The Influence of Environmental Change on Genetic Diversity Across Spatial and Taxonomic Scales

<p>The spatial distribution of genetic diversity is of interest to biodiversity scientists and conservationists and is a fundamental metric of biodiversity. Genetic diversity patterns across spatial and taxonomic scales contain information about population and assemblage dynamics that can convey their resilience to environmental change. Ectotherms are especially linked to their environments and may be especially sensitive to fluctuations in the environment over time. Herein, I investigate global and regional patterns of genetic diversity in two groups of ectotherms, insects and lizards, to understand the relationship between environmental change and genetic diversity, from populations to assemblages. Overall, my research aims to answer: what is the relationship between assemblage-wide genetic diversity and environmental change, and what can genetic diversity convey about the processes underlying species responses to climate change? I address these questions using environmental data, genomics, and integrative spatial ecological modeling. Additionally, I create a novel computational tool to facilitate integrative modeling of species responses to environmental change. I find that global patterns of insect assemblage-wide genetic diversity differ from patterns found in vertebrates and high-elevation lizard species may have broader environmental tolerances than low-elevation species. Additionally, I introduce a software package that makes integrative modeling more accessible.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• French, Connor M

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Michael J. Hickerson

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Ana C. Carnaval
• Phillip P.A. Staniczenko
• Katharine A. Marske
• Peter L. Ralph

• Biodiversity
• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology
• Evolution
• Genetics
• Genomics
• Integrative Biology
• Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Population Biology
• phylogeography
• brazil
• population genetics
• macroecology
• macrogenetics
• software development

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5945

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-7049