Habitat fragmentation is a key driver of reduced genetic connectivity and loss of genetic variation among populations, elevating the risk of inbreeding depression and reduced adaptive potential. The black-throated finch ( Poephila cincta ) is an endemic Australian finch with two recognised subspecies, a northern ( P. c. atropygialis ) and southern form ( P. c. cincta ) separated by a biogeographic barrier in northern Australia...

Despite the marine environment being typified by a lack of obvious barriers to dispersal, levels of genetic divergence can arise in marine organisms from historical changes in habitat availability, current oceanographic regimes and anthropogenic factors. Here we describe the genetic structure of the Gray Parrotfish, Sparisoma axillare , and identify environmental variables associated with patterns of genetic divergence through...

The level of habitat availability influences genetic divergence among populations and the genetic diversity within populations. In the marine environment, near-shore species are among the most sensitive to habitat changes. Knowledge of how historical environmental change affected habitat availability and genetic variation can be applied to the development of proactive management strategies of exploited species. Here, we modele...

Local adaptation can occur at small spatial scales relative to the dispersal capacity of species. Alpine ecosystems have sharp environmental clines that offer an opportunity to investigate the effects of fine‐scale shifts in species’ niche breadth on adaptive genetic processes. Here we examine two grasshopper species endemic to the Australian Alps ( Kosciuscola spp.) that differ in elevational niche breadth: one broader, K. us...

Widespread species that exhibit both high gene flow and the capacity to occupy heterogeneous environments make excellent models for examining local selection processes along environmental gradients. Here we evaluate the influence of temperature and landscape variables on genetic connectivity and signatures of local adaptation in Phaulacridium vittatum , a widespread agricultural pest grasshopper, endemic to Australia. With sam...

Detecting genetic variants under selection using F ST outlier analysis (OA) and environmental association analyses (EAAs) are popular approaches that provide insight into the genetic basis of local adaptation. Despite the frequent use of OA and EAA approaches and their increasing attractiveness for detecting signatures of selection, their application to field‐based empirical data have not been synthesized. Here, we review 66 e...