Dissertation Research: The Role of Landscape Barriers in Population Structure of a Neotropical Lekking Forest Bird

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

0073432 Kirsch Forensic DNA analysis has revolutionized our ability to identify individuals based on small amounts of genetic material. Similar technology offers a valuable new tool for studying the genetics of wild populations with an unprecedented degree of precision. A novel technique developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will be used to determine the parentage and dispersal of offspring in a tropical forest bird (Manacus manacus). By comparing the DNA fingerprints of this species in different environments, geographic influences on dispersal of these birds can be ascertained, thus realizing the goals of this study. These goals are: to determine (1) relatedness among the birds, (2) how far they and their offspring disperse, and (3) to what extent populations have diverged from each other. This investigation addresses directly the fundamental questions of whether topography limits dispersal and if so, whether more variable landscapes lead to genetically more distinct populations. The methodology of the study is applicable to any species, including humans, and provides information crucial to recognizing and meeting threats to species that arise from habitat alteration. Therefore, the project outcome will serve as a model for the recognition of species-at-risk and for the subsequent design of protected areas.