Toby Galligan

Postgraduate Student

Contact Details

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science (Honours)

Research

SGF female: on Santa Cruz Island, highland birds have longer bills and longer claws than their lowland conspecifics	YRT nest: lower domed "true nest" hidden below an upper cupped-shaped "false nest"

PhD Research: Population Genetics in Darwin’s Finches
I am examining gene flow and genetic divergence in contiguous populations of Darwin’s finches in the Galapagos Archipelago. Recent work from our laboratory has shown adaptive divergence and trait utility along a clinal gradient in Darwin’s Small Ground Finch Geospiza fuliginosa (Kleindorfer et al. 2006; Kleindorfer et al. in review; see Sonia’s webpage for full reference). I will be using molecular techniques (ie, microsatellites) to expand on these findings. This is exciting stuff because adaptive divergence is the first stage of speciation, and presently there is little evidence for speciation originating in contiguous populations!

Honours Research: Reproductive ecology in the Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa (YRT)
I examined the functional significance of the false nest in the YRT. My thesis is the first empirical evidence for the use of false nest decoys as a strategy of nest defence in birds. Deceptive nest forms are so distinct from “typical” nest defence (i.e., concealment) that associated reproductive characteristics and behaviour are too. I have many more questions for the YRT!

Supervisors

Prof Steve Donnellan  - SA Museum EBU

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