Genomics of population outbreaks in an emerging model system – neutral and adaptive evolution in the spruce bark beetle.

The main aim of this grant proposal is to test how extreme fluctuations in population size of outbreaking species affect the dynamics of neutral and adaptive genetic variation. Data generated by the project is being used in several ongoing projects:
1. Genetic structure and genome-wide variation in the spruce bark beetle. Our analysis of high-coverage data from 250 individuals from 18 populations across the species range led to the discovery of one of the most complex polymorphic inversion landscapes described to date. The main goal of this project is to describe this complex genomic architecture and identify the evolutionary forces that shape it.
2. Inference of demographic history in inversion-rich genomes. In this project, we use whole-genome datasets and advanced inference methods to reconstruct the demographic history of the spruce bark beetle and assess the influence of the complex polymorphic inversion landscape on demographic inference.
3. Selection inference in inversion-rich genomes. In this project, we search for selection signatures within the spruce bark beetle genome, taking into account its complex inversion landscape. We are trying to answer the question: how does inversion polymorphism affect selection inference and how can we deal with it?  
4. Nematodes associated with the spruce bark beetle. We are using high-throughput sequencing data to reveal the hidden diversity of spruce bark beetle-associated nematodes.
5. Linkage map reconstruction, recombination rate and mutation rate estimation.  We use pedigree data to estimate crucial population genetic parameters - recombination and mutation rate.
6. MORE to come :)

PSP Project No: K/PBD/000299                                        

PI: Dr hab. Krystyna Nadachowska-Brzyska

Project duration: 31.10.2019 - 30.10.2025

Funder: National Science Centre in Poland (NCN)