Collaborative research: A molecular approach to larval ecology: development and application to a coastal upwelling system

合作研究：幼虫生态学的分子方法：沿海上升流系统的开发和应用

• 批准号: 0326110
• 负责人: Steven Morgan
• 金额: $ 50.78万
• 依托单位: University of California-Davis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-08-15 至 2007-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0326110&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; research; molecular; approach; larval

Historically, the goal of ecological studies has been to understand the processes that control population density and community structure. However, equally important ecological questions are: why do organisms within a population look different, and what are the population and community consequences of these differences? Surprisingly, only a few ecologists have begun to address both of these questions given that phenotypic plasticity is so prevalent in natural communities. Currently, our understanding of phenotypic plasticity comes from studies that focus on how an organism responds to an environmental condition. As a result, we do not understand how an organism will respond in nature when there is more than one environmental condition that can induce changes. Furthermore, we have a poor understanding of how plasticity in an organism affects other members of its community. We must understand these questions to fully understand the ecology and evolution of phenotypic plasticity.This research program will elucidate the importance of phenotypic plasticity in the context of a community in which multiple predators may induce defenses of prey. o How does prey morphology change in response to the presence of multiple types of predators?o Is the response to multiple types of predators governed by energy limitation or performance?o How effective is plasticity at deterring multiple types of predators?These questions will be addressed by using a foundation species of well-studied communities to quantify the induction of morphological defenses and survivorship in response to the presence of multiple types of predators. Four intensive multi-factorial experiments will be conducted in the laboratory. The first experiment is designed to reveal whether three common types of predators with widely divergent feeding modes induce three different types of morphological defenses in two conspecific mussels. The second experiment will quantify in detail the developmental reaction norms of mussels to different types of predators in isolation and compare the magnitude and rate of the morphological response with the energetic costs. The third experiment will quantify how morphological responses to one type of predator are affected by the presence of another type of predator. The fourth experiment will determine the effectiveness of plasticity in deterring two types of predators at once. The research is the next logical step in an exciting and rapidly developing field of study, and it will open the doors to a much better understanding of the ecological ramifications of plasticity in natural communities. On broader impacts, this research will support one postdoctoral associate, one graduate student and one undergraduate student, and will create new research opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds from local high schools, two undergraduate institutions and the University of California, Davis. The postdoc and graduate student will help in mentoring undergraduate students, training students in the classroom, presenting results at scientific meetings and to popular audiences, and publishing results in scientific journals and popular periodicals.

历史上，生态学研究的目标一直是了解控制人口密度和群落结构的过程。然而，同样重要的生态问题是：为什么一个种群内的生物体看起来不同，这些差异对种群和群落有什么影响？令人惊讶的是，考虑到表型可塑性在自然群落中如此普遍，只有少数生态学家开始解决这两个问题。目前，我们对表型可塑性的理解来自于关注生物体如何对环境条件作出反应的研究。因此，我们不明白，当一个生物体在自然界中有不止一种环境条件可以引起变化时，它将如何作出反应。此外，我们对生物体的可塑性如何影响其群落的其他成员了解甚少。我们必须了解这些问题，才能充分了解表型可塑性的生态学和进化。本研究计划将阐明表型可塑性在多个捕食者可能诱导猎物防御的群落背景下的重要性。面对多种类型的捕食者，猎物的形态是如何变化的？o对多种类型捕食者的反应是否受能量限制或性能的支配？可塑性在阻止多种类型的捕食者方面有多有效？这些问题将通过使用经过充分研究的群落的基础物种来量化对多种类型捕食者存在的形态防御和生存的诱导来解决。四项密集的多因子实验将在实验室进行。第一个实验旨在揭示三种具有广泛不同摄食方式的常见捕食者是否会在两种同种贻贝中诱导三种不同的形态防御。第二个实验将详细量化贻贝对不同类型捕食者的发育反应规范，并比较形态学反应的幅度和速率与能量成本。第三个实验将量化对一种捕食者的形态反应如何受到另一种捕食者的影响。第四个实验将确定可塑性在同时阻止两种掠食者方面的有效性。这项研究是一个令人兴奋和快速发展的研究领域的下一个合乎逻辑的步骤，它将为更好地理解自然群落可塑性的生态后果打开大门。就更广泛的影响而言，这项研究将支持一名博士后、一名研究生和一名本科生，并将为来自当地高中、两所本科院校和加州大学戴维斯分校的不同背景的学生创造新的研究机会。博士后和研究生将帮助指导本科生，在课堂上训练学生，在科学会议和大众听众上展示成果，并在科学期刊和大众期刊上发表成果。