Evolution of High Latitude Birds

高纬度物种的进化与历史和当代环境变化都有关。了解影响物种分布的历史过程的一种方法是使用分子标记，分子标记除了保留当代过程之外，还保留了历史事件的信息。我的研究项目使用比较的方法来研究种群的遗传结构，行为和环境如何影响种群的连通性和最终的物种形成。通过研究景观特征和过去的气候变化如何塑造当代人口，我们可以更好地了解人口动态、集合人口的功能，甚至预测他们将如何应对未来的气候变化。此外，我们还可以通过关注密切相关的共生物种来进一步了解生态多样性。我的长期研究目标集中在景观特征和历史范围变化对人口水平进程和人口连通性模式的作用。我们的研究揭示了一些具有相似生活史模式和栖息地要求的共同分布物种的不同遗传模式。其中一些模式与已知的物理障碍相对应，但其他模式值得进一步研究，以确定扩散的障碍。作为我们研究的直接结果，种群连通性、分散性和景观对遗传结构的影响模式被更好地理解，并导致了一系列新的问题。我的研究计划的短期目标是研究：1)采用混合迁徙策略的物种的微观和宏观地理种群结构；2)种内和种间接触带，以研究微地理景观遗传；以及3)海鸟的海洋行为和物种形成。基因分析方面的重大进步使研究人员能够回答即使在十年前也不可能解决的问题。利用地理信息系统技术和贝叶斯分析，我和我的学生可以利用古气候数据创建单个物种的历史范围图，并将这些地图与我们的基因数据进行比较。将更新、更强大的分析与传统标记和更多的物种结合起来，将使我们能够更好地了解进化过程。利用遗传学和基因组学工具，我们将确定地理变异是受限的基因流动还是其他生态因素的结果，获得更完整和准确的范围内基因流动和精细规模的种群遗传结构的图景，并获得对物种形成过程的宝贵见解。这套多方面和综合的短期项目使我们能够研究物种形成过程。例如，行为不同的海鸟群体是否也表现出遗传差异？迁徙行为对种内基因流动有何影响？具体地说，居留种群是否比同类迁徙种群具有更高的种群结构水平？

The evolution of high latitude species is linked to both historical and contemporary environmental changes. One way to understand the historical processes influencing species' distribution is through the use of molecular markers, which retain information on historical events in addition to contemporary processes. My research program uses a comparative approach to investigate genetic structure of populations, how behaviour and environment affect population connectivity and ultimately speciation. By examining how landscape features and past climate changes have shaped contemporary populations, we can better understand population dynamics, metapopulation functioning and even predict how they will respond to future climate change. In addition, we can gain further insights into ecological diversification by focusing on closely related sympatric species. My long term research goals focus on the role of landscape features and historical range shifts on population level processes and patterns of population connectivity. Our research has revealed contrasting genetic patterns in some co-distributed species with similar life history patterns and habitat requirements. Some of the patterns correspond to known physical barriers, but others warrant further study to determine the barriers to dispersal. The patterns of population connectivity, dispersal and influence of landscape on genetic structure are better understood as a direct result of our research and have led to a new set of questions. The short term goals of my research program are to study: 1) micro- and macro-geographic population structure in species with mixed migration strategies; 2) intra- and inter-specific contact zones to examine microgeographic landscape genetic; and 3) at-sea behaviour and speciation in seabirds. Major advances in genetic analyses have enabled researchers to answer questions that were not possible even a decade ago. Using GIS technologies and Bayesian analyses, my students and I can create historical range maps for individual species using paleoclimate data and compare these to our genetic data. Combining the newer, more powerful analyses with traditional markers and a larger number of species will allow us to better understand evolutionary processes. Using genetic and genomic tools, we will determine if geographic variation is the result of restricted gene flow or other ecological factors, obtain a more complete and accurate picture of rangewide gene flow and fine scale population genetic structure and gain invaluable insights into the process of speciation. The multifaceted and integrative set of short term projects allows us to study the speciation process. For example, do seabird colonies with behavioural differences also show genetic differences? What is the influence of migratory behaviour on intraspecific gene flow? Specifically, do resident populations have higher levels of population structure than migratory populations of the same species?