An Integrative Investigation of Population Connectivity Using a Coral Reef Fish

使用珊瑚礁鱼对种群连通性进行综合调查

• 批准号: 1260424
• 负责人: Peter Buston
• 金额: $ 143.93万
• 依托单位: Trustees of Boston 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: 2013-03-01 至 2019-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1260424&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Integrative; Investigation; Population; Connectivity; Using

Understanding the patterns, causes and consequences of larval dispersal is a major goal of 21st century marine ecology. Patterns of dispersal determine the rates of larval exchange, or connectivity, between populations. Both physical factors (e.g., water movement) and biological factors (e.g., larval behavior) cause variation in population connectivity. Population connectivity, in turn, has major consequences for all aspects of an organism?s biology, from individual behavior to metapopulation dynamics, and from evolution within metapopulations to the origin and extinction of species. Further, understanding population connectivity is critical for the designof effective networks of marine reserves ? vital tools in conservation and the development of sustainable fisheries.Over the last decade, three methods, each of which tells something slightly different, have emerged as leading contenders to provide the greatest insights into population connectivity. First, coupled biophysical models make assumptions regarding water flow, larval behavior and ecology, to predict population connectivity. Second, indirect genetic methods use spatial distributions of allele frequencies to infer population connectivity. Third, direct genetic methods use parentage analyses, tracing recruits to specific adults, to measure population connectivity. Despite advances, lack of integration means that we do not know the predictive skill of biophysical models, or the extent to which patterns of dispersal predict spatial genetic structure. The overall objective of this proposal is to conduct an integrated investigation of population connectivity, using all three methods in one tractable system: the neon goby, Elacatinus lori, onthe Belizean Barrier Reef. There are three motives for this choice of study system: i) fourteenhighly polymorphic microsatellite loci have been developed, facilitating the assignment of recruits to parents using parentage analyses and the measurement of dispersal; ii) the physical oceanography of the Belizean Barrier Reef is well-studied, facilitating the development and testing of coupled biophysical models; and, iii) E. lori has a relatively small biogeographic range, facilitating analysis of the spatial distribution of allele frequencies throughout its range.Broader Impacts. The grant will support one postdoc and two graduate students who will be trained in scientific diving, marine fieldwork, population genetics, biophysical modeling, and mathematical modeling, and will gain collaborative research experience. PIs will incorporate research findings in their courses, which cover all these topics. The grant will also broaden participation of under-represented groups by supporting six undergraduates from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. In each year of the project there will be an All Participants meeting to reinforce the network of participants. A project website will be developed, in English and Spanish, on the theme of larval dispersal and population connectivity. This will include a resource for K-12 marine science educators developed in collaboration with a marine science educator. All PIs will ensure that results are broadly disseminated to the scientific community and general public via appropriate forms of media.

了解幼虫扩散的模式、原因和后果是21世纪世纪海洋生态学的主要目标。传播模式决定了种群之间幼虫交换的速率，或连通性。这两个物理因素（例如，水运动）和生物因素（例如，幼虫行为）引起种群连接性变化。反过来，种群的连通性对生物体的各个方面都有重大影响？从个体行为到集合种群动态，从集合种群内的进化到物种的起源和灭绝。此外，了解人口的连通性是至关重要的设计有效的网络的海洋保护区？在保护和可持续渔业发展的重要工具。在过去的十年中，三种方法，每一种方法都讲述了一些略有不同的东西，已经成为提供最大洞察力的主要竞争者。首先，耦合的生物物理模型对水流、幼虫行为和生态做出假设，以预测种群的连通性。第二，间接遗传学方法使用等位基因频率的空间分布来推断群体连接性。第三，直接遗传学方法使用亲子关系分析，追踪新兵到特定的成年人，以衡量人口的连通性。尽管取得了进展，但缺乏整合意味着我们不知道生物物理模型的预测技能，或者扩散模式预测空间遗传结构的程度。本提案的总体目标是对种群连通性进行综合调查，在一个易于处理的系统中使用所有三种方法：伯利兹大堡礁的氖虾虎鱼Elacatinus洛里。选择这一研究系统有三个动机：i）已经开发了14个高度多态的微卫星位点，便于使用亲子分析和扩散测量将新兵分配给父母; ii）伯利兹堡礁的物理海洋学得到了充分研究，便于开发和测试耦合生物物理模型; iii）E.洛里的地理分布范围相对较小，便于分析整个分布范围内等位基因频率的空间分布。该补助金将支持一名博士后和两名研究生，他们将接受科学潜水，海洋实地考察，种群遗传学，生物物理建模和数学建模方面的培训，并将获得合作研究经验。研究所将把研究结果纳入其课程，其中涵盖所有这些主题。该补助金还将通过支持六名来自传统上在STEM领域代表性不足的群体的本科生来扩大代表性不足的群体的参与。在该项目的每一年，将有一个所有参与者会议，以加强参与者的网络。将开发一个以幼虫扩散和种群关联为主题的英文和西班牙文项目网站。 这将包括与海洋科学教育工作者合作开发的K-12海洋科学教育工作者资源。所有主要研究者将确保通过适当形式的媒体向科学界和公众广泛传播研究成果。