Gene Flow and Species Diversity in Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vent Communities

调查人员将进行一系列遗传研究，目的是增加对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。 在过去的十年中，研究人员已经从世界各地的海洋中收集了大量的快速，中间和缓慢传播系统的标本。 该项目的主要目标是将目前正在进行的基因流动、遗传多样性和进化关系研究扩大到最近从东太平洋海隆南部（南纬7度至32度）收集的样本，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学。 特别是，调查人员将寻找东太平洋海隆南部、印度中部海岭系统和西太平洋弧后盆地之间联系的证据。 初步数据显示，在南纬31度至32度有几个“形态种”可能与西太平洋（劳和马努斯后弧盆地和马里亚纳海槽）的命名种有关或同种。 这个项目应该提供一个全面的生态，地质和进化过程的影响，生活在我们这个星球上的一些最极端的环境中的优势无脊椎动物物种的图片。 这项研究的生物多样性方面得到了承认，并获得了一项补充奖（NIH），以促进向对海洋天然产品发现感兴趣的各方转让材料和技术。

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.