Collaborative Research: Phylogeography, Ecology and Reproductive Isolation in the Fundulus notatus Complex

合作研究： 眼底复合体的系统发育地理学、生态学和生殖隔离

• 批准号: 0716985
• 负责人: Jacob Schaefer
• 金额: $ 40.85万
• 依托单位: University of Southern Mississippi
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0716985&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Phylogeography; Ecology; Reproductive

One of the greatest challenges in biology is to explain the levels and patterns of species diversity. Hybrid zones, where closely related species co-occur and hybridize, provide an ideal setting in which to study the processes that generate and maintain species diversity. This research will combine field observations, controlled laboratory experiments and modern molecular tools to address fundamental questions regarding the distributional patterns observed among three topminnow species in the Fundulus notatus species complex. Throughout the Midwestern and Southern United States, the species encounter one another in numerous hybrid zones, making them an ideal group for study. The proposed research will comprehensively address the evolutionary history of the F. notatus species group and will increase our understanding of the role evolutionary and ecological processes play in producing and maintaining the species diversity we observe today. Moreover, this research has important conservation implications and will be of interest to various state agencies. The research program will integrate teaching and research by involving undergraduate and graduate students in the research enterprise at the two diverse universities. Personnel active in the research will participate in existing outreach programs aimed at recruiting underrepresented groups into the sciences and improving science literacy in pre-collegiate students.

生物学中最大的挑战之一是解释物种多样性的水平和模式。杂交区是密切相关的物种共存和杂交的地方，为研究产生和维持物种多样性的过程提供了理想的环境。这项研究将结合现场观察、受控实验室实验和现代分子工具，以解决有关在眼底鱼种复合体中观察到的三种顶级米诺鱼物种分布模式的基本问题。在美国中西部和南部，该物种在许多杂交区彼此相遇，使它们成为研究的理想群体。拟议的研究将全面探讨 F. notatus 物种组的进化历史，并将加深我们对进化和生态过程在产生和维持我们今天观察到的物种多样性中所发挥的作用的理解。此外，这项研究具有重要的保护意义，并将引起各州机构的兴趣。该研究计划将通过让本科生和研究生参与两所不同大学的研究企业来整合教学和研究。积极参与研究的人员将参加现有的推广计划，旨在招募代表性不足的群体进入科学领域并提高大学预科学生的科学素养。