DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Novel Approaches to the Study of the Community Ecology of Tropical Trees

生态学的主要关注点之一是解释物种的分布和丰度的模式。这项拟议的研究旨在揭示热带树种的分布模式，并从机制上解释这些模式。植物群落生态学家传统上专注于植物生态位和栖息地类型，如土壤状况，以解释为什么某些植物物种在某些地区被发现。然而，最近，一些研究人员提出，种子传播过程可能在决定植物物种分布模式方面更重要。这些说法是基于对热带树木群落的研究。这项研究将探讨栖息地特化、物种间的竞争和有限的种子传播作为确定热带树种分布的机制的重要性，了解这些机制将对未来保护这些物种的努力大有裨益。这项研究是新颖的，在使用DNA序列来确认个别树木的物种身份，并在使用进化树构建的DNA序列数据，以评估竞争的重要性。调查人员在亚马逊秘鲁有多年的工作经验，这项研究将在那里进行。秘鲁学生将在实地研究期间参加实地生物技术培训。这为塑造秘鲁生物研究和保护的未来提供了令人兴奋的机会。该研究的实验室部分将在杜克大学进行，杜克大学的本科生将接受实验室技术以及统计和生态思维的培训。

One of the principal concerns of ecology is explaining patterns in the distribution and abundance of species. The proposed research aims to reveal patterns in the distribution of tropical tree species and to mechanistically explain these patterns. Plant community ecologists have traditionally focused on plant niches and habitat type, such as soil regime, to explain why certain plant species are found in certain areas. However, recently, some researchers have suggested that seed dispersal processes may be more important in determining patterns in the distribution of plant species. These claims have been based on studies of tropical tree communities. The proposed research will examine the importance of habitat specialization, competition between species, and limited seed dispersal as mechanisms for determining where tropical tree species are found. Understanding these mechanisms will be of great benefit to future efforts to preserve these species. The research is novel in using DNA sequences to confirm the species identity of individual trees and in using evolutionary trees constructed with DNA sequence data to assess the importance of competition. The investigators have many years of experience working in Amazonian Peru, where this research will be conducted. Peruvian students will be involved and trained in field biology techniques during the field component of the research. This offers the exciting opportunity to help shape the future of biological research and conservation of Peru. The laboratory component of the research will be conducted at Duke University, where Duke undergraduates will be trained in laboratory techniques as well as statistical and ecological thinking.