My research integrates behavioral, ecological, and genomic information in a comparative context to understand the evolutionary consequences of seasonal migration and dispersal. Dispersal and migration involve tradeoffs: staying vs leaving, traveling long vs short distances, exploring new areas vs staying with familiar ones. I am interested in how these tradeoffs influence the evolution of species' movement behaviors and biogeographic patterns, and how these evolutionary processes leave signatures in the genome. I recently defended my PhD the lab of Dr. Ben Winger at the University of Michigan and I am looking for postdoctoral positions for the 2024 academic year! |
Birds often make awe-inspiring journeys during dispersal and migration.
Equally intriguing are cases where birds that can fly far instead choose to stay in one place or to return repeatedly, as many migratory birds do. My research is motivated by curiosity about how movement strategies evolve in different species and how they influence other aspects of biology. |
All images © Teresa Pegan