DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Niche Evolution in Gadine Fishes

这项研究的目的是发展一个更好的理解的复杂过程中，在亚科Gadinae鱼响应环境的变化。鳕亚科（Gadinae）是一组海洋鱼类，包括几种重要的经济物种（例如阿拉斯加鳕鱼，大西洋鳕鱼，太平洋鳕鱼）。这一组中的物种已经显示出一些由于气候变化而导致地理范围改变的证据。本研究借由整合鳕类间的亲缘关系、分布及气候资料，重建鳕类适生栖地特徴的演化。了解这些物种的适宜栖息地是如何演变的，是预测它们在面临气候变化时命运的关键。这一信息反过来又适用于制定自然资源管理政策，以适应和减轻气候变化对具有重要经济意义的渔业的影响。该项目还将资助两名本科生研究助理，对他们进行地理信息系统分析技术方面的培训。他们在这项研究的过程中开发的技能不仅适用于科学研究和资源管理，但制定公共卫生，保护和气候变化管理和缓解战略。

The aim of this study is to develop a better understanding of the complex processes by which fish in the subfamily Gadinae respond to changes in their environment. Gadinae is a group of marine fish that includes several species of economic importance (e.g. Alaska pollock, Atlantic cod, Pacific cod). Species in this group have already displayed some evidence of geographic range alteration as a result of climate change. By integrating information on the genetic relationships among gadine fishes, their distributions, and climate data, this study will reconstruct the evolution of suitable habitat characteristics for the group. Understanding how suitable habitats for these species have evolved is key to predicting their fate when faced with climate change. This information, in turn, is applicable to the development of natural resource management policies for adaptation and mitigation of climate change effects on economically important fisheries. This project will also fund two undergraduate research assistants, training them in geographic information systems analysis techniques. The skills they develop in the course of this research are applicable not only to scientific research and resource management, but to developing public health, conservation, and climate change management and mitigation strategies.