Genomics and ornithology

Genomics is revolutionizing ornithology in the same ways it is reinvigorating other biological disciplines. In this review, I will highlight applications of genomics and genomics technologies to the study of the ecology and evolution of birds, focusing specifically on genome evolution, multilocus phylogeography, and gene expression in host-parasite interactions. Genomics is providing unprecedented insight into the processes of genetic change and adaptation in ways we could scarcely envision a few years ago. Genomics will help integrate genome evolution with a variety of fields, including phylogenetics, speciation, and adaptation, and place them on a common scale of gene interactions and genomic contingency.