Dissertation Research: Morphological Versus Molecular Data in Reconstructing Phylogeny of Picinae

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The development of molecular biology and digital computers has enabled biologists to reconstruct evolutionary history (phylogenies) with greatly improved accuracy and precision. Moreover, by studying morphological, behavioral, ecological and physiological characteristics of species with a reliable phylogeny as a backdrop, one can come to understand the processes that determined their evolution. The proposed research is a reconstruction of the evolutionary history of North American woodpeckers based on computer analysis of molecular data. The woodpeckers have undergone rapid evolution in North America resulting in many species with varying and complex adaptations. In addition, the geographic distribution of the many species is similar to that of many other groups of North American animals and plants; these common patterns result from the history of episodic glaciation during the Pleistocene Ice Age. This study will serve as a model for understanding that complex geological epoch that is so important to the formation of the fauna and flora of the United States.