The Evolution of Placentas in the Poeciliid Fishes: An Empirical Study of the Evolution of Complexity

拟鱼科鱼类胎盘的进化：复杂性进化的实证研究

• 批准号: 0416085
• 负责人: David Reznick
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of California-Riverside
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-09-01 至 2010-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0416085&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Evolution; Placentas; Poeciliid; Fishes; Empirical

David Reznick + Michael Ghedotti DEB-0416085 + 0415633 AbstractThe Evolution of Placentas in the Poeciliid Fishes: An Empirical Study of the Evolution of ComplexityThe placenta is a complex organ that is a composite of many adaptations that must be well integrated for proper function. David Reznick and Michael Ghedotti will study the evolution of the placenta in the fish family Poeciliidae. They will develop a "family tree", based on DNA sequence and morphology, to determine if the placenta evolved independently on different branches and to define groups of species that do or do not have the placenta. Experiments on 30 species of those fish that are closely related and have different forms of maternal provisioning will test the predictions of a recent theory for the evolution of the placenta. Working together, the biologists will provide insights to refine the theory, while theoreticians will provide insights to suggest new lines of experimental inquiry.In the Origin of Species, Darwin included a chapter entitled "Difficulties on Theory", considering the most serious challenges to the theory of evolution by natural selection. One was the origin of complex organs: it seemed improbable that evolution could integrate many traits at once. He proposed that complexity could evolve by small steps if each represented an adaptation. These fish provide an opportunity to test Darwin's proposition. The research will also offer multidisciplinary training for students, be relevant to several fields of biology, and present a case study in evolution.

David Reznick + Michael Ghedotti DEB-0416085 + 0415633 摘要Poeciliid 鱼类胎盘的进化：复杂性进化的实证研究胎盘是一个复杂的器官，是许多适应的复合体，必须很好地整合才能发挥正常功能。 David Reznick 和 Michael Ghedotti 将研究 Poeciliidae 鱼类胎盘的进化。 他们将根据DNA序列和形态学建立一个“家谱”，以确定胎盘是否在不同分支上独立进化，并定义有或没有胎盘的物种群体。 对 30 种密切相关且具有不同母体供应形式的鱼类进行的实验将检验最近胎盘进化理论的预测。 生物学家将共同努力，提供见解来完善理论，而理论家将提供见解，提出新的实验探究路线。 在《物种起源》中，达尔文有一章题为“理论的困难”，考虑了自然选择进化论面临的最严峻的挑战。 一是复杂器官的起源：进化似乎不可能同时整合许多特征。 他提出，如果每一步都代表一种适应，那么复杂性就可以通过小步进化。 这些鱼提供了检验达尔文主张的机会。 该研究还将为学生提供多学科培训，与生物学的多个领域相关，并提出进化论的案例研究。