Matthew G DeSaix, Eric C Anderson, Christen M Bossu, Christine E Rayne, Teia M Schweizer, Nicholas J Bayly, Darshan S Narang, Julie C Hagelin, H Lisle Gibbs, James F Saracco, Thomas W Sherry, Michael S Webster, Thomas B Smith, Peter P Marra, Kristen C Ruegg
Understanding the geographic linkages among populations across the annual cycle is an essential component for understanding the ecology and evolution of migratory species and for facilitating their effective conservation. While genetic markers have been widely applied to describe migratory connections, the rapid development of new sequencing methods, such as low-coverage whole genome sequencing (lcWGS), provides new opportunities for improved estimates of migratory connectivity. Here, we use lcWGS to identify fine-scale population structure in a widespread songbird, the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), and accurately assign individuals to genetically distinct breeding populations...
September 14, 2023: Molecular Ecology