Ecological genomics in Daphnia - travelling in space and time
Daphnia, as a keystone grazer species in freshwater habitats, has become an ideal model species not only for ecotoxicology and ecological studies, but also for studying the genomic basis of adaptation to a wide range of abiotic and biotic stressors. Clonal reproduction of Daphnia as well as its ability to produce resting stages through sexual reproduction both contribute to their value in evolutionary research. The resting stages especially allow a glimpse in the past which is not possible with many other organisms.
Here I present several studies aiming at quantifying intraspecific variation at the genetic and phenotypic level and investigating their correlation. We combined different approaches, comprising life history experiments, whole transcriptome analysis with high throughput sequencing, and comparative genomics. Further, technological advances now allow to sequence resting eggs, and zo analyze community shifts and hybridization dynamics in the Daphnia longispina species complex. The first high quality reference genome for this group is now available and makes a genome wide analysis of hybridization and introgression possible, opening exciting new areas of research in a group omnipresent in European freshwater water bodies.
Host: Michael Monaghan