Collaborative Research: Evolution in a Vortex: An Inventory of the Fishes and Mollusks of the Lower Congo River Rapids

自然科学院的Daniel Graf博士与美国自然历史博物馆的Melanie Stiassny合作，获得了一项资助，以调查西非刚果河下游淡水软体动物（蛤蜊和蜗牛）的多样性。这些生物引起生物学家的兴趣，不仅因为它们具有有趣的进化历史，而且还因为它们是致病寄生虫的中间宿主。刚果河的最底层有许多强大的急流，预计这些瀑布构成了水生生物扩散的障碍，从而促进了该地区的地方性多样性。通过对下刚果的抽样考察，本研究收集的标本可用于在种群水平和整个大陆范围内的物种之间测试进化关系和生物地理过程的假设。研究结果将使人们更清楚地了解西非生物多样性的起源和维持。这项研究产生的数据和结论不仅将通过传统媒体提供，而且还将利用现代传播手段，特别是互联网（http://www.mussel-project.net/）。该项目的一个重要组成部分是使用强大的数据库技术，为数据和结论提供搜索和浏览界面，并提供多个入口。这项研究的目标受众不仅是科学家和环保官员；这些结果也将有助于教师、学生和所有有兴趣更好地了解他们的世界的公众成员。除了提供一个有趣、重要但鲜为人知的动物群的全新科学视角外，这项研究还将通过实践研究经验培训包括刚果教师和学生在内的有前途的生物学家。

A grant has been award to Dr. Daniel Graf of the Academy of Natural Sciences in collaboration with Melanie Stiassny of the American Museum of Natural History to survey the diversity of freshwater mollusks (clams and snails) in the Lower Congo River of Western Africa. These organisms are of interest to biologists not only because they have interesting evolutionary histories but also as intermediate hosts of disease-causing parasites. The lowest reach of the Congo is punctuated by numerous powerful rapids, and it is expected that these cataracts constitute barriers to aquatic dispersal and therefore contribute to the endemic diversity of the area. Through sampling expeditions to the Lower Congo, the specimens collected for this research can be used to test hypotheses of evolutionary relationships and biogeographic processes, both at the population level and among species on a continent-wide scale. The result will be a clearer understanding of the origin and maintenance of biological diversity in western Africa. The data and conclusions generated by this research will not only be made available through traditional media but will also take advantage of modern means of dissemination, especially the internet (http://www.mussel-project.net/). An important component of the internet presence for this project will be the use of powerful database technology to provide searching and browsing interfaces into the data and conclusions, with multiple points of entry. The target audience for this research is not only scientists and conservation officials; these results will also serve teachers, students and all members of the public interested in better understanding their world. Besides providing a novel scientific perspective on an interesting, important but poorly known fauna, this study will also serve to train up-and-coming biologists including Congolese faculty and students through hands-on research experience.