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The evolution and maintenance of variable species boundaries

 “Hybrid zones are windows on evolutionary process, but each window opens on a different landscape. Evolutionary biologists have peered through many windows, but only in a few cases have they done more than crudely sketch the scene outside.”

— RICHARD G. HARRISON, OXFORD SURVEYS, 1990, PG. 117

*** We are recruiting Graduate Student(s) to work on this project. If you are interested, contact us. ***

Classic evolutionary theory assumes that species boundaries are fixed differences between species, but barriers between species vary over different temporal, spatial, ecological, and historic contexts. The extent and consequences of this variation on the evolution and maintenance of species boundaries is largely unknown and has not been studied comprehensively in a single system. This project will use a phenotype-driven approach across five replicates of a natural hybrid zone to connect spatial variation in ecology, behavior, and genomic architecture with patterns of gene flow. This project is funded by a NSF Rules of Life Grant.

 
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Research Opportunities

We are recruiting Graduate student(s) to work on this project and synergistic research. We have a highly collaborative team spanning the Larson Lab and Tinghitella Lab at the University of Denver. There are a number of research opportunities, including:

  1. Genomic analyses of extensive population genomic datasets from multiple transects of the hybrid zone (ddRADseq, WGS, RNAseq), to test variation in recombination rates, population structure, introgression, and selection.

  2. Field work throughout the hybrid zone. Field season spans late July - early October with flexible schedules for collecting or conducting work in the field.

  3. Behavioral analyses to test how temperature-dependent signal and preference can become decoupled across different environments.

  4. Lab crosses to investigate population variation in fertilization barriers and hybrid fitness, with the potential to do QTL analyses.

  5. New directions exploring these processes in other, closely related cricket systems.

  6. Citizen Science projects on singing insects, including biodiversity surveys and developing field guides.

  7. Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) opportunities in various University of Denver courses.