Gene Flow and Species Diversity in Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vent Communities

研究人员将进行一系列基因研究，旨在增加与大洋中脊系统和深海同源环境有关的生物的基因流动和分子系统学的基本知识。在过去的十年里，研究人员从世界各地海洋的快速、中间和缓慢扩散系统收集了大量标本。该项目的主要目标是将正在进行的基因流动、遗传多样性和进化关系的研究扩展到最近从东太平洋南部隆起(S纬度7度-S纬度32度)采集的样本，并继续研究世界各地深海热液喷口和硫化物渗漏生物的进化关系和生物地理。特别是，调查人员将寻找东太平洋南部隆起、印度中部海脊系统和西太平洋弧后盆地之间联系的证据。初步数据表明，在S 31度-32度有几个“形态种”，它们可能与西太平洋的命名种(刘和马努斯后弧盆地和马里亚纳海槽)有关或同种。这个项目应该提供一幅关于生态、地质和进化过程的综合图景，这些过程影响着生活在地球上一些最极端环境中的优势无脊椎动物物种。这项研究的生物多样性方面得到了一个补充奖(NIH)的认可，以促进向对海洋天然产品发现感兴趣的缔约方转让材料和技术。

The investigators will conduct a suite of genetic studies aimed at increasing fundamental knowledge of gene flow and molecular systematics of organisms associated with mid-ocean ridge systems and cognate environments in the deep sea. Over the past decade, the investigators have amassed an extensive collection of specimens from fast-, intermediate-, and slow-spreading systems throughout the world's oceans. The primary objectives of this project are to extend ongoing studies of gene flow, genetic diversity, and evolutionary relationships to samples recently collected from the southern East Pacific Rise (7 degrees S - 32 degrees S latitude) and to continue studies of evolutionary relationships and biogeography of deep-sea hydrothermal vent and sulfide seep organisms throughout the world. In particular, the investigators will search for evidence of connections between the southern East Pacific Rise, the central Indian ridge system, and western Pacific back arc basins. Preliminary data indicate that there are several "morphospecies" at 31 degrees - 32 degrees S that may be related to, or conspecific with, named species for the western Pacific (Lau and Manus Back Arc Basins and Mariana Trough). This project should provide a comprehensive picture of ecological, geological, and evolutionary processes affecting the dominant invertebrate species that live in some of the most extreme environments on our planet. The biodiversity aspects of this research have been recognized with a supplementary award (NIH) to facilitate materials and technology transfer to parties interested in marine natural products discovery.