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

9700713 Harrison 该奖项将提供旅费以及材料和用品的资金，以加强 Scott E. Stanley 先生的论文研究，Scott E. Stanley 是康奈尔大学的博士生，在 Richard Harrison 博士的指导下工作。 Stanley 先生的论文研究涉及从线粒体和核基因组获取 DNA 序列，以便研究高等鸟类和鹈鹕科鸟类之间的系统发育关系。鹈鹕目包括鹈鹕、鸬鹚、鲣鸟、军舰鸟和热带鸟类。鸟类的系统发育是有争议的，特别是大型水禽目之间的系统发育，包括鹈鹕目、管鼻海鸟、豚形目（潜鸟）、足足目（鷊鷉）和楔形目（企鹅）。斯坦利和哈里森的工作将解决许多长期存在的分类学/系统发育问题，此外，还测试线粒体和核烯在系统发育重建方面的性能。如此庞大的分子数据集的生成还将提供一个历史框架，在该框架内可以严格测试有关早期鸟类进化以及鸟类形态和行为进化的假设。支持现代技术研究生培训对于保持科学家队伍有能力解决全球生物学问题至关重要。

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.