You’re Invited to Marina Rodriguez’s PhD Exit Seminar

Join us for an engaging presentation by Marina Rodriguez, PhD candidate, as she presents her innovative research on integrating genomics and telomere dynamics to understand climate adaptation in the yellow warbler. In her seminar, Marina will explore how genomic approaches and telomere length, a biomarker of physiological stress, can be used to uncover mechanisms of local adaptation and assess the impacts of climate change on this migratory species.

Marina’s work explores the role of genomic offsets in predicting physiological stress, linking genetic, environmental, and phenotypic data to better understand species resilience. Her findings highlight the importance of conservation genomics in predicting and mitigating the effects of climate change on avian populations.

Why Attend?

• Gain a deeper understanding of how climate change impacts migratory birds.
• Learn about the role of genomics and telomere biology in conservation.
• Engage with cutting-edge research on local adaptation and climate resilience.

Can’t attend in-person? Join us on Zoom!

• Zoom link: col.st/zKRW0

Visit our website for more information on our seminars and follow us on social media for more announcements from Biology.

• Instagram: @csubio
• Twitter/X: @csubiology
• Facebook: Department of Biology at Colorado State University

We hope you can join us in supporting Marina and exploring this compelling field of research.

Abstract

Declines in avian species have become widespread due to numerous threats, including anthropogenic climate change. Migratory birds, which occupy multiple environments throughout their annual cycle, are particularly vulnerable. Understanding and predicting the response of migratory bird species to climate change is critical for targeted conservation efforts and the mitigation of further declines. A key factor in species resilience lies in their ability to genetically adapt to changing environments. Recent advances in conservation genomics have improved our ability to detect local adaptation and predict maladaptation to climate change in non-model species. In my dissertation, I integrate genomic approaches with measures of telomere length, a biomarker of physiological stress, to uncover the mechanisms of local adaptation and assess the impacts of climate change on the yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia). In my first chapter, I link genetic, phenotypic, and environmental data with telomere measurements to enhance our understanding of local adaptation and the effects of climate change in this species. In the second chapter, I combine models of genomic offsets with telomere data to validate the prediction that yellow warblers inhabiting regions with high genomic offset experience elevated physiological stress due to climate change. Finally, in my third chapter, I investigate local adaptation to the non-breeding grounds and test whether climate tracking reflects local adaptation across the annual cycle in this migratory species. Overall, my doctoral research highlights the importance of understanding local adaptation to inform population responses to the changing climate. Additionally, this work demonstrates how integrating methodologies from genomics and telomere biology can advance our knowledge of species’ responses to environmental change and enhance conservation efforts.