Ecology of species formation in stick insects: combining field, experimental, and genomic approaches

Supervisor: Dr. Patrik Nosil

Key words: evolution, ecology, genetics, genomics, speciation

Natural selection can drive the origin of new species through adaptation to different ecological environments (i.e., ‘ecological speciation’). This hypothesis is now widely accepted but many details of the process are controversial, particularly regarding the genetic basis of species formation, the speed at which evolution occurs, and the broader consequences of speciation for ecological communities and patterns of biodiversity. Our lab addresses these issues using a combination of field observations, field and lab experiments, and cutting edge genome sequencing methodologies. In this studentship, the aim will be to identify the genome wide basis of host-plant adaptation and speciation in Timema stick insects and to test the ecological consequences of rapid evolution within Timema for populations and communities (e.g., the beetles, spiders, ants, butterflies, etc. that co-habit host plants with Timema). Depending on the student’s preferences, the project can involve variable amounts of different types of work, including fieldwork in California each spring and modern molecular lab work. The studentship will be embedded in a larger collaborative project funded by a European Research Council Grant (e.g., collaborating labs: Buerkle lab, Wyoming; Feder lab, Notre Dame; Flaxman Lab, Colorado; Hanksi lab, Helsinki), providing access to a wide range of techniques and expertise. The collective work will increase understanding of how evolution affects biological diversity.

For more information, contact Patrik: p.nosil@sheffield.ac.uk
Applications can be submitted via http://www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply
The closing date is 15th January 2013