A 2,000 Km Genetic Wake Yields Evidence For Northern Glacial Refugia And Hybrid Zone Movement In A Pair Of Songbirds

Main Category: Genetics
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry;  Veterinary
Article Date: 05 Nov 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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Hermit and Townsend's warblers are small songbirds that interbreed where their ranges overlap in Washington and Oregon.

But researchers at the University of Washington recently uncovered evidence that over time the more aggressive Townsend's has driven this hybrid zone far to the south, replacing the hermit across over a thousand kilometers of its former range.

The evidence comes from an unusual source: an unmistakable trail of hermit mitochondria left behind in northern Townsend's populations to mark the historical hermit range.

This suggests that Townsend's warbler may eventually replace the hermit warbler entirely, leaving only its genetic footprint behind.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences