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

生物多样性地理梯度的成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会影响导致这些梯度的进化多样性和物种分布动态。这项研究考察了亚洲热带鸟类的海拔梯度，那里对生物的功能、遗传和系统发育多样性的研究严重不足，潜在的模式为沿着海拔梯度检验关于生物多样性的假说提供了一个强大的系统。这项拟议的研究评估了传统的(生理耐受性、竞争、相反的界限)和新的(分类群年龄、成虫存活、生活史权衡)因素，这些因素随着海拔梯度的变化而变化，并将它们与扩散、遗传结构和系统发育史相结合。研究伙伴将共享样本和数据，并合作对学生进行跨学科培训，以寻求对所提出的假说的测试。这种整合将导致对自然气候梯度和生物相互作用对物种分布和多样性演化的影响的新的机械性理解和概念框架。该项目将为本科生和研究生的培训提供广泛的机会，包括独特的跨文化生活体验以及实践教育和实地体验。公众宣传包括与高中生和教师合作，博物馆展品，以及制作一段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后果，因为亚洲热带森林正在以世界上最快的速度丧失，这项研究将提供有关可能产生的气候变化影响的关键信息，这些影响是对灭绝风险的严重关切。

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.