Yoel E. Stuart, Ph.D.
Loyola University Chicago
Yoel E. Stuart, Ph.D.
Yoel is an evolutionary ecologist that studies the speed and repeatability of evolutionary change. He was trained at the University of California Davis, Harvard University, and the University of Texas at Austin. His research investigates interactions between native and invasive species of lizards in Florida; the extent to which lake and stream adaptation by Vancouver Island stickleback fish is predictable; whether nuclear radiation impacted populations of small freshwater crustaceans in Utah; and the timing and manner of change during 20,000 years of evolution in a fossilized stickleback population. At Loyola University Chicago, he teaches Ecology, Evolution, and a course-based undergraduate research laboratory in evolutionary biology.
Project Summary
Building a Mitochondrial Genome Database of Illinois Fish to Enhance eDNA Surveys to Improve Conservation Outcomes
Conservationists need to know what species are where and when, but such data are hard to get, especially for rare, endangered, or invasive species. A solution may be environmental DNA (eDNA). Organisms release DNA via shed skin, hair, scales, and feces. We can collect and sequence this eDNA to match it against reference sequences, like fingerprint matching. Because eDNA helps us detect species without having to catch them, it is potentially a powerful conservation tool. To realize this potential, we need complete reference databases, which are lacking. This project will build an eDNA reference database for all Illinois fishes, facilitating rapid, accurate surveys. We will use this database to survey fish diversity in Illinois’s Fox River.
Related News About Yoel
