DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Evolution of Migration in Ficedula Flycatchers (Muscicapidae)

论文研究：鹟（鹟科）迁徙的进化

• 批准号: 0508452
• 负责人: Gary Voelker
• 金额: $ 0.37万
• 依托单位: University of Memphis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-06-01 至 2006-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0508452&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Evolution; Migration; Ficedula

Migration is a widespread occurrence among species of birds. While there are many hypotheses to explain the factors that cause migration to evolve, few have been rigorously tested. Evaluating these hypotheses in an evolutionary framework examines whether common factors can account for the evolution of migration across bird species. Geographical hypotheses predict that there is a relationship between whether species are found in seasonal environments and a species' propensity to evolve migratory behavior. This study tests geographical hypotheses in a widespread and speciose genus of flycatchers (Ficedula), by first reconstructing a molecular phylogeny, then examining the evolutionary relationship (correlation) between migration and geography. In terms of scientific importance, many migratory birds have shown rapid declines in numbers that seem to be tied to human-induced habitat loss - this is especially a problem in Southeast Asia where Ficedula flycatchers are found. We must understand these systems, and how they have changed over evolutionary time, as this study attempts to do, to better protect them in the face of rapid environmental change. With regard to the educational community, the University of Memphis, where the proposed research is being conducted, has a diverse student body. It is a major goal of the investigators to recruit and train underrepresented undergraduate students in molecular systematic techniques.

迁徙是鸟类中普遍存在的现象。虽然有许多假设可以解释导致移徙演变的因素，但很少有经过严格检验的。在进化框架中评估这些假设，考察共同因素是否可以解释鸟类迁徙的进化。地理学假说预测，物种是否在季节性环境中被发现与物种进化迁徙行为的倾向之间存在关系。本研究测试的地理假设，在一个广泛和speciose属的捕蝇草（Ficedula），首先重建的分子生物学，然后研究迁移和地理之间的进化关系（相关性）。 从科学的重要性来看，许多候鸟的数量迅速减少，这似乎与人类引起的栖息地丧失有关--这在发现了菲氏斑嘴蝇的东南亚地区尤其是一个问题。我们必须了解这些系统，以及它们在进化过程中是如何变化的，就像这项研究试图做的那样，以便在面对快速的环境变化时更好地保护它们。关于教育界，正在进行拟议研究的孟菲斯大学有一个多样化的学生群体。这是一个主要的目标，调查人员招募和培训代表性不足的本科生在分子系统学技术。