DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The genetic architecture of divergence between two ecologically distinct Swallowtail butterfly species

进化生物学的核心是理解两个密切相关的物种之间的生殖隔离是如何发展的。本研究以灰绿凤蝶和加拿大凤蝶两种凤蝶作为一个系统，研究新出现的物种间生殖隔离的遗传基础。这两个物种在许多与性染色体有关的生态特征上存在差异，但在它们的分布范围相遇的地方，它们仍然能够形成可育的杂交种。研究人员预测，一些基因能够在杂交区移动，而与物种特异性生态重要性状相关的基因则不能。采用标准和新的群体遗传学方法，将在灰绿杨和加拿大杨的亲本和杂交群体中检测30个性连锁基因，以检验预测。利用父母的人口，这项研究还将阐明性连锁性状是重要的两个species.The凤蝶杂交区最初的分歧是一个众所周知的地理热点，在北美的许多植物和动物的物种周转和杂交。通过拟议的研究获得的见解将提高我们对复杂生态系统的理解。 本研究将为非模式生物的遗传资源研究做出重要贡献。 此外，还将开发可用于许多生物物种的公开软件。

Central to evolutionary biology is understanding how reproductive isolation between two closely related species develops. This study uses two swallowtail butterfly species, Papilio glaucus and Papilio canadensis, as a system to study the genetic basis of reproductive isolation between newly emerging species. The two species differ in many ecological traits that are linked to their sex chromosomes, yet where their ranges meet they are still capable of forming fertile hybrids. The investigators predict that some genes are able to move through the hybrid zone, while genes linked to species-specific ecologically important traits do not. Implementing both standard and novel population genetic approaches, thirty sex-linked genes will be examined in parental and hybrid populations of P. glaucus and P. canadensis to test the prediction. Using parental populations, the study will also elucidate which sex-linked traits were important in the initial divergence of the two species.The Papilio hybrid zone is a well-known geographic hotspot for species turnover and hybridization in many plants and animals in North America. Insights gained by the proposed research will improve our understanding of complex ecological systems. This study will significantly contribute to genetic resources for non-model organisms. In addition, publicly available software will be developed that can be applied to many biological species.