Elize Ng

PhD Candidate

I am broadly interested in evolutionary and population genomics, with a specific interest in understanding the evolution of the genome and to elucidate the processes through which contemporary populations have come to be.

My previous work at the National University of Singapore focused on population and conservation genomics. Genomic methods were used to understand the population genomic structure of threatened songbird species popular in the caged-bird trade and to make conservation recommendations to retain genomically unique lineages (e.g. subspecies or unique morphs/traits) while maintaining sufficient genetic diversity.

I was also involved in untangling the taxonomy of a few cryptic species complexes (Brown Cuckoo Dove Macropygia phasianella, White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucura, Rote Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus rotiensis) through integrative taxonomy methods involving the use of morphology, bioacoustics, and genetics.

For my PhD, I will investigate the paleohistorical climate influences on Antarctic seabirds using whole genomes to reconstruct the demographic histories of each species. I will also be exploring the genomic effect of hybridisation and species limits in two sister seabird species.

Selected Publications

Full publication list available on Google Scholar and ResearchGate

Ng EYX, Li S, Zhang D, Garg KM, Song G, Martinez J, Hung LM, Tu VT, Fuchs J, Dong L, Olsson U, Huang Y, Alström P, Rheindt FE, Lei F. 2022. Genome-wide SNPs confirm plumage polymorphism and hybridisation within a Cyornis flycatcher species complex. Zoologica Scripta

Wu MY, Lau CJ, Ng EYX, Baveja P, Gwee CY, Sadanandan K, Ferasyi TR, Haminuddin, Ramadhan R, Menner JK, Rheindt FE. 2022. Genomes from historic DNA unveil massive hidden extinction and terminal endangerment in a tropical Asian songbird radiation. Molecular Biology and Evolution 39: msac189.

Rheindt FE, Ng EYX. 2021. Avian taxonomy in turmoil: The 7-point rule is poorly reproducible and may overlook substantial cryptic diversity. Ornithology 138:1–11.

Ng YJD, Svejcarova T, Sadanandan KR, Ferasyi TR, Lee JGH, Prawiradilaga DM, Ouhel T, Ng EYX, Rheindt FE. 2021. Genomic and morphological data help uncover extinction-in-progress of an unsustainably traded hill myna radiation. Ibis 163: 38–51.

Sadanandan KR, Low GW, Sridharan S, Gwee CY, Ng EYX, Yuda P, Prawiradilaga DM, Lee JGH, Tritto A, Rheindt FE. 2020. The conservation value of admixed phenotypes in a critically endangered species complex. Scientific Reports 10: 15549.

Ng EYX, Yue AY, Eaton JA, Gwee CY, van Balen B, Rheindt RE. 2020. Integrative taxonomy reveals cryptic robin lineage in the Greater Sunda Islands. Treubia 47(1): 39–52.

Cros E, Ng EYX, Oh RRY, Tang Q, Benedick S, Edwards DP, Tomassi S, Irestedt M, Ericson PGP, Rheindt FE. 2020. Fine-scale barriers to connectivity across a fragmented Southeast Asian landscape in six songbird species. Evolutionary Applications 13: 1026–1036.

Tan HZ, Ng EYX, Tang Q, Allport GA, Jansen JJFJ, Tomkovich PS, Rheindt FE. 2019. Population genomics of two congeneric Palaearctic shorebirds reveal differential impacts of Quaternary climate oscillations across habitat types. Scientific Reports 9:18172.

Ng EYX, Garg KM, Low GW, Chattopadhyay B, Oh RRY, Lee JGH, Rheindt FE. 2017. Conservation genomics identifies impact of trade in a threatened songbird. Biological Conservation 214: 101–108.

Ng EYX, Eaton JA, Verbelen P, Hutchinson RO, Rheindt FE. 2016. Using bioacoustic data to test species limits in an Indo-Pacific island radiation of Macropygia cuckoo doves. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 118(4): 786–812.

Contact

elize.ng@utas.edu.au