Climate change and environmental gender determination in a geographically-widespread species

地理广泛物种的气候变化和环境性别决定

• 批准号: 1257857
• 负责人: Fredric Janzen
• 金额: $ 72.36万
• 依托单位: Iowa State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-05-01 至 2019-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1257857&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Climate; change; environmental; gender; determination

The biological impacts of rapid changes in climate and habitats are major scientific and societal concerns. The need for clarifying these effects is particularly acute for species that are already imperiled. Turtles may be the most endangered group of vertebrates and, in the vast majority, temperatures experienced in the nest permanently determine offspring sex. This temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) will be examined with a multi-year field, laboratory, and modeling study of wild populations of the painted turtle, Chrysemys picta, from climatically-divergent locations across the United States. This project will focus on measuring geographic variation in maternal nesting behavior and embryonic thermal sensitivity as potential mechanisms used by turtles with TSD to adapt to local climates. Teams of student researchers will conduct research at the field sites and in the laboratory each year. These activities will include monitoring behavior of nesting turtles, assessing incubating eggs and developing embryos, and recording environmental and habitat data. This information then will be incorporated into cutting-edge computer models to illuminate how changes in local climate will affect nest temperature and thus offspring sex ratio. In turn, the model predictions will be tested experimentally to identify how populations with TSD must adjust behaviorally and/or physiologically to offset any imbalance induced by thermal alterations.These integrated studies should provide a comprehensive understanding of how species with thermally-sensitive traits might adjust to forecast scenarios of rapid changes in climate and habitats. The findings will be particularly germane to conservation of species with TSD. This multi-year program also will (1) build a broadly applicable tool for translating between temperature measurements at point sources (nests, plant roots, etc.) to thermal variation at the habitat level and then to regional climate, (2) improve understanding of the scientific method by enhancing a lesson plan for 5th-grade students, and (3) continue to provide first-hand scientific and educational opportunities for numerous students (including underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and women).

气候和生境迅速变化的生物影响是重大的科学和社会问题。对于那些已经受到威胁的物种来说，澄清这些影响的必要性尤为迫切。海龟可能是最濒危的脊椎动物，在绝大多数情况下，巢中的温度会永久地决定后代的性别。这种温度依赖性的性别决定（TSD）将检查与多年的现场，实验室，和建模研究的野生种群的彩龟，picta，从美国各地的气候不同的位置。该项目将侧重于测量母体筑巢行为和胚胎热敏感性的地理差异，作为TSD海龟适应当地气候的潜在机制。学生研究小组每年将在实地和实验室进行研究。这些活动将包括监测筑巢海龟的行为，评估孵化卵和胚胎发育，以及记录环境和栖息地数据。这些信息将被整合到先进的计算机模型中，以阐明当地气候的变化如何影响巢穴温度，从而影响后代的性别比例。反过来，模型的预测将进行实验测试，以确定如何与TSD人口必须调整行为和/或生理，以抵消任何不平衡引起的热alteration.These综合研究应提供一个全面的了解，如何与温度敏感性状的物种可能会调整，以预测在气候和栖息地的快速变化的情景。研究结果将特别密切相关的物种与TSD的保护。这个多年计划还将（1）建立一个广泛适用的工具，用于在点源（巢穴，植物根部等）的温度测量之间进行转换。该项目的主要目标是：（1）提高对生境温度变化的认识，然后再提高对区域气候的认识;（2）通过加强五年级学生的课程计划，提高对科学方法的理解;（3）继续为众多学生（包括代表性不足的少数民族、残疾人和妇女）提供第一手的科学和教育机会。