6th Annual Symposium
November 14 - 16, 2008
in Kansas City
Click here for details!

Development of microsatellite markers for a migratory shorebird

Brett Sandercock, Samantha Wisely, Ashley Casey (Master's student).

New molecular methods have facilitated interdisciplinary research between evolutionary ecology and molecular biology. Microsatellites are one of the most useful molecular markers for studies of population genetics, but can be difficult to isolate from avian genomes. In this study, we are developing and screening microsatellites for the Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda). The behavioral ecology of this migratory shorebird is poorly known, and our ongoing project is the first comprehensive population study of this species.

The objectives of this project are:
     i) to determine the mating system of Upland Sandpipers, and
    ii) to assess rates of extra-pair paternity (EPP).
Five hypotheses make predictions for expected rates of EPP in Upland Sandpipers. The breeding density hypothesis predicts high rates of EPP in habitats where sandpipers are breeding as semi-colonial nesters.  The breeding synchrony hypothesis predicts higher rates of EPP at the seasonal peak of clutch initiation. The adult mortality and parental care hypotheses predict low EPP because sandpipers are long-lived and males provide sole parental care after hatching. The genetic compatibility hypothesis predicts higher EPP among pairs where social partners are genetically related. 

In the past 5 years, blood samples were obtained for 33 families, and DNA has been successfully extracted from all samples. In August 2005, we developed genomic DNA libraries enriched for microsatellites.  Funding from the Seed Grant Program of the Ecological Genomics Program will be used to sequence plasmids from positive clones, design new primers, screen the primers for visualization, and genotype a subset of individuals for baseline estimates of EPP.

The intellectual merit of this proposal includes development of new molecular markers, and it is one of the first molecular studies of a socially monogamous shorebird. The broader impacts include development of interdisciplinary collaborations between Sandercock and Wisely, estimation of genetic diversity for a species of conservation concern, and research opportunities for undergraduates.