Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)
Tasmanian devils have been affected by a transmissible cancer, the devil facial tumor disease (DFTD), which has led to an overall decline of 80% of the species since it's emergence in 1996.
At the Hohenlohe lab, and in partnership with the Storfer lab, as well as multiple Australian colleagues, I have been involved in research evaluating changes in populations structure and environmental adaptation in response to DFTD. In this study we found that environmental associations were no longer significant after DFTD, potentially as the disease selective pressure was much stronger than previous environmental adaptation. We have also evaluated differences in historical and contemporary selection in adaptation to DFTD, to determine if transmissible cancers are a recurrent feature in devils. In this study we found a low overlap between historical and contemporary loci under selection, suggesting a novel, multi-locus evolutionary response of devils to DFTD. I am currently working on estimating genetic pedrigrees from RADseq and Rapture data for populations of devils across Tasmania, in order to evaluate heritability of particular fitness traits that can confer resistance to DFTD. |