Research in my lab focuses on three major areas: molecular ecology and conservation, population genetics, and molecular evolution. My main research goal is to understand the effects of ecological, demographic and environmental processes on the genetic variability of natural populations. Specific research topics include the effects of fragmentation and small population size on the genetic diversity of wild species; the relationship between genetic variability and fitness and its potential effects on the probability of extinction of natural populations; and the identification of Evolutionary Significant Units for conservation and natural resource management. Research in molecular evolution is focused on the origin and evolution of genes and gene families. My research lines combine the use of molecular genetic techniques, field studies on natural populations, and analytical tools in population genetics and molecular phylogenetics. Graduate students in my lab can choose to do their research in any area of evolutionary ecology, ecological a nd conservation genetics, and/or molecular evolution.