Batova Olga

Ph.D.
Research Scientist

Research interests:

My research focuses on the population genetics of vertebrates, with particular emphasis on the genetic consequences of dispersal, colonization, and reproduction in natural populations.

My current work investigates the genetic structure of expanding populations of the Midday Gerbil (Meriones meridianus) in Kalmykia. By combining molecular genetic approaches with long-term demographic data, we examine how founder events, gene flow, and dispersal shape the genetic diversity of newly established populations during range expansion.

Previously, I studied multiple paternity in Yellow Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus) as part of a long-term individual-based monitoring programme in the Saratov Region. This work explored the relationships between mating systems, reproductive success, and genetic diversity in wild populations.

I began my scientific career studying the ecology and life histories of passerine birds at the Yenisei Ecological Station of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution. My interest in molecular genetics developed from these ecological studies and has since become the principal focus of my research, providing new perspectives on the evolutionary and demographic processes that shape natural populations.