Dissertation Research: Trait evolution and speciation in Encelia

论文研究：Encelia 的性状进化和物种形成

• 批准号: 1011606
• 负责人: Paul V. Fine
• 金额: $ 1.48万
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-07-01 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1011606&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Trait; evolution; speciation

This project examines how different species form and why some species are restricted to certain habitats and not others. While it is widely accepted that evolution by natural selection promotes adaptation to different environments over time, how exactly one species splits into two is highly controversial. This process, known as speciation, is the primary way Earth's diversity of life is formed. However, the mechanisms of speciation are in many ways mysterious. These investigations will use experimental hybridization of plants in the family Asteracea, along with detailed physiological measurements and field studies of hybrids and parental species growing in their natural habitats to determine how natural selection creates two species from one.The broader impacts of this project are severalfold. First, the PIs will continue to use research assistants from rural communities near field sites in remote regions of Mexico and the southwest United States. These communities traditionally have been underserved by the scientific infrastructure of both countries and contain high proportions of minorities underrepresented in science. Secondly, this project will contribute to general knowledge of the diversity of life and how it is formed. Concrete examples of questions these studies can assist in answering include: Should different populations be considered endangered species? Are populations within a species evolutionary significant units? What will happen in the future if evolutionary different populations are preserved? While these questions cannot be directly answered by this project, the information gained by these investigations will provide policy makers with the scientific data they need to make intelligent, informed decisions.

这个项目研究了不同的物种是如何形成的，以及为什么一些物种仅限于某些栖息地，而不是其他栖息地。虽然人们普遍认为，自然选择的进化促进了对不同环境的适应，但一个物种究竟是如何分裂成两个物种的，仍存在很大争议。这个过程被称为物种形成，是地球生物多样性形成的主要方式。然而，物种形成的机制在很多方面都是神秘的。这些调查将使用菊科植物的实验杂交，以及详细的生理测量和杂交物种和亲本物种在其自然栖息地生长的实地研究，以确定自然选择如何从一个物种产生两个物种。这个项目的广泛影响是多方面的。首先，pi将继续使用来自墨西哥和美国西南部偏远地区野外场址附近农村社区的研究助理。传统上，这两个国家的科学基础设施对这些群体的服务不足，并且在科学领域代表性不足的少数群体中所占比例很高。其次，该项目将有助于了解生命的多样性及其形成方式。这些研究可以帮助回答的具体问题包括：不同的种群应该被视为濒危物种吗？一个物种内的种群是进化的重要单位吗？如果进化不同的种群被保存下来，未来会发生什么？虽然这个项目不能直接回答这些问题，但这些调查获得的信息将为决策者提供他们需要的科学数据，以做出明智的、知情的决策。