Understanding dispersal potential in climate-sensitive species

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This project aims to investigate the genomic and demographic effects ofclimatic changes during large-scale geographic postglacial recolonisationusing V. berus as a study model. This will allow us to assess the mechanismsunderlying previous demographic changes, and most importantly, to predictthe effect of climate change on the population demography of a decliningspecies. The common adder is characterised by the largest geographic rangeamong terrestrial snakes, which encompasses most of the Eurasiancontinent. Despite this taxon being characterised by low dispersal abilitiesand high philopatry, previous studies based on mtDNA have suggested aninitial continental recolonisation event around a million years ago,subsequently followed by minor colonisation events during the Lower-MidPleistocene glacial cycles. Although, the use of a single locus and the lack ofspatial/climatic hypothesis testing frameworks, may provide weak support.This project exploits Climate-Informed Spatial Genetic Modelling to test suchrecolonisation hypotheses. The complex and diverse biogeographic history ofthe common adder makes this taxon the perfect subject to investigate thecauses responsible for recurrent range expansion events. Whole-genomesequencing data from specimens across the distributional range will be usedto confirm demographic predictions and evaluate genomic regions underselection in order to assess the potential of populations to cope with futureclimatic scenarios.