Exploring the genetic basis of adaptation within a conservation context

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Conservation biologists have long appreciated the importance of preserving the ability of organisms to adapt to changing environments. Although generally viewed as a hallmark goal of conservation biology, little research has been conducted towards identifying adaptive genetic variation that contributes to a species evolutionary potential and ability to survive future environmental changes. Until recently, our capacity to directly quantify adaptive genetic variation has been limited to a handful of model organisms studied under artificial conditions. The recent emergence of population genomics, which combines genomic technologies with population genetics theory, provides a framework for detecting genome-wide associations between segregating variation and fitness-related traits in natural populations. My program will entail one of the first applications of population genomics for studying adaptive population divergence within a conservation context. At a local scale, neutral and adaptive genetic variation will be used to designate conservation units between two sympatric ecotypes of the threatened Okanagan lake kokanee and to elucidate the genetic basis underlying their distinct reproductive behaviors. Benefits of this research include identifying molecular markers linked to fitness-related traits for guiding stock assessment, long-term ecological monitoring, and evaluating management practices. At the landscape level, genomic scans will be conducted to better understand the genetic basis of adaptation along an environmental gradient in a climate change sensitive species, the Common pika of British Columbia. As a high latitude country, current models predict Canada may experience higher than average warming, with significant implications for the distribution of native flora and fauna. My research has the potential to be among the first to investigate patterns of variation at genomic regions influencing a species ability to respond to climate change. In addition to the basic and applied insights gained from this overall body of work, my program has the benefits of bringing together a collaboration of academic and governmental scientists while providing extensive opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student training.