The genetic architecture of colour polymorphism and speciation. Speciation, the process by which populations diverge and become distinct, is the engine that drives biodiversity and Darwin's 'mystery of mysteries'. Speciation is accelerated in species with multiple, discrete, coexisting colour forms; yet the genetic mechanisms underpinning this pattern are not known. This project aims to identify the genes underlying different colour forms and how they are distributed across the genome. The proj ....The genetic architecture of colour polymorphism and speciation. Speciation, the process by which populations diverge and become distinct, is the engine that drives biodiversity and Darwin's 'mystery of mysteries'. Speciation is accelerated in species with multiple, discrete, coexisting colour forms; yet the genetic mechanisms underpinning this pattern are not known. This project aims to identify the genes underlying different colour forms and how they are distributed across the genome. The project plans to test the prediction that these same areas of the genome show marked divergence between lineages that are in the process of becoming distinct species. Doing so may contribute significantly to our understanding of speciation, underlying genetic mechanisms, and genes generating colour variation in vertebrates.Read moreRead less
Genomic signatures of adaptive diversification in woodland Eucalyptus. This project aims to map the sources of adaptive alleles underlying diversification is to reveal insights into the mechanisms of speciation. The source of the raw material for evolution can have significant impacts on the speed with which populations can adapt. An emerging pattern in speciation research is the importance of ancient alleles and introgressed genes, which differ in the genomic signatures left by selection. Eucal ....Genomic signatures of adaptive diversification in woodland Eucalyptus. This project aims to map the sources of adaptive alleles underlying diversification is to reveal insights into the mechanisms of speciation. The source of the raw material for evolution can have significant impacts on the speed with which populations can adapt. An emerging pattern in speciation research is the importance of ancient alleles and introgressed genes, which differ in the genomic signatures left by selection. Eucalyptus offers a unique opportunity to explore these modes of evolution using the latest genomic tools. Improving our understanding of adaptation and genetic variation in woodland eucalypts is expected to make a significant contribution to their conservation, management and restoration.Read moreRead less