“Comparative Phylogeography”. Sounds like scientific gobbledy-goop. But basically, it’s a branch of biology that uses genetic information to look at the life histories of different animals. And Alabama is one of the richest places to do this kind of research, because there’s such great biodiversity. University of Alabama professor Leslie Rissler tells reporter Amy Mayer that when comparative phylogeographers examine animals, they’re searching for specific markers.
Leslie Rissler is an assistant professor of biology at the University of Alabama. She spoke with freelance reporter Amy Mayer.
~ Amy Mayer, March 16, 2009.