Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Historical and contemporary influences on elevational distributions and biodiversity tested in tropical Asia

维度：合作研究：热带亚洲测试的历史和当代对海拔分布和生物多样性的影响

• 批准号: 1241041
• 负责人: Thomas Martin
• 金额: $ 132.56万
• 依托单位: University of Montana
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-11-01 至 2017-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1241041&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dimensions; Collaborative; Research; Historical; contemporary

The causes of geographical gradients in biodiversity are not well understood, and remain a major scientific challenge. Many physical and biotic factors may influence the evolutionary diversification and species distribution dynamics that result in these gradients. This study examines an elevational gradient of tropical birds in Asia, where functional, genetic, and phylogenetic diversity of organisms are woefully understudied and underlying patterns provide a strong system for testing hypotheses about biodiversity along elevational gradients. The proposed research evaluates both traditional (physiological tolerance, competition, opposing boundaries) and novel (taxon age, adult survival, life history trade-offs) factors that vary along elevational gradients and integrates them with dispersal, genetic structure, and phylogenetic history.The research partners will share samples and data, and collaborate in cross-disciplinary training of students, in pursuing tests of the proposed hypotheses. This integration will lead to a new mechanistic understanding and conceptual framework for the influence of physical climate gradients and biotic interactions on species distributions and the evolution of diversity. The project will provide extensive opportunities for the training of undergraduate and graduate students, including a unique cross-cultural life experience as well as hands-on educational and field experience. Public outreach includes work with high school students and teachers, museum exhibits, and development of an educational video on tropical bird nesting behaviors. Finally, this project has critical conservation ramifications, as tropical Asian forests are being lost at the fastest rate of any tropical forests in the world, and this research will provide critical information on possible climate change impacts that are of grave concern to extinction risks.

生物多样性地理梯度的原因尚未得到很好的理解，这仍然是一个重大的科学挑战。许多物理和生物因素可能影响导致这些梯度的进化多样化和物种分布动态。本研究考察了亚洲热带鸟类的海拔梯度，在那里，生物的功能、遗传和系统发育多样性研究不足，潜在的模式为测试关于海拔梯度生物多样性的假设提供了一个强有力的系统。该研究评估了沿海拔梯度变化的传统因素（生理耐受性、竞争、对立边界）和新因素（分类群年龄、成虫生存、生活史权衡），并将它们与分散、遗传结构和系统发育历史相结合。研究伙伴将分享样本和数据，并在跨学科培训学生方面进行合作，以对提出的假设进行测试。这种整合将为物理气候梯度和生物相互作用对物种分布和多样性演变的影响提供新的机制理解和概念框架。该项目将为本科生和研究生提供广泛的培训机会，包括独特的跨文化生活体验以及实践教育和实地经验。公共宣传包括与高中学生和教师合作，博物馆展览，以及制作关于热带鸟类筑巢行为的教育视频。最后，该项目具有重要的保护意义，因为亚洲热带森林正在以世界上任何热带森林中最快的速度消失，这项研究将提供关于可能的气候变化影响的关键信息，这些影响对灭绝风险是严重关注的。