This Americas Program dissertation research will support Ms. Jeanne M. Robertson under the supervision of Dr. Kelly R. Zamudio of Cornell University and under the sponsorship of Dr. Federico Bolanos Vives, of the University of Costa Rica, San Jose. Ms. Robertson aims to investigate the patterns and underlying processes shaping the geographic distribution of diversity. She will be examining patterns of genetic, phenotypic, and behavioral diversity in two Neotropical frogs in Costa Rica and Panama.
The goal of this research is to understand the determinants of variation in two common, lowland frogs, Agalychnis callidryas and Hyla ebraccata, that vary significantly in their degree of regional differentiation. This research combines population genetics, analyses of frog vocalization, and color and pattern polymorphism to investigate the relative roles of vicariance, gene flow, and sexual selection in structuring populations regionally and locally. Ms. Robertson will investigate visual signals used in mate choice to determine the role of sexual selection in maintaining diversity. A significant strength of this study lies in its comparative nature and geographical coverage, which will provide insight into reproductive isolation, directional migration patterns, and historical biogeography of the region. A broader impact of the research is that the ongoing collaboration with Costa Rican herpetologists will form a strong foundation for continued and long-term research in the region.
