Niche Versus Neutral Structure in Populations and Communities

人口和社区中的利基结构与中立结构

• 批准号: 1038678
• 负责人: Annette Ostling
• 金额: $ 47.87万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 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: 2010-09-15 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1038678&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Niche; Versus; Neutral; Structure; Populations

The development of neutral theory has had a profound influence on our understanding of the dynamics of genes, cells, populations and communities by illuminating the case in which types are of equal fitness and hence random or chance events have predominant influence. In particular, neutral theory provides a null model whose failures indicate when mechanisms other than chance are important. However, biologists still lack a way of testing neutral theory that clearly identifies the trait differences driving any specialization or differentiation that exists. The goal of this project is to explore a novel idea for testing neutral theory, using patterns of species' richness, relative abundance, and phylogeny along trait axes. If tangible, the resulting theory would both clearly identify important trait differences, and be robust to uncertainty and complexity in both the population and community contexts.Results from this project could set the stage for a great deal of future work aimed at gaining an understanding of the mechanisms maintaining diversity in specific systems, knowledge that is vital to our ability to manage, conserve, and restore our biological resources. In addition, the investigators will work to encourage the participation of women in mathematical biology by running a focus group on topics related to the research at a summer camp for girls organized by the Women in Science and Engineering program at the University of Michigan. Finally, the PI will integrate the research into General Ecology and Population and Community Ecology courses, and make teaching materials available on-line.

中性理论的发展对我们对基因、细胞、种群和群落动态的理解产生了深远的影响，它阐明了类型具有相同的适应度，因此随机或偶然事件具有主导影响的情况。 特别是，中性理论提供了一个零模型，其失败表明机会以外的机制何时很重要。 然而，生物学家仍然缺乏一种测试中性理论的方法，该方法可以清楚地识别驱动任何现有专业化或分化的特征差异。 该项目的目标是探索一种新的想法，利用物种丰富度、相对丰度和沿着性状轴的系统发育模式来测试中性理论。 如果切实可行，由此产生的理论将能够清楚地识别重要的性状差异，并且对人口和社区环境中的不确定性和复杂性具有鲁棒性。该项目的结果可以为未来的大量工作奠定基础，这些工作旨在了解特定系统中维持多样性的机制，这些知识对于我们管理、保护和恢复生物资源的能力至关重要。 此外，研究人员将在密歇根大学科学与工程项目的女性项目组织的女孩夏令营中组建一个焦点小组，讨论与研究相关的主题，努力鼓励女性参与数学生物学。 最后，PI将把研究成果整合到普通生态学和人口与群落生态学课程中，并在线提供教材。