SGER: Systematics and Function: Exploratory Research on Locomotion in Ray-finned Fishes

进化研究经常得出这样的结论：生物体的谱系已经获得了“适应性”——新的形态、行为、生态或生殖特征，这些特征赋予个体生物体一些优势。这些研究很少通过直接测量来证实实际的优势。一个例子是对称（“同角”）鱼尾从不对称（“异角”）前体进化而来。结论是，同角尾翼具有更高的速度、更大的机动性和更快的加速度。乔治·劳德博士建议使用新开发的微型加速度计，安装在流动水箱中游动的鱼的尾巴上，收集性能数据来验证这一结论。加速计的数据收集将与Lauder博士的高速视频成像和肌电图（肌肉活动）监测系统协调。第一批性能数据将出现在同角和异角鱼类。这项提议的研究本身就存在风险，因为它是首次将新型传感器应用于生物学问题。大量的软件开发将需要耦合这三个数据流。如果这项探索性研究项目的小额赠款获得成功，生物学家将获得一种评估功能能力的强大新技术，鱼类进化中的一个重要问题将得到解决。

Evolutionary studies often conclude that lineages of organisms have acquired "adaptations" -- novel morphological, behavioral, ecological, or reproductive features that confer some advantage to individual organisms. Very rarely do these studies confirm the actual advantage by direct measurement. One example is the evolution of the symmetrical ("homocercal") fish tail from asymmetric ("heterocercal") precursors. The conclusion has been that the homocercal tail conferred higher speed, greater maneuverability, and faster acceleration. Dr. George Lauder proposes to use newly developed micro-accelerometers, mounted on the tails of fish swimming in flow tanks, to gather performance data to test this conclusion. The accelerometer data gathering will be coordinated with Dr. Lauder's high-speed video imaging and electromyography (muscle activity) monitoring systems. The first performance data will emerge for homocercal and heterocercal fishes. The proposed research is inherently risky, being the first application of new sensors to a biological problem. Extensive software development will be necessary to couple the three data streams. If this Small Grant for Exploratory Research Project is successful, biologists will have acquired a powerful new technique for assessing functional capabilities, and a significant question in fish evolution will have been addressed.