Molecular and evolutionary ecology of species' geographical distributions

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All species have limits to their geographical distributions - from the bacteria that survive only in oxygen rich environments to the plant that lives only in one small corner of the world. What biological factors (i.e. history, ecology and genetics) determine where a species can and cannot survive is an enduring yet unresolved question facing biologists and conservationists today. On the one hand, we seek to predict and manage the distributions of plants and animals under future globalization and climatic scenarios. On the other hand, we are tasked with the challenge of understanding the key factors that determine species' current distributions. Ultimately, a species may only occur in habitats that are compatible with its genetic make-up, that is, the environments to which it is adapted. It is the genetic basis to a species' geographic distribution and its interaction with ecological environments that my research will address. Many of our expectations for the factors associated with geographical distributions are based on well established, but infrequently tested theoretical models. My research will build on my current record of testing the ecology and genetics of adaptation and geographical distributions in plants. I will assess the interplay of habitat and dispersal with neutral and functional (i.e. important for fitness) genetic variation in a coastal dune plant. Cakile edentula (Brassicaceae), sea rocket, is a charismatic and important member of the beach and dune flora, has the ability for long distance dispersal, and occurs along both eastern and western North American coastlines. The combination of modern molecular techniques, field biology and experimental manipulations that characterize the research proposed here will provide an excellent opportunity for teaching and discovery.