bat facePatterns of Gene Flow in the Bahamas

We have a currently funded project that is just getting off the ground to look at patterns of gene flow in the 6 species of bats that occur in the Bahamas. This project seeks to explore the extent to which narrow oceanic straits present barriers to gene flow. We are using a multi-locus data set to estimate changes in effective population size over time and patterns of gene flow. Coupled with the niche modeling data shown below, we can generate testable models of bat evolutionary history in the Bahamas using coalescent simulations. These simulations will allow us to determine which evolutionary models are most likely to produce the kinds of molecular data we observe in modern bats. This also allows us to predict how future climate change might affect Bahamian bat populations.