Keywords

genomics; bird migration; migratory chronotype; great reed warbler; lipid hydrolysis

Abstract

Many organisms migrate; however, there is a lack of knowledge on the mechanisms that drive migration timing, including which genes play a role. The great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), a migratory bird that breeds in Eurasia and overwinters in sub-Saharan Africa, is an excellent model to study the genetics of migration. Each season, some individuals migrate early, whereas others migrate later in the season. In other words, they exhibit differences in their migratory chronotypes. Past research has identified three candidate genes (TOP1, PEAK1, and CPNE4) that influence the migratory chronotypes of another avian species, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius); yet no research has been conducted on the influence of these and other candidate genes on the migratory chronotype of great reed warblers. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge on the level of genetic control during the spring and autumn migration. Since there is likely a reproductive advantage for arriving to the breeding site early, I hypothesized that there is a higher level of genetic control during the spring versus autumn migration. In this study, using a cost-effective technique called pool-seq, I conducted whole genome sequencing on pools representing four different chronotypes of great reed warblers: early spring, late spring, early autumn, and late autumn. The early spring and late spring pools were compared to identify genetic differentiation between the two chronotypes. This differentiation was utilized to identify 94 candidate genes putatively influencing the migratory behavior of great reed warblers. Lastly, by comparing all four pools I determined that there is no difference in genetic control during the spring and autumn migration. My results provide insight into the genetic differentiation underlying migratory timing in great reed warblers and may potentially help them survive abnormal environmental conditions due to climate change.

Thesis Completion Year

2024

Thesis Completion Semester

Summer

Thesis Chair

Fitak, Robert

College

College of Sciences

Department

Department of Biology

Thesis Discipline

Biology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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Rights Statement

In Copyright