In addition to their importance for scientific study, are sticklebacks also important as part of the food chain?
I took a seminar in evolution (BIOL243) with Dr. Foster, and we talked a lot about the importance of conservation. I learned about the endangered populations of stickleback: I think Dr. Foster has already lost three study populations as a result of trout stocking. From a colleague who works at the University of British Columbia, we learned that the Canadian government has been working on a proposal to protect sticklebacks in Canada. Dr. Foster and I thought we could draft a similar proposal for submission to the Alaskan government to protect their stickleback populations, upon which most of Dr. Foster’s study is based. Under Dr. Foster’s sponsorship, I decided to apply for Anton Fellowship funding.