Genetic diversity is critical to a species's survival and the ability to adapt to changing environments. 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 were 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, Lake at the Hills, and Main Street), and outside of Cedar City (SUU Mountain Center and Three Peaks Recreation Area). DNA was extracted with Qiagen's DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit and amplified at 10 previously characterized 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.
