Andrew is a PhD student at the University of Mississippi where his research focuses on the evolution, phylogeography, and population genetics of reptiles and amphibians throughout the Guiana Shield. He is examining patterns of evolution at various scales, from population-level genetics within Operation Wallacea’s site in Guyana to much broader comparative phylogeography of multiple reptiles and amphibians with overlapping ranges. In doing so, he is evaluating the geographic distribution of genealogical lineages of a variety of species to examine how historical processes such as changing geological conditions or climate has influenced the present day distribution of species. This research is valuable for uncovering cryptic species groups, recognizing areas that are genetic “hotspots”, and for understanding which factors have been responsible for generating the remarkable species diversity found in the Neotropics.
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