Charadrius nivosus (Snowy Plover)
Credit: Melani McKim-King
about the species
The Snowy Plover occurs along the west coast of North America from Washington to Baja, and in the Gulf of Mexico (subspecies nivosus); along the Pacific coast of South America (subspecies occidentalis); and in the Caribbean (lineage tenuirostris). Snowy Plovers breed both along sparsely vegetated beaches and interior salt lakes, such as Mono Lake in eastern California. These nesting habitats leave them exposed to human recreation and predators. As a consequence, the west coast populations of Snowy Plover are federally listed as endangered and the California population is of special concern.
why species was selected
The Snowy Plover is a species of significant conservation concern in California. Previous work found low genetic diversity and little genetic structure among populations. The lack of population structure may reflect the unusual breeding patterns of female birds, which disperse widely among breeding localities. Analyses of genomic diversity among Snowy Plover populations are critically needed to better understand patterns of connectivity and divergence across disjunct western populations of this species.
