Dissertation Research: Higher Order Avian Systematics: Contributions of DNA Sequences to Questions in Avian Biology

9700713 Harrison该奖项将为Scott E. Stanley先生提供旅行和材料和用品的资金，以加强他的论文研究，Scott E. Stanley先生是康奈尔大学的博士生，他在Richard Harrison博士的指导下工作。Stanley先生的论文研究包括从线粒体和核基因组中获取DNA序列，以研究高阶鸟类和类异形鸟类家族之间的系统发育关系。拟形目包括鹈鹕、鸬鹚、鲣鸟、军舰鸟和热带鸟。鸟类目的系统发育是有争议的，特别是大型水鸟目之间的系统发育，包括拟异形目、前体目（管鼻海鸟）、鸟形目（潜鸟）、足形目（grebes）和蝶形目（企鹅）。Stanley和Harrison的工作将解决许多长期存在的分类学/系统发育问题，此外，还将测试线粒体和核基因在系统发育重建方面的性能。生成如此庞大的分子数据集还将提供一个历史框架，在这个框架内，有关早期鸟类进化和鸟类形态和行为进化的假设可以得到严格的检验。支持研究生的现代技术培训对于维持有能力解决全球生物学问题的科学家队伍至关重要。

9700713 Harrison This award will provide funds for travel and for materials and supplies to enhance the dissertation research of Mr. Scott E. Stanley, a doctoral student at Cornell University who is working under the supervision of Dr. Richard Harrison. Mr. Stanley's dissertation research involves acquisition of DNA sequences from both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes in order to study phylogenetic relationships among higher orders of birds and among families of pelecaniform birds. Pelecaniforms include pelicans, cormorants, boobies, frigate birds, and tropic birds. The phylogenetics of orders of birds are controversial, particularly those between orders of large water birds, including pelecaniforms, procellariiforms (tube-nosed seabirds), gaviiformes (loons), podicipediformes (grebes), and sphenisciforms (penguins). The work by Stanley and Harrison will address many of the more long-standing taxonomic/phylogenetic issues, and in addition, test the performance of the mitochondrial and nuclear eenes with respect to phylogenetic reconstruction. Generation of such a large molecular data set also will provide an historical framework within which hypotheses concerning early avian evolution and morphological and behavioral evolution in birds can be tested rigorously. Support for training of graduate students in modern technologies is critical to maintain the workforce of scientists capable of addressing questions and issues in global biology.