Acquisition of Instrumentation for Research in Evolutionary and Conservation Genetics

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This award supports the use of crucial genetic technology for research projects in several important areas of ecological and evolutionary research. One project will study the costs and benefits of social cooperation, a second will facilitate the inventory and abundance estimates for North American carnivores, and a third will study the importance of selection at genes scattered throughout the genome in salmonid fish. Each of these projects addresses fundamental issues in ecology or evolution. The equipment purchased is a Li-COR Gene imaging system with additional gene imaging software (LI-COR 4200-2NEN Global IR2). This system will allow researchers at the University of Montana to carry out critical gene sequencing activities and also to determine the genetic profile of individuals with a high degree of resolution. The broad implications of this award include the strengthening of research infrastructure at the University of Montana. In addition, the presence of this infrastructure will allow training of undergraduate and graduate students in some of the latest genetic techniques as they apply to ecology and evolutionary research. One of the research projects will involve studies of an endangered species, the Canadian Lynx.