Dissertation Research: The role of history in adaptation to novel environments: the relationship between morphology, performance, and phylogenetic history in frogs

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An unresolved question in evolutionary biology is the extent to which past adaptations influence adaptations of species to a new environment. For example, does past adaptation to an ancestral microhabitat (e.g., trees) constrain adaptation to a novel microhabitat type (e.g., water)? Or does adaptation to a new microhabitat completely erase any traces of previous evolutionary history? This question will be addressed in frogs of the world through measuring performance (e.g., jumping, swimming), body form (e.g., size, shape), and habitat use, and then estimating change during the evolutionary history of frogs via an understanding of evolutionary relationships among species. Data have been collected within China and Colombia, and this grant will extend the sampling to Australia, as well as allowing further work at museums in the U.S. This research will lead to an understanding of the influence of historical influences (e.g., previous habitat use and adaptations to it) on subsequent evolutionary change, something that has not previously been well understood. Furthermore, this project will result in the training of undergraduate students in research in evolutionary biology, as well as develop international collaboration with scientists from Australia and develop cross-cultural understanding through outreach presentations, both in the U.S. and Australia.