Islands represent excellent systems in which to examine evolutionary processes. Species that colonize islands, for example, often experience novel selection pressures that can combine with founder events to promote rapid and extensive genetic differentiation. Phylogeography provides an intellectual framework to examine processes underlying population-level differentiation and speciation by incorporating an understanding of geology and history into analyses of phylogenetic inference. As a result of recent innovations in genomics, scientists can now test phylogenetic and phylogeographic hypotheses with unprecedented amounts of genetic data. I propose to use recently developed genomics tools to examine the phylogeography of Carpenter ants (genus: Camponotus) from the California Channel Islands and adjacent mainland. This study will provide novel insights into insect dispersal, gene flow, and speciation, and will represent the first phylogeographic analysis of ants from this region. I will conduct mainland sampling of Camponotus populations across the mainland range of C. hyatti, C. semitestaceus, and C. clarithorax. I will collect workers from 15 distinct locales spaced as evenly as possible throughout the range of each species, with special attention to type locales (TL). Fortunately, type locales for the three focal Camponotus taxa are at mainland sites near NRS reserves. In spring of 2018, I will visit Stunt Ranch Reserve (near TL for C. clarithorax), Sagehen Creek Reserve (near TL for C. semitestaceus), and James San Jacinto Reserve (near TL for C. hyatti). I will also sample Camponotus from Sedgwick Reserve given its relevant proximity to the Channel Islands. At each site, I will sample ~5 workers from 3 colonies of each species present at the reserve (<45 workers total). To collect Camponotus, I will use standardized sampling techniques: vegetation beating and visual surveys. We will take care to minimize impacts to nest sites and surrounding habitat.

Approved