Genetic diversity is critical to a species’ survival and the ability to adapt to their changing environment. Species with high genetic diversity are able to adapt to their environment which will allow their species to live while species with low genetic diversity are more likely to go extinct. Conservation geneticists can use genetic diversity for various species in a habitat to determine the overall health. With this information, conservation geneticists can prevent extinction and improve population viability. Ants (Formicidae) are tiny, invertebrate omnivores found all around the globe and are considered to be good indicators of ecosystem health. Our main goals are to characterize the population genetic structure and to investigate the effect of urbanization on genetic diversity in southern Utah. Samples were collected throughout Cedar City (Canyon Park, the Lake on the Hills, Main Street Park, and along Main Street), the SUU Mountain Center and Three Peaks Recreation Area. DNA will be extracted using Qiagen’s DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit and amplified at 10 microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity will be compared between urban (Cedar City locations), rural (SUU Mountain Center), and mixed use (Three Peaks Recreation Area) lands to see if urbanization negatively affects ant biodiversity, potentially decreasing ecosystem health.
