Zoologisches Institut und Museum
Vogelwarte

Soldmannstr. 23
17489 Greifswald

Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420 4349

eva.stoebbe(at)uni-greifswald(dot)de

The migratory phenotype in birds requires specific adaptations have been shown to posess a heritable component. However, the underlying genes and gene regulation are largely unknown. Additionally, in long-lived birds, parental effects and experience may modify or supplement the genetic programme.

As a PhD student, my project is aiming to study the genomic basis of the migratory phenotype in a long-lived bird, the European Common Tern (Sterna hirundo). Common terns winter along large parts of the African coast and a population breeding on the Baltic coast of north-eastern Germany has recently been found to use two different migration routes to their wintering areas¹. I will investigate the genomic basis of this apparent migratory divide within a breeding colony by comparing genes/genomic regions that differ between the individuals with different migratory phenotype.

For the project, a collaboration with the Institute of Avian Research in Wilhelmshaven has been initiated to combine the foci of both institutes in order to link phenotype and genotype in common terns.

In addition, sequencing data from individuals with a known migratory phenotype from the Institute of Avian Research in Wilhelmshaven and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb will be included.

¹Piro, S. & Schmitz Ornés, A. 2022. Journal of Ornithology.

IfV Vogelwarte

Kroatische Akademie der Wissenschaften und Künste, Zagreb