Passerculus sandwichensis (Savannah Sparrow)
Credit: Rauri Bowie
about the species
The Savannah Sparrow breeds across a diversity of habitats from Alaskan tundra to the Guatemalan highlands. This ecological diversity is on full display in California where four different subspecies breed, including migrant and resident populations. Two subspecies occupy tidal marshes along the California coast. Tidal marshes are challenging environments characterized by high salinity and daily flooding. Tidal marsh Savannah Sparrows are highly specialized to these environments and can even drink seawater.
why species was selected
In California, Savannah Sparrows include both common and widespread subspecies and threatened populations. This provides a unique opportunity to compare the impacts of urbanization, climate change, and other human activities on the genomic diversity of more or less vulnerable populations. This species is also an ideal candidate to understand the genomics of local adaptation to different environmental extremes, such as salt tolerance in coastal marshes.
