Olsson Lab

Research Focus

Conservation Genetics

Molecular markers are extremely useful to evaluate the current diversity of a population along with detecting past events that may have affected the population(s) (e.g. population bottlenecks, levels of geneflow, degree of isolation). Much of the work that we do has implications for conservation of wild populations. In particular, the sand lizard population that we study in Sweden is at the far northern edge of its range. It is a small population, relatively isolated, and has high levels of inbreeding. This makes for an ideal study on the fitness consequences of inbreeding depression.

 

Peron's Tree Frogs. Photo by Ken Griffiths

 

Studies with conservation implications for amphibian populations are especially important right now as amphibians are declining worldwide. We have two studies currently underway to investigate the effects of isolation and inbreeding/depression on frogs (the Moor frog in Sweden, and the Peron's tree frog in Australia).