Genomics of adaptation to environmental change in British Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera are sensitive to changes in their environment, be it habitat loss, climate change or pesticides, resulting in major changes to their abundances and distributions over the past 60-years. However, these responses are idiosyncratic; for example, some species have expanded their range while others contracted in response to climate change. Moreover, ecology alone does not fully explain these patterns; the capacity to adapt is also likely to be an important factor.

Selection pressures arising from environmental changes leave distinct signatures in genomes. Consequently, genome-wide analysis of allele frequency changes can provide novel insight into adaptation, its genetic architecture, and how it interacts with contrasting demographic responses among species.

Uniquely, we have collected population-level whole genome resequencing data for 20 species of British butterflies and moths before and after agricultural intensification and climate change: pre-1930s (Natural History Museum) and 2016/17. When coupled with chromosome-level reference genomes produced by the Darwin Tree of Life project (https://www.darwintreeoflife.org/), these data provide an excellent platform to comparatively explore genetic changes associated with 20th century environmental change.

We are largely ignorant about the genetic architecture of multi-dimensional adaptation to Anthropocene environments. This project will answer fundamental questions about the number of loci involved, the strength of selection, and the extent of gene reuse among species.

In this project, you will combine bioinformatic tools with population genetics principles to uncover and analyse genetic changes that have occurred over 80-100-years (generations). You will: 1. Identify loci under selection between pre-1930s and early 21st century population samples 2. Compare selected loci among species, including candidate functions

3. Test hypotheses about genotype-phenotype associations in one focal species

You will receive all of the relevant training but you must have an interest in evolutionary genetics/ecology. Previous experience with bioinformatics/genomics, phylogenetic analysis, statistics with R, and fieldwork are an advantage.