Collaborative Research: Genetic connectivity and biogeographic patterns of Antarctic benthic invertebrates

该研究将探索南极海洋底栖无脊椎动物的遗传学，多样性和生物地理学，试图推翻广泛接受的建议，即底栖动物不构成一个大的，panmictic种群。 研究人员将从南极洲西部采样不足的地区采集成年鱼和幼鱼样本，与现有样本相结合，将提供南大洋西半球的重要覆盖范围。 目标是：（1）利用高分辨率遗传标记评估南极西部底栖无脊椎动物物种的遗传联系（或隔离）程度。2)开始探索贝灵豪森海、阿蒙森海和罗斯海底栖陆架无脊椎动物浮游幼虫的空间和水深分布。3)继续编制南极海洋遗传目录，通过DNA条形码将幼体和成体联系起来。 更广泛的影响包括传统形式的培训（博士后，研究生奖学金，本科生研究经验）和K-12团体的讲座。

The research will explore the genetics, diversity, and biogeography of Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates, seeking to overturn the widely accepted suggestion that benthic fauna do not constitute a large, panmictic population. The investigators will sample adults and larvae from undersampled regions of West Antarctica that, combined with existing samples, will provide significant coverage of the western hemisphere of the Southern Ocean. The objectives are: 1) To assess the degree of genetic connectivity (or isolation) of benthic invertebrate species in the Western Antarctic using high-resolution genetic markers. 2) To begin exploring planktonic larvae spatial and bathymetric distributions for benthic shelf invertebrates in the Bellinghausen, Amundsen and Ross Seas. 3) To continue to develop a Marine Antarctic Genetic Inventory (MAGI) that relates larval and adult forms via DNA barcoding. Broader impacts include traditional forms of training (postdocs, graduate studentships, undergraduate research experiences) and lectures to K-12 groups.