Background: Subspecies are often designated to identify populations with interesting morphology, ecology or behavioural differences within populations. Whether or not subspecies represents a real form of divergence between populations has been quite fiercely debated. Nonetheless, defining them has important implications for conservation and policy; should we extend extra effort to preserve a particular subspecies? House sparrows (Passer domesticus) have at least 12 recognised subspecies that differ in plumage, size and ecology. However, it is not clear whether these subspecies are meaningful or helpful designations. This project will draw on phenotypic and genomic data in order to determine how useful this classification is in distinguishing populations and how informative it is for our understanding of the speciation process.
We are seeking: A motivated MSc student with an interest in understanding the processes driving speciation and the evolution of divergence among species. You will have access to a large dataset of photographs, phenotypic measurements and genome sequences from across the house sparrow distribution. There is also an opportunity to work with museum collection samples from across the world.
What you will learn: You will learn how to answer evolutionary questions using modern techniques. You will gain experience in DNA wet lab work, bioinformatics, and genomics. There will also be opportunities for fieldwork and gaining experience in handling birds. The skills you will gain will provide an important foundation for future applications to PhD positions or to jobs in industry.
What we offer: This is an opportunity to join a small, friendly research group with a focus on close mentorship and skills development. We conduct weekly lab meetings, group discussions and provide hands-on training.