The complex island archipelagoes of Wallacea and Melanesia have provided empirical data for integral theories in evolutionary biology. My research focuses on the generation of avian biodiversity across these island systems.

In this talk I will specifically focus on the evolutionary dynamics of two groups that span the Indo-pacific:

1. the infraorder Corvides (Crows and Jays, Birds-of-Paradise, whistlers, Vangas, and allies); and
2. a diverse genus of kingfishers, Todiramphus. 

About Jenna

I am a evolutionary ornithologist and PhD student in the Andersen lab at the University of New Mexico. I am broadly interested in avian evolution, particularly in drivers of diversification and the radiation of clades that have produced modern diversity patterns. I approach this by incorporating specimen-based fieldwork, natural history, and next-generation genomic tools to generate phylogenetic trees for comparative analyses.

Jenna is currently visiting Leo Joseph at CSIRO's Australian National Wildlife Collection.

For a recording of Jenna's talk, click here (password: KC#tSH+s0is1).