Member Profile
Melanie Culver
Trainee publishes and leads students
One of our outstanding trainees this year is Robert Fitak from the Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program. Robert is a third year student working under the guidance of Dr. Melanie Culver, and he has... More »
About Me
I have studied molecular genetic variation, population structure, and natural history of pumas range-wide in North and South America. I have also involved in paternity, kinship, forensics, and viral genetic studies on pumas. Following my puma work I became involved with molecular genetic studies of other wildlife species. My current research focus includes three areas of conservation genetics: molecular taxonomy to resolve taxonomic units for species with conservation concerns; gene flow and connectivity for populations, including several trans-boundary species along the Arizona/Mexico border with specific relevance to the border wall construction; and conservation genomics, including applications of genomics to population questions and climate change adaptability in the southwest. I try to keep my research relevant to management related questions that arise in the state of Arizona, and elsewhere, for a wide variety of wildlife. My current research includes at least 30 species of the Sonoran Desert or Arizona and Mexico (aquatic, terrestrial, and avian) as well as caracals in Namibia.
