Dissertation Research: Patterning of Genetic Variation Among Closely Related Butterflyfishes

蝴蝶鱼是研究 海洋生物的遗传变异和多样化。 他们 是珊瑚礁群落中常见而显眼的成员， 显示出相当大的生态多样性。 本研究设计 整合群体遗传学（使用核和 线粒体基因标记）和生态学， 西印度群岛相关物种的总体变异模式 太平洋蝴蝶鱼 印度-西太平洋珊瑚礁群落 是最多样化的，也可能是最受威胁的，海洋生物 系统. 对蝴蝶鱼的研究将提供有价值的 这些珊瑚礁群落是如何从 历史视角。 此外，联合使用遗传 和形态学标记将提供更好的评估 占据这些珊瑚的各种蝴蝶鱼种群的独特性 珊瑚礁群落，这是保护和 生物多样性管理。

Butterflyfishes make excellent models for studying patterns of genetic variation and diversification in marine organisms. They are common and conspicuous members of coral reef communities and display considerable ecological diversity. This study is designed to integrate population genetics (using both nuclear and mitochondrial gene markers) and ecology in an effort to examine overall patterns of variation seen in related species of Indo-west Pacific Butterflyfishes. Indo-west Pacific coral reef communities are some of the most diverse, and possibly threatened, marine systems. Research on Butterflyfishes will provide valuable information on how such coral reef communities form from an historical perspective. In addition, the combined use of genetic and morphological markers will provide a better assessment of the uniqueness of various Butterflyfish stocks occupying these coral reef communities, an absolute necessity for the preservation and management of biodiversity.