lichen-forming fungi using diverse phylogenomic datasets and analytical approaches. Scientific Reports, 6, 22262. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep22262
78. Mark, K., Saag, L., Leavitt, S. D., Tõrra, T., Nelsen, M. P., Will-Wolf, S., Saag, A., Randlane, T. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2016). Evaluation of traditionally circumscribed species in the lichen-forming genus Usnea, section Usnea (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) using a six-locus dataset. Organisms, Diversity, and Evolution, 16, 497–524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-016-0273-7
79. Alors, D., Lumbsch, H. T., Divakar, P. K., Leavitt, S. D. & Crespo, A. (2016). An integrative approach for understanding species diversity in the Punctelia rudecta complex (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). PlosOne, 11, e0146537. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0146537
80. Zhao, X., Leavitt, S. D., Zhao, Z. T., Zhang, L.L., Arup, U., Grube, M., Pérez-Ortega, S., Printzen, C., Śliwa, L., Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2016). Towards a revised generic classification of lecanoroid lichens (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota) based on molecular, morphological and chemical evidence. Fungal Diversity, 78, 293–304. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-015-0354-5
81. Divakar, P. K., Leavitt, S. D., Molina, M. C., Crespo, Del-Prado, R., Lumbsch, H. T. & Crespo, A. (2016). A DNA barcoding approach for identification of hidden diversity in Parmeliaceae (Ascomycota): Parmelia sensu stricto - a case study. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 180, 21–29. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12358
82. Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2016). Ecological Biogeography of Lichen-forming Fungi. In The Mycota: Environmental and Microbial Relationships, Volume IV (pp. 15–37). Springer, Cham. (peer reviewed book chapter). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29532-9_2

  2015

47. Leavitt, S. D., Moreau, C. S. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). The dynamic discipline of species delimitation: progress toward effectively recognizing species boundaries in natural populations. InRecent Advances in Lichenology(pp. 11–44). Springer India. (peer reviewed book chapter). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2235-4_2
48. Leavitt, S. D. & St. Clair, L. L. (2015). Bio-monitoring in Western North America: What Can Lichens Tell Us About Ecological Disturbances? In Recent Advances in Lichenology (pp. 119–138). Springer India. (peer reviewed book chapter). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2181-4_5
49. Hawksworth, D. L., Lumbsch, H. T., Scholz, P., Leavitt, S. D. & Seaward, M. R. D. Proposal to conserve the lichen name Lichen muralis (Lecanora muralis, Protoparmeliopsis muralis) with a conserved type (Ascomycota: Lecanorales: Lecanoraceae). Taxon, 64, 1316–1317. http://dx.doi.org/10.12705/646.18
50. Zhao, X., Zhao, Z. T., Zhang, L. L., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). A molecular phylogeny of the lichen genus Lecidella focusing on species from mainland China. PlosOne, 10, e0139405. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0139405
51. Wang, Q. –M., Yurkov, A. M., Göker, M., Lumbsch, H. T., Leavitt, S. D., Groenewald, M., Theelen, B., Liu, X. –Z., Boekhout, T. & Bai, F.-Y. Phylogenetic classification of yeasts and related taxa within Pucciniomycotina. Studies in Mycology, 81, 149–189. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.simyco.2015.12.002
52. Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Wedin, M., Leavitt, S. D., Hawksworth, D. L., Myllys, L., ... & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). Evolution of complex symbiotic relationships in a morphologically derived family of lichen-forming fungi. New Phytologist, 208, 1217–1226. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13553
53. Leavitt, S. D., Kraichak, E., Nelsen, M. P., Altermann, S., Divakar, P. K., Alors, D., ... & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). Fungal specificity and selectivity for algae play a major role in determining lichen partnerships across diverse ecogeographic regions in the lichen-forming family Parmeliaceae (Ascomycota). Molecular Ecology, 24, 3779–3797. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.13271
54. Leavitt, S. D., Divakar, P. K., Ohmura, Y., Wang, L. S., Esslinger, T. L. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). Who’s getting around? Assessing species diversity and phylogeography in the widely distributed lichen-forming fungal genus Montanelia(Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 90, 85–96.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2015.04.029
55. Kirika, P. M., Leavitt, S. D., Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Gatheri, G. W., Mugambi, G. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). The monotypic genus Bulborrhizina belongs to Bulbothrix sensu lato (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). The Bryologist,118(2), 164–169. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-118.2.164
56. Kraichak, E., Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Leavitt, S. D., Nelsen, M. P., Lücking, R. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). A Tale of Two Hyper-diversities: Diversification dynamics of the two largest families of lichenized fungi.Scientific Reports,5, 10028. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep10028
57. Singh, G., Dal Grande, F., Divakar, P. K., Otte, J., Leavitt, S. D., Szczepanska, K., ... & Schmitt, I. (2015). Coalescent-based species delimitation approach uncovers high cryptic diversity in the cosmopolitan lichen-forming fungal genus Protoparmelia (Lecanorales, Ascomycota). Plos One, e0124625. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124625
58. Kantvilas, G., Leavitt, S. D., Elix, J. & Lumbsch, T. (2015). Additions to the genus Trapelia (Trapeliaceae: lichenised Ascomycetes). Australian Systematic Botany, 27(6), 395–402. https://doi.org/10.1071/SB14037
59. Buaruang, K., Scharnagl, K., Divakar, P., Leavitt, S. D., Crespo, A., Nash, T. H., ... & Lumbsch, H. T. (2015). Molecular data support Pseudoparmelia as a distinct lineage related to Relicina and Relicinopsis (Ascomycota, Lecanorales). The Lichenologist,47(01), 43–49. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282914000577

   2014

34. Schoch, C. L., Robbertse, B., Robert, V., Vu, D., Cardinali, G., Irinyi, L., ... & Kraichak, E (including Leavitt, S. D.). (2014). Finding needles in haystacks: linking scientific names, reference specimens and molecular data for Fungi. Database, 2014, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1093/database/bau061
35. Esslinger, T. L., Hansen, E. S. & Leavitt, S. D. (2014). The brown parmelioid lichen species in Greenland. Folia Cryptogamica Estonica, 51, 25–48. https://doi.org/10.12697/fce.2014.51.03
36. Altermann, S., Leavitt, S. D., Goward, T., Nelsen, M. P. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2014). How do you solve a problem like Letharia? A new look at cryptic species in lichen-forming fungi using Bayesian clustering and SNPs from multilocus sequence data. PloSOne, 9, e97556. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097556
37. Leavitt, S. D., Esslinger, T. L., Hansen, E. S., Divakar, P. K., Crespo, A., Loomis, B. F. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2014). DNA barcoding of brown Parmeliae (Parmeliaceae) species: a molecular approach for accurate specimen identification, emphasizing species in Greenland. Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 14, 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-013-0147-1
38. Shrestha, G., Raphael, J., Leavitt, S. D. & St. Clair, L. L. (2014). In vitro evaluation of the antibacterial activity of extracts from 34 species of North American lichens. Pharmaceutical Biology, 52, 1262–1266. https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209.2014.889175

  2013

29. Leavitt, S. D., Lumbsch, H. T., Stenroos, S. & Clair, L. L. S. (2013). Pleistocene speciation in North American lichenized fungi and the impact of alternative species circumscriptions and rates of molecular evolution on divergence estimates.PloSOne,8(12), e85240. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0085240
30. Divakar, P. K., Kauff, F., Crespo, A., Leavitt, S. D. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2013). Understanding phenotypical character evolution in parmelioid lichenized fungi (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). PloSOne, 8(11), e83115. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083115
31. Leavitt, S. D., Lumbsch, H. T. & St. Clair, L. L. (2013). Contrasting demographic histories of two species in the lichen-forming fungal genus Xanthomendoza (Teloschistaceae, Ascomycota).The Bryologist,116(4), 337–349. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-116.4.337
32. Nelsen, M. P., Thell, A., Leavitt, S. D., Hampton-Miller, C. J. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2013). A reappraisal of Masonhalea(Parmeliaceae, Lecanorales) based on molecular and morphological data.The Lichenologist,45(06), 729–738. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282913000509
33. Parnmen, S., Leavitt, S. D., Rangsiruji, A. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2013). Identification of species in the Cladia aggregata group using DNA barcoding (Ascomycota: Lecanorales). Phytotaxa, 115(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.115.1.1
34. Leavitt, S. D., Nelsen, M. P., Lumbsch, H. T., Johnson, L. A. & St. Clair, L. L. (2013). Symbiont flexibility in subalpine rock shield lichen communities in the Southwestern USA.The Bryologist,116(2), 149–161. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-116.2.149
35. Leavitt, S. D., Fernández-Mendoza, F., Pérez-Ortega, S., Sohrabi, M., Divakar, P. K., Lumbsch, H. T. & St Clair, L. L. (2013). DNA barcode identification of lichen-forming fungal species in the Rhizoplaca melanophthalma species-complex (Lecanorales, Lecanoraceae), including five new species. MycoKeys,7, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.7.4508
36. Leavitt, S. D., Fernández-Mendoza, F., Pérez-Ortega, S., Sohrabi, M., Divakar, P. K., Vondrák, J., ... & Clair, L. L. S. (2013). Local representation of global diversity in a cosmopolitan lichen-forming fungal species complex (Rhizoplaca, Ascomycota). Journal of Biogeography, 40(9), 1792–1806. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12118
37. Sohrabi, M., Leavitt, S. D., Rico, V. J., Halici, M. G., Shrestha, G. & Stenroos, S. (2013). Teuvoa, a new lichen genus in Megasporaceae (Ascomycota: Pertusariales), including Teuvoa junipericola sp. nov.The Lichenologist,45(03), 347–360. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282913000108
38. Leavitt, S. D., Esslinger, T. L., Nelsen, M. P. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2013). Further species diversity in Neotropical Oropogon(Lecanoromycetes: Parmeliaceae) in Central America. The Lichenologist, 45(04), 553–564. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282913000212
39. Leavitt, S. D., Esslinger, T. L., Spribille, T., Divakar, P. K. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2013). Multilocus phylogeny of the lichen-forming fungal genus Melanohalea (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota): Insights on diversity, distributions, and a comparison of species tree and concatenated topologies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 66(1), 138–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.09.013

  2012

18. Divakar, P. K., Del-Prado, R., Lumbsch, H. T., Wedin, M., Esslinger, T. L., Leavitt, S. D. & Crespo, A. (2012). Diversification of the newly recognized lichen-forming fungal lineage Montanelia (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) and its relation to key geological and climatic events. American Journal of Botany, 99(12), 2014–2026. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1200258
19. Leavitt, S. D., Nelsen, M. P. & St. Clair, L. L. (2012). Treading in murky waters: Making sense of diversity in Xanthoparmelia(Parmeliacae, Ascomycota) in western North America. Bulletin of the California Lichen Society, 19, 58–70. http://californialichens.org/bulletin/CALS_2012_19-2.1210.pdf
20. Thell, A., Crespo, A., Divakar, P. K., Kärnefelt, I., Leavitt, S. D., Lumbsch, H. T., & Seaward, M. R. (2012). A review of the lichen family Parmeliaceae–history, phylogeny and current taxonomy. Nordic Journal of Botany, 30(6), 641–664. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-1051.2012.00008.x
21. Leavitt, S. D., Esslinger, T. L., Divakar, P. K., & Lumbsch, H. T. (2012). Miocene divergence, cryptic lineages, and contrasting distribution patterns in common camouflage lichen fungi (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 107(04), 920–937. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01978.x
22. Leavitt, S. D., Esslinger, T. L., & Lumbsch, H. T. (2012). Neogene-dominated diversification in neotropical montane lichens: dating divergence events in the lichen-forming fungal genus Oropogon (Parmeliaceae). American Journal of Botany, 99(11), 1764–1777. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1200146
23. Orock, E. A., Leavitt, S. D., Fonge, B. A., St. Clair, L. L., & Lumbsch, H. T. (2012). DNA-based species identification of lichen-forming fungi from Mt. Cameroon (west Africa) demonstrates low identification success rate. The Lichenologist,44(06), 833–839. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282912000424
24. Leavitt, S. D., Esslinger, T. L., Divakar, P. K. & Lumbsch, H. T. (2012). Miocene and Pliocene dominated diversification of the lichen-forming fungal genus Melanohalea (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) and Pleistocene population expansions.BMC Evolutionary Biology,12(1), 176. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-12-176
25. Shrestha, G., Leavitt, S. D., Proulx, M. W., Glacy, L. A., Call, C., Hendrickson, J. & Clair, L. L. S. (2012). A checklist of the lichens of the Beaver Dam Slope, Washington County, Utah, USA. North American Fungi, 7, 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.2509/naf2012.007.005
26. Schoch, C. L., Seifert, K. A., Huhndorf, S., Robert, V., Spouge, J. L., Levesque, C. A., ... & Griffith, G. W. (including Leavitt, S. D.) (2012). Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region as a universal DNA barcode marker for Fungi. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(16), 6241–6246. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1117018109
27. Esslinger, T. L., Morse, C. A. & Leavitt, S. D. (2012). A new North American species in the lichen genusHyperphyscia. The Bryologist, 115(1), 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1639/007-2745-115.1.31

  2011

8. Leavitt, S. D. & St. Clair, L. L. (2011). Estimating Xanthoparmelia (Parmeliaceae) population density in subalpine communities in southern Utah, USA using two distance methods, with implications for assessing community composition. The Bryologist, 114(3), 625-636. https://doi.org/10.1639/0007-2745-114.3.625
9. Lumbsch, H. T. & Leavitt, S. D. (2011). Goodbye morphology? A paradigm shift in the delimitation of species in lichenized fungi. Fungal Diversity, 50(1), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-011-0123-z
10. Leavitt, S. D., Johnson, L. A., Goward, T. & St Clair, L. L. (2011). Species delimitation in taxonomically difficult lichen-forming fungi: An example from morphologically and chemically diverse Xanthoparmelia (Parmeliaceae) in North America. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 60(3), 317–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.05.012
11. Leavitt, S. D., Fankhauser, J. D., Leavitt, D. H., Porter, L. D., Johnson, L. A. & St. Clair, L. L. (2011). Complex patterns of speciation in cosmopolitan “rock posy” lichens–Discovering and delimiting cryptic fungal species in the lichen-forming Rhizoplaca melanophthalma species-complex (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 59(3), 587–602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.03.020
12. Leavitt, S. D., Johnson, L. & St. Clair, L. L. (2011). Species delimitation and evolution in morphologically and chemically diverse communities of the lichen-forming genus Xanthoparmelia (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) in western North America. American Journal of Botany, 98(2), 175–188. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1000230
13. Glacy, L. A., Leavitt, S. D. & St. Clair (2011). A Checklist of the Lichens Collected During the 2008 Sixth International Association of Lichenology Field Trip at Point Reyes National Seashore and Selected Locations in Marin and Sonoma Counties, California, USA. Evansia, 28(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1639/0747-9859-28.1.18

Pre-2010

2. Leavitt, S. D. & Clair, L. L. S. (2008). Lichens of the Boulder Mountain Plateau, Wayne County, Utah, USA. Evansia, 25(4), 85–89. https://doi.org/10.1639/0747-9859-25.4.85

1. Jackson, H. B., Leavitt, S. D., Krebs, T. & Clair, L. L. S. (2005). Lichen flora of the eastern Mojave Desert: Blackrock Arizona, Mojave County, Arizona, USA. Evansia, 22, 30–38. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.619.9638&rep=rep1&type=pdf