An Introduction To Ecological Genomics

The authors also provide a comparative survey of the properties of genomes (genome size, gene families, synteny, and polymorphism) for prokaryotes as well as the main eukaryotic models.

Researchers in the field of ecological genomics aim to determine how a genome or a population of genomes interacts with its environment across ecological and evolutionary timescales. Ecological genomics is trans-disciplinary by nature. Ecologists have turned to genomics to be able to elucidate the mechanistic bases of the biodiversity their research tries to understand. Genomicists have turned to ecology in order to better explain the functional cellular and molecular variation they observed in their model organisms. We provide an advanced-level book that covers this recent research and proposes future development for this field. A synthesis of the field of ecological genomics emerges from this volume. Ecological Genomics covers a wide array of organisms (microbes, plants and animals) in order to be able to identify central concepts that motivate and derive from recent investigations in different branches of the tree of life. Ecological Genomics covers 3 fields of research that have most benefited from the recent technological and conceptual developments in the field of ecological genomics: the study of life-history evolution and its impact of genome architectures; the study of the genomic bases of phenotypic plasticity and the study of the genomic bases of adaptation and speciation.

How do we know whether a particular species is monogamous or promiscuous? How can we monitor the illegal trafficking of wildlife? How can we differentiate between the many similar species making up a microbial community? An Introduction to Molecular Ecology introduces the latest molecular concepts and techniques, demonstrating how genetic markers and molecular tools can be used to answer such ecological questions. Such questions, whose answers were previously out of our reach, can now be probed, thereby revolutionizing our understanding of ecological systems and phenomena. Blending conceptual detail with the most instructive examples, An Introduction to Molecular Ecology is an ideal resource for those new to the subject needing to develop a strong working understanding of the field. The book captures the broad scope of the subject, exploring the use of molecular tools in the context of topics including behavioral genetics, phylogeography, microbial ecology, and conservation. Features - Demonstrates the power of molecular ecology as a research tool in a style ideally suited for an undergraduate audience - Uses practical examples to demonstrate the latest methods and concepts rather than relying exclusively on theoretical models - Blends factual content with tools for active learning

Here is a manual for an environmental scientist who wishes to embrace genomics to answer environmental questions. The volume covers: gene expression profiling, whole genome and chromosome mutation detection, and methods to assay genome diversity and polymorphisms within a particular environment. This book provides a systematic framework for determining environmental impact and ensuring human health and the sustainability of natural populations.

This book covers basic concepts in population and quantitative genetics, including measuring selection on phenotypic traits. The emphasis is on material applicable to field studies of evolution focusing on ecologically important traits. Topics addressed are critical for training students in ecology, evolution, conservation biology, agriculture, forestry, and wildlife management. Many texts in this field are too complex and mathematical to allow the average beginning student to readily grasp the key concepts. A Primer of Ecological Genetics, in contrast, employs mathematics and statistics-fully explained, but at a less advanced level-as tools to improve understanding of biological principles. The main goal is to enable students to understand the concepts well enough that they can gain entry into the primary literature. Integration of the different chapters of the book shows students how diverse concepts relate to each other.

Birds catch the public imagination like no other group of animals; in addition, birders are perhaps the largest non-professional naturalist community. Genomics and associated bioinformatics have revolutionised daily life in just a few decades. At the same time, this development has facilitated the application of genomics technology to ecological and evolutionary studies, including biodiversity and conservation at all levels. This book reveals how the exciting toolbox of genomics offers new opportunities in all areas of avian biology. It presents contributions from prominent experts at the intersection of avian biology and genomics, and offers an ideal introduction to the world of genomics for students, biologists and bird enthusiasts alike. The book begins with a historical perspective on how genomic technology was adopted by bird ecology and evolution research groups. This led, as the book explains, to a revised understanding of avian evolution, with exciting consequences for biodiversity research as a whole. Lastly, these impacts are illustrated using seminal examples and the latest discoveries from avian biology laboratories around the world.

Ecology is a vast subject with solid genetic, mathematical, and statistical underpinnings. The field is (nature with many standard protocols for both experimental and theoretical studies. With the advent of genome era (since 2000's), even this evergreen field felt a way to enhance its reach by studying individual and population genomes (metagenomics). Many books have been written on the concepts and methodologies of ecological studies. We do not want to add redundancy to the already existing lot of standard textbooks. We will be specifically focusing on populations genetics and genomics in this book. We will adopt a computational approach. In contrast to the age of information, we are in the age of data. Increasing amounts of data are being generated each year, in various disciplines and walks of life, and the need to analyze and create value from this asset is more important than ever. Institutions, individuals, and industries that know what to do with their data and how to do it well, will have a competitive advantage over others that don't tread the same path. Due to this, there will be an increasing demand for people who possess both the analytical and technical abilities to extract valuable insights from data and create valuable and pragmatic solutions that put these insights to practical use. This book provides multiple opportunities to learn how to create value/insights from genomics and other ecological data through a variety of individual projects. The goal of this book is to introduce you to the ecological genomics as a discipline, emphasizing on computational aspects of the population studies. It also attempts to show you how it applies to a variety of different topics. This will make you comfortable enough to apply it in future to projects of your own. Along the way, you'll learn different analytical and programming techniques, and the fact that you are working through an actual project while learning will help cement these concepts and facilitate your understanding of them. I have found this example-based approach to be more fruitful, when compared to a highly technical and theoretical description of topics. I hope that the readers would easily sync with this approach. We have profusely used the freely available open-source packages in Rand Python. The datasets which come preinstalled with these packages, serve as a good starting point in cementing the basic concepts. Each chapter stands on its own, with step-by-step instructions that include code snippets, and with a focus on practical application of computational tools in genomics. Focus is on practical, understanding the concepts ant its application in existing programming environments. We start with a minimal introduction to the subject and quickly shift to programming lessons. We introduce BioPython in second chapter, Several worked examples are given. The third chapter deals with the usage of additional data processing skills specifically applicable to ecological models and examples. In Chapter 4, we introduce the basics of genetics and take the reader to the implementation of next generation sequencing (NGS) concepts in R. The next chapter introduces the basics of NGS data interpretation and the computational ways of addressing it. Chapter 6 introduces the core concepts of population genetics, from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. We introduce the reader to many computational tools and packages as we go on explaining many concepts. In Chapter 7, we introduce population genomics, which borrows the concepts from the previous chapter and presents more advanced analyzes. The final chapter introduces population stratification and the way in which can be addressed using computational tools. We have extensively employed R in this book. Although, Python too has the same set of parallel modules available under different package implementations, we have chosen R for its nice integration with different statistical techniques and corresponding packages. It is my view that a computational take at this important subject is very much needed to get a good grasp of the important concepts. I wish the reader all the very best. Book jacket.

DNA is the essence of life and the original ‘big data’. New technologies are allowing scientists to access and make sense of this information like never before, and they are using it to solve the world’s greatest environmental challenges. Applied Environmental Genomics synthesises the latest and most exciting uses of genomic technologies for environmental science and management. With an emphasis on diversity of applications and real-world demonstrations, leading researchers have contributed detailed chapters on innovative approaches to obtaining critical management-relevant information about the natural world. These chapters are complemented by perspective sections written by environmental managers who describe their experiences using genomics to support evidence-based decisions. Ideal for students, researchers and professionals working in natural resource management and policy, Applied Environmental Genomics is a comprehensive introduction to a fast-moving field that is transforming the practice of environmental management, with profound relevance to industry, government and the public.