DISSERTATON RESEARCH: Genetic diversification of mesic treefrogs in a dry Neotropical savanna: Next-Gen sequencing uncovers the roles of environment, paleoclimate, and geography

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Savannas, which are among the most diverse but understudied ecosystems, are severely threatened due to the ease of converting these areas to agriculture. The savannas of Brazil are the largest on Earth, and conservation and management of the biota in the remaining savanna patches requires documenting the evolutionary and ecological factors that gave rise to and maintain this biodiversity. Treefrog species are excellent models for this research because they are highly sensitive to vegetation type, temperature, and humidity levels. Thus, climatic alteration is quickly revealed by declines in populations of these species. Using new methods in computer modeling that describe environments on a large scale, and advances in DNA technology, this research will assess the genetic well being of frog populations in relation to their changing environment and their prospects for survival.The diverse sources of data to be collected will provide baseline information critical to efficiently protect and manage these endangered habitats and biotas. These methods and research approaches will be transferrable to other groups of organisms in different ecological regions. This project will contribute significantly to promoting integrative, multidisciplinary research involving international collaborators, and will train students as future scientists and science educators.