Project Title:
Quantifying Relatedness of Green Sea Turtles in the Hawaiian Islands
Program Year:
2023
Major:
Biology
Supervisor:
Lisa Komoroske
During my time in the CAFE Summer Scholars program, I worked in Dr. Lisa Komoroske's Molecular Ecology lab. While there, I conducted DNA extractions on adult and hatchling green sea turtles from Hawaii and Brazil. Additionally, I used a fragment analyzer to prepare DNA and finalize RAD-seq (Restriction site-associated DNA sequencing) libraries. Our main goal was to determine the relatedness of adult turtles who utilized the same nesting beach during one season and validate parent-offspring assignments. By investigating relatedness among adult turtles nesting on the same beach, we aim to identify potential risks of inbreeding, which can negatively impact genetic diversity and the population's overall health.
