Evolution and phylogeography of Jamaican Anolis lizards |
"Species-for-species, the Jamaican radiation of anoles is the most fabulous" The overarching aim of my dissertation research is to map the distribution, species richness, and scope of variability of Jamaican Anolis in order to understand evolutionary patterns and processes shaping diversity in this clade. Six of the seven species occur solely in Jamaica, and five occur island-wide, each adapted to use a different part of the habitat. Despite decades of research that have made anoles a classic group for the study of ecology and adaptive evolution, we don't yet have a solid understanding of the relationships among lineages or of the evolutionary forces that have molded the lizard populations we see today.
By collecting genetic samples from multiple species at sites across the island, I'm mapping the relationships among populations and between species. I'm integrating these findings with morphological and ecological measurements to characterize lineages and to generate an accurate, up-to-date understanding of genetic and phenotypic variation and its distribution across the landscape. Using the data my team and I have collected -- and will collect -- I'm hoping to figure out just how many species of Anolis there are in Jamaica, which salient mechanisms have shaped their evolutionary trajectory, and whether these mechanisms are shared among multiple co-occurring species. As part of my research in Jamaica and in collaboration with the University of the West Indies, I am working to include, train, and empower future Jamaican biologists. My field research in Jamaica has been funded by the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. Upcoming fieldwork and lab work is supported by a Graduate Student Research Award from the Society of Systematic Biologists, and by a National Geographic Society Exploration Grant (with J. Losos). |