Research projects

Genetics of adaptation on viviparous lizard

Viviparous lizard

Since the 90s, a viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) population is monitored yearly on the Mont-Lozère (France). A pedigree of the population is reconstructed using micro-satellites (e.g. to infer paternities). I am continuing this survey initiated by Jean Clobert, with a focus on the genetics of adaptation of the population.

My main questions are:

  • What are the selective factors impacting the population? Which traits are adaptive, i.e. subjected to those selective factors?
  • What are the genetic bases of these adaptive traits? This question can be answered without (heritability, genetic correlation between traits) or with genomics (genetic architecture of the traits).
  • What is the adaptive potential in the population? How is it expected to respond to selection on the long run?

Between-population quantitative genetics

I’m currently starting some projects to study better the behaviour of tools to perform between-population quantitative genetics, and see whether we can develop better tools.