On the Origin of Species on Islands: Behavioral & Genomic Studies of Diversification in Solomon Island Flycatchers

Speciation, the evolutionary process by which new species originate, is responsible for the amazing diversity we see in nature. Despite decades of active research many fundamental questions remain unresolved, partly due to the challenges in understanding a process that can take tens of thousands of years to complete. Therefore, one of the most direct ways to gain insights into speciation is to study populations that are in the act of becoming new species. Using this approach, I will present results from our long-term study of the chestnut-bellied flycatcher Monarcha castaneiventris, a single species complex with populations that distinctly vary in plumage color and song throughout the Solomon Islands. My work explores the role of divergent plumage and song in the evolution of reproductive barriers, the hallmark of biological species, and the underlying genetic and ecological causes of signal divergence. I will conclude with a brief summary of our conservation efforts to preserve imperiled island ecosystems.