Evolutionary Consequences of Variable Recruitment in a Colonial Hydroid

这项研究将探讨进化的后果， 群体水螅的可变补充。 迄今为止， 表明：1）募集密度在孤立的 种群，并决定种内的强度 竞争; 2）菌落显示遗传变异， 决定种内竞争力的菌落形态 能力;以及3）种群中存在的形态是 与观察到的竞争水平相关。 这些 初步数据表明，招募密度确立了 选择制度，决定了一套形态 存在于人口中的特征。 这一假设将是 通过实验操作四个样本的招募密度进行测试， 人口，同时遵循其他三个人口， 对照 这项研究将有助于我们了解 海洋种群的变化潜力， 招募密度导致物种进化 种群间的基因流动有限。

This investigation will explore the evolutionary consequences of variable recruitment in a colonial hydroid. Work to date has demonstrated that: 1) recruitment density varies among isolated populations and determines the intensity of intraspecific competition; 2) colonies display genetically based variation in colony morphology that determines intraspecific competitive ability; and 3) the morphologies present in population are correlated with the observed level of competition. These preliminary data suggest that recruitment density establishes the selective regime that determines the suite of morphological characters present in a population. This hypothesis will be tested by experimentally manipulating recruitment density in four populations and while following three other populations as controls. This research will contribute to our knowledge of marine populations by examining the potential for variation in recruitment density to generate evolutionary change in species with limited gene flow among populations.