The Unique Evolutionary History of Salt Marsh Sparrows in the SF Bay Area - Livestream

Salt marshes lay at the edge of the land and sea with animals in these habitats exposed to the pressures of both realms. This is especially true for sparrows breeding in California's coastal marshes where they must cope with high salinity and daily tidal flooding. Adaptations to these challenges drive divergence from freshwater-adapted relatives and the evolution of highly unique populations. However, these specializations also leave these species uniquely vulnerable to the ever increasing human pressures on coastal habitats. Come learn how genomics and natural history collections are being integrated to study life on the edge in these salt marsh birds and document population responses to human development of the California coastline.

Speaker: Phred Benham, UC Berkeley

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