Dispersal, differentiation and speciation across barriers and along elevational gradients in island bird communities

The bewildering diversity and distribution of life around us have puzzled scientists for centuries. This project will determine how populations of birds disperse, differentiate, speciate and adapt to form the communities we observe on Earth. Understanding the processes driving biodiversity is of crucial importance for assessing the effects of global change on the diversity of life on Earth. The grant will fund two PhD students, fieldwork, DNA sequencing and satellite transmitters.