RIG: A Landscape Genetics Approach to Functional Connectivity of Native Small Mammal Populations in an Urban Habitat-matrix Mosaic

城市地区曾经被认为是环境恶劣，生物稀少的环境，几乎没有生态价值，但城市栖息地碎片可以支持大量野生动物种群。野生动物在这些碎片（通常是城市公园）之间移动的程度受到城市环境的强烈影响。本研究将以纽约市本地小型哺乳动物（白足鼠、短尾鼩和草地田鼠）为研究对象，研究城市化对野生动物种群连通性和遗传结构的影响。新的遗传工具（对具有高突变率的短重复DNA序列进行计算密集型分析）将与地理数据集结合使用，以确定I)纽约市存在多少进化上独特的小型哺乳动物种群，II)它们被隔离（或交换移民）的时间，以及III)哪种类型的城市土地利用促进或阻碍了小型哺乳动物及其基因在城市栖息地片段之间的移动。通过确定小型哺乳动物能够承受的城市化类型和程度，本研究将有助于城市景观的可持续管理。该项目旨在最大限度地提高本科生的参与和培训，这些本科生以前很少有机会进行生态研究。首席研究员的家乡机构，巴鲁克学院，是该国高等教育中种族最多样化的机构。学生群体反映了纽约市的多样性，超过50%的巴鲁克学生是他们家里第一个上大学的人。

Urban areas were once thought of as harsh, biologically sparse environments with little ecological value, but urban habitat fragments can support substantial wildlife populations. The degree to which wildlife can move between these fragments (often city parks) is strongly influenced by the intervening urban environment. This study will examine native small mammals (white-footed mice, short-tailed shrews, and meadow voles) in New York City (NYC) as models for the impacts of urbanization on the population connectivity and genetic structure of wildlife. Novel genetic tools (computationally-intensive analyses of short, repeating DNA sequences with high mutation rates) will be used in combination with geographic datasets to determine I) how many evolutionarily-unique small mammal populations exist in NYC, II) how long they have been isolated (or exchanging migrants), and III) what types of urban land use facilitate or hinder the movement of small mammals and their genes between urban habitat fragments. By identifying the types and degree of urbanization that small mammals can withstand, this study will contribute to the sustainable management of urban landscapes. This project has been designed to maximize the participation and training of undergraduates that previously had few opportunities to conduct ecological research. The Principal Investigator's home institution, Baruch College, is the most ethnically diverse institution of higher education in the country. The student body reflects the diversity of NYC, and over 50% of Baruch students are the first in their family to attend college.