Molecular ecology
hideMolecular ecology is a field of evolutionary biology that is concerned with applying molecular population genetics, molecular phylogenetics, and more recently genomics to traditional ecological questions (e.g., species diagnosis, conservation and assessment of biodiversity, species-area relationships, and many questions in behavioral ecology). It is virtually synonymous with the field of "Ecological Genetics" as pioneered by Theodosius Dobzhansky, E. B. Ford, and others. These fields are united in their attempt to study genetic-based questions "out in the field" as opposed to the laboratory. Molecular ecology is related to the field of Conservation genetics.
Methods frequently include using microsatellites to determine gene flow and hybridization between populations. The development of molecular ecology is also closely related to the use of DNA microarrays, which allows for the simultaneously analysis of the expression of thousands of different genes. real-time polymerase chain reaction may also be used to analyze gene expression as a result of changes in environmental conditions or different response by differently adapted individuals.
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News tagged with molecular ecology
New research discovers worker bees in 'reproductive class war' with queen
Sep 09, 2009 |
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Bee colonies are well known for high levels of cooperation, but new research published in Molecular Ecology demonstrates a conflict for reproduction between worker bees and their Queens, leading some workers to selfishly exploi ...
Scientists shed new light on behavior of shark 'tweens' and 'teenagers'
Aug 24, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A long-term field and DNA study by the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, University of Miami, Field Museum of Chicago and others has shown that young lemon ...
Disease threat may change how frogs mate
Jul 27, 2009 |
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Dr Amber Teacher, studying a post-doctorate at Royal Holloway, University of London, has discovered evidence that a disease may be causing a behavioural change in frogs. The research, published in the August edition of Molecular Ec ...
Scientists find city rats are loyal to their 'hoods'
May 26, 2009 |
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In the rat race of life, one thing is certain: there's no place like home. Now, a study just released in Molecular Ecology finds the same is true for rats. Although inner city rodents appear to roam freely ...
Poison: It's what's for dinner
Apr 06, 2009 |
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As the U.S. Southwest grew warmer from 18,700 to 10,000 years ago, juniper trees vanished from what is now the Mojave Desert, robbing packrats of their favorite food. Now, University of Utah biologists have ...
Mama whales teach babies where to eat
Biology /
Feb 09, 2009 |
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University of Utah biologists discovered that young "right whales" learn from their mothers where to eat, raising concern about their ability to find new places to feed if Earth's changing climate disrupts ...
Orphaned elephants forced to forge new bonds decades after ivory ban
Biology /
Jan 20, 2009 |
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An African elephant never forgets - especially when it comes to the loss of its kin, according to researchers at the University of Washington. Their findings, published online in the journal, Molecular Ecology, reveal that ...
