IRFP: Characterizing species boundaries with an integrated genetic, ecological and behavioral approach; Implications for mountain zebra conservation in Namibia

IRFP：通过综合遗传、生态和行为方法来表征物种边界；

• 批准号: 1102860
• 负责人: Pauline Kamath
• 金额: $ 14.61万
• 依托单位: Kamath Pauline L
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-12-01 至 2014-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1102860&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: IRFP; Characterizing; species; boundaries; integrated

The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.This award will support an eighteen-month research fellowship by Dr. Pauline L. Kamath to work with Dr. Michael Bruford at the University of Cardiff, Cardiff, United Kingdom. The breakdown of reproductive barriers between closely related species has been frequently observed in nature, and its implications debated, particularly when involving threatened and endangered species. Although introgressive hybridization is a natural phenomenon playing a significant role in species? adaptations and the evolutionary process, rapid human-mediated ecological alterations can create situations that unnaturally promote its occurrence, such as through changes in species? behavior and distribution. Hybridization has been shown to have devastating consequences for vulnerable species, leading to the loss of locally adaptive traits or complete ?genetic extinction? of the species. To date, there is a surprising paucity of data on the processes operating within hybrid zones, thereby making predictions of evolutionary outcomes difficult to ascertain. This study employs an integrative approach, combining genetic, spatial, demographic and behavioral data, to evaluate the degree of introgressive hybridization and the underlying ecological and behavioral processes driving its occurrence in a wildlife system: between the common plains zebra (Equus quagga) and vulnerable mountain zebra (E. zebra) in Namibia. It specifically aims to (1) genetically characterize the direction, frequency, and spatial extent of gene flow between zebra species and (2) elucidate behavioral and ecological factors influencing mate choice and hybrid fitness. Furthermore, coalescent-based Bayesian models will be developed to address complex hypotheses concerning the time of admixture, parental contribution and possibility of multiple admixture events.This research will identify the demographic and behavioral factors that both prevent and promote the breakdown of species boundaries in nature. Ultimately, the characterization of the genetic and spatial extent of hybridization between zebra species across their sympatric zone in Namibia will elucidate the severity of the risk for mountain zebra and aid in making informed conservation management decisions. In addition, uncovering the direction, degree and timing of admixture will be imperative for distinguishing between natural and human-mediated hybridization. Beyond both scientific and management contributions, this research will help build local capacity for wildlife conservation research in Namibia. Furthermore, it will establish a valuable international collaboration between research groups at the University of Cardiff, in Cardiff, UK, (Dr. M. Bruford), the University of Newcastle, in Newcastle UK (Dr. M. Gosling), the Namibia Nature Foundation (Dr. M. Gosling) and the Etosha Ecological Institute, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia (J. Werner Kilian).

国际研究奖学金计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外进行9到24个月的研究。该计划的奖项提供了联合研究的机会，并利用国外独特或互补的设施、专业知识和实验条件。该奖项将支持Pauline L.Kamath博士与英国加的夫大学的Michael Bruford博士合作18个月的研究奖学金。自然界中经常观察到密切相关物种之间生殖障碍的破坏，其影响也存在争议，特别是在涉及受威胁和濒危物种的时候。尽管渐进杂交是一种自然现象，在物种中发挥着重要的作用？在适应和进化过程中，快速的人类调节的生态变化可以创造非自然地促进其发生的情况，例如通过物种的变化？行为和分布。杂交已被证明对脆弱物种具有毁灭性的后果，导致局部适应性特征的丧失或完全的遗传灭绝？这个物种的。到目前为止，关于混合区内运行的过程的数据令人惊讶地匮乏，因此很难确定进化结果的预测。本研究采用综合的方法，结合遗传、空间、人口统计和行为数据，评估在纳米比亚的普通平原斑马(Equus Quagga)和易受伤害的山地斑马(E.Zebra)之间的野生动物系统中，导入杂交的程度以及驱动其发生的潜在生态和行为过程。它的具体目的是(1)从遗传上表征斑马物种间基因流动的方向、频率和空间范围；(2)阐明影响交配选择和杂交适合度的行为和生态因素。此外，基于融合的贝叶斯模型将被开发来处理关于混合时间、父母的贡献和多个混合事件的可能性的复杂假设。这项研究将识别在自然界中防止和促进物种边界破裂的人口统计学和行为因素。最终，纳米比亚斑马物种在其共生地带的遗传和空间杂交程度的特征将阐明山地斑马面临的风险的严重性，并有助于做出知情的保护管理决策。此外，弄清混合的方向、程度和时间将是区分自然和人工介导的杂交的关键。除了科学和管理方面的贡献外，这项研究还将有助于建设纳米比亚当地野生动物保护研究的能力。此外，它还将在以下研究小组之间建立宝贵的国际合作关系：英国卡迪夫大学(M.Bruford博士)、英国纽卡斯尔大学(M.Gosling博士)、纳米比亚自然基金会(M.Gosling博士)和纳米比亚环境与旅游部埃托沙生态研究所(J.Werner Kilian)。