Collaborative Research: RUI: Strong tests of life history theory using experimental reduction of embryo energy content in diverse marine invertebrates

研究生命史策略进化的生物学家研究性状之间的权衡，以了解自然选择如何发挥作用，以最大限度地提高繁殖成功率。一个基本的权衡发生在后代的大小和数量之间：一个有机体可以产生许多小的后代，或者只有几个大的后代。有大量的理论解释了这些策略如何影响繁殖成功，但在动物中，这一理论的测试只在两组动物中进行：脊椎动物和海胆。拟议的研究使用实验胚胎学技术来测试理论在一个更多样化的动物套件，包括两个双边对称动物的三个主要谱系的成员：后口动物（半索动物和棘皮动物）和lophotrochozoans（环节动物，扁形虫和软体动物）。拟议的工作整合了两个机构的研究和教育，重点是提供有意义的学生研究经验。这笔赠款将支持开发一系列基于网络的课程计划，供任何高等教育机构采用。这些课程计划将通过在两个机构的入门和高级生物课期间运行的一系列试点项目来制定。该补助金将为8-10名本科生和一名研究生提供直接支持，而课程计划将为数百名其他学生提供课堂研究机会。

Biologists studying the evolution of life history strategies examine trade-offs between traits to understand how natural selection acts to maximize reproductive success. One fundamental trade-off occurs between the size and number of offspring: an organism can produce many small offspring, or just a few large offspring. There is a large body of theory explaining how these strategies affect reproductive success, but in animals, tests of this theory have been done in only two groups: vertebrates and sea urchins. The proposed research uses experimental embryological techniques to test theory in a much more diverse suite of animals, including members of two of the three major lineages of bilaterally symmetric animals: deuterostomes (hemichordates and echinoderms) and lophotrochozoans (annelids, flatworms, and molluscs). The proposed work integrates research and education at two institutions focused on providing meaningful student research experiences. The grant will support the development of a series of web-based lesson plans that will be made available for adoption by any institution of higher learning. These lesson plans will be developed through a series of pilot programs run during introductory and upper level biology classes at both institutions. The grant will provide direct support for 8-10 undergraduates and one graduate student, while lesson plans will provide in-class research opportunities for hundreds of additional students.