Collaborative Research: Wings to Flippers-Phylogenetics, Character Acquisition, and Feather Biomechanics in the Evolution of Wing-Propelled Diving

虽然从昆虫到鲸鱼等生物对水生生活方式的转变进行了深入研究，但鸟类的基本问题仍未得到解答：例如，“水生飞行”获得了多少次，而空中飞行失败了多少次？一个大型合作团队将专注于解决有争议的翼推进潜水鸟类的进化关系（包括新的化石）。系统发育比较方法将用于研究肌肉骨骼、神经感觉和羽毛微观结构在空中到水生飞行过渡中的变化。技术，如x射线计算机断层扫描，组织学和计算机建模也将被利用。更广泛的影响集中在跨学科的本科生，研究生和博士后培训在系统学，组织学和生物力学。亮点包括为来自代表性不足群体的本科生提供指导研究经验。公众宣传和教育活动包括与人合作指导全国认可的“UTeach”中学教师培训计划的3年地球科学模块，“拓展你的视野”研讨会，鼓励年轻女性从事科学事业，通过大学和博物馆计划进行网络直播讲座和分发课程材料，以及一个专门的博客。研究成果的广泛传播是通过同行评审的出版物、会议报告和通过在线数据库的数据共享来实现的。

While transformations to an aquatic lifestyle have been intensely studied in organisms ranging from insects to whales, basic questions remain unanswered for birds: e.g., how many times has 'aquatic flight' been gained and aerial flight lost? A large collaborative team will focus on resolving the controversial evolutionary relationships of wing-propelled diving birds (including new fossils). Phylogenetic comparative methods will be used to investigate musculoskeletal, neurosensory, and feather microstructure changes across aerial to aquatic flight transitions. Techniques such as X-ray computed tomography, histology, and computer modeling will also be utilized.Broader impacts focus on interdisciplinary undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral training in systematics, histology and biomechanics. Highlights include a mentored research experience for undergraduate students from under-represented groups. Public outreach and education activities include co-instruction of a 3 year Geoscience module of the nationally-recognized 'UTeach' secondary school teacher preparation program, 'Expanding Your Horizons' workshops to encourage young women to pursue science careers, web-cast lectures and distribution of curricular materials via university and museum programs, and a dedicated blog. Broad dissemination of research findings is achieved through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and data sharing via online databases.