We study structural and compositional genome variation in the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, a model organism for understanding rapid evolutionary change and genomic innovation. Structural variants (SVs)—including deletions, insertions, inversions, and translocations—are the largest source of genetic variation between individuals and a primary driver of adaptation in novel environments.
Our research focuses on how populations with small effective sizes and high inbreeding, when exposed to new habitats, can rapidly adapt through structural genomic changes. We combine comparative genomics, population genomics, and experimental evolution to uncover the mechanisms underlying adaptive evolution at the genomic level.