Evolution of the multivariate phenotype: phylogenetic tests of rates of size and shape evolution in salamanders

多变量表型的进化：蝾螈体型和形状进化速率的系统发育测试

• 批准号: 1257287
• 负责人: Dean Adams
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: Iowa State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-07-01 至 2017-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1257287&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Evolution; multivariate; phenotype; phylogenetic; tests

Biologists have long sought to understand how fast animals evolve in nature, and why organisms show such amazing morphological diversity. This project will study the pace of morphological change in two groups of salamanders that differ in how they interact with their environments. New methods will be developed for measuring rates of phenotypic evolution across the tree of life, and for comparing rates among groups of organisms. These methods will allow scientists to test potential explanations for why some groups evolve more rapidly than others. This project contributes to our understanding of how fast evolution occurs, and how organisms in distinct environments respond to those conditions. Work on the project will give us a better understanding of how life changes over time, which is of great interest to biologists and scientists in other fields. Through this project, several educational outreach activities will also be conducted, including: a research-in-education exchange that includes students from a small college and students attending a large research university, and teaching workshops in quantitative methods to train the next generation of graduate students and scientists from around the world.

生物学家长期以来一直试图了解动物在自然界中的进化速度，以及为什么生物体表现出如此惊人的形态多样性。这个项目将研究两组蝾螈形态变化的速度，这两组蝾螈在与环境的相互作用方面有所不同。将开发新的方法来测量整个生命之树的表型进化速率，并比较生物群体之间的速率。这些方法将使科学家能够测试为什么某些群体比其他群体进化得更快的潜在解释。这个项目有助于我们了解进化的速度有多快，以及不同环境中的生物如何对这些条件做出反应。该项目的工作将使我们更好地了解生命如何随着时间的推移而变化，这对生物学家和其他领域的科学家来说非常感兴趣。通过该项目，还将开展若干教育外联活动，包括：教育中的研究交流，包括一所小型学院的学生和一所大型研究型大学的学生，以及定量方法教学讲习班，以培训来自世界各地的下一代研究生和科学家。