I will study recombination rate variation and its evolutionary drivers in wild bird populations. The research will be conducted in the Ecology and Genetics Research Unit at the University of Oulu. Recombination rate varies broadly across species, populations, and individuals, but little is known to what extent this variation is driven by selection. I will use two study systems to answer my questions. The first one is population data from a great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), which I will use to assess heritability, genetic basis, and fitness of recombination. This will be one of the first studies evaluating the fitness of recombination rate in wild populations. The second data includes whole genome data from 11 bird species, and I will use it to assess the evolutionary drivers of recombination rate for the first time among birds. My results will bring a better understanding of the patterns of genetic variation in birds and how vertebrate genomes can adapt and evolve.

2023

2027