CAREER: Origins and Evolution of an Endemic Arctic Freshwater Crustacean

Suny At Buffalo, Amherst NY

Investigators

Abstract

This project will investigate genetic variation and diversity in insular and relatively young Arctic lakes and ponds. The endemic polyploid crustacean (Bosmina) will be examined. Individuals from among the Arctic polyploid lineages and 10 temperate parent taxa will be used for studies of co-dominant nuclear markers, inter-simple sequence repeats, 28D rDNS sequences, mitochondrial DNA sequences, and morphology. Lake cores will be used to examine morphologies of individuals over geological time. These results would allow an identification of ancestors of the Arctic lineages and would constrain the mechanisms leading to observed diversity. An educational component would involve the establishment of an undergraduate college field course at Resolute Canada.