DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Speciation and diversification within Furcifer lateralis, the most widespread chameleon complex in Madagascar

论文研究：马达加斯加最广泛分布的变色龙复合体 Furcifer Lateris 的物种形成和多样化

• 批准号: 1110593
• 负责人: Christopher Raxworthy
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 依托单位: American Museum Natural History
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-06-01 至 2012-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1110593&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Speciation; diversification; within

This study will test alternative hypotheses about the processes driving speciation, using the Furcifer lateralis chameleon complex across the continental island of Madagascar as a study system. This endemic species complex is ideal for speciation research because it is broadly distributed within most habitats of the island, exhibits regional differences in morphology, coloration, genetics, and behavior, and appears to represent a recently evolved species radiation. Novel species will be identified with molecular and morphological characters, and then evaluated for ecological niche divergence and reproductive isolation to test between competing speciation hypotheses. The results of this research will be disseminated to the general public through use of multimedia resources, including video and blog content for the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) website. Additionally, lower-income urban students will be introduced to phylogeographic methods through the AMNH after-school program, and a Malagasy graduate student will be trained in ecology and evolutionary biology.

这项研究将以马达加斯加大陆岛上的变色龙复合体为研究系统，测试驱动物种形成的过程的替代假说。这种特有的物种复合体是物种形成研究的理想选择，因为它广泛分布在岛上的大多数生境中，在形态、颜色、遗传学和行为上表现出地区差异，似乎代表了最近进化的物种辐射。新物种将通过分子和形态特征进行鉴定，然后评估生态位差异和生殖隔离，以检验相互竞争的物种形成假说。这项研究的结果将通过使用多媒体资源向公众传播，包括为美国自然历史博物馆(AMNH)网站提供视频和博客内容。此外，低收入城市学生将通过AMNH课外项目学习系统地理方法，一名马达加斯加研究生将接受生态学和进化生物学方面的培训。