Noah Barkoff

Biography

My research explores the genetic and physiological basis of desiccation tolerance, an adaptive trait critical for insect survival, and its potential role in speciation and ecological divergence. I work with fruit flies in the Rhagoletis species complex, a group known for host-specific adaptation that drives speciation. By examining survival in dry conditions across life stages, including hybrid flies, I aim to identify the genetic and ecological factors shaping desiccation resistance. This work sheds light on how environmental pressures interact with genetics to drive evolutionary divergence.