DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Linking genomics, oceanography and ecology in understanding adaptive variation in space and time in amphidromous gobies of the Hawaiian Islands

在海洋物种中，远距离的海洋扩散促进了个体在不同地点之间的移动，但这可能会阻碍种群对环境差异的适应能力。在夏威夷瀑布爬虾虎鱼，Sicyopterus stimpsoni，岛屿人口通过海洋幼虫扩散，但青少年进入淡水流在每个岛屿上遇到不同的环境压力，在迁移上游。我们的研究使用洋流，环境特征，土地利用实践和溪流之间自然选择的强度模型来预测夏威夷群岛成年人和青少年的生存和分布。我们将这些预测的模式进行比较的遗传和形态特征的测量值，以更好地了解自然选择的相对作用，海洋扩散，并在保持可行的种群这种本地hawaiianfish.Our结果的机会将确定人口最有可能坚持和那些最关键的未来生殖成功。这样的结果将有助于夏威夷？i水产资源司参与制定保护这种独特和具有重要文化意义的夏威夷鱼类的计划。此外，克莱姆森大学的本科生和在职公立学校教师将通过SC Life接受基于探究的研究以及分子和计算技术的培训。

In marine species, movement of individuals between sites is facilitated by long distance ocean dispersal but this may hamper the ability of populations to evolve adaptations in response to differences in environments. In the Hawaiian waterfall-climbing goby fish, Sicyopterus stimpsoni, island populations are connected through oceanic larval dispersal but juveniles entering freshwater streams on each island encounter different environmental pressures during migration upstream. Our study uses models of ocean currents, environmental features, land use practices, and the strength of natural selection between streams to predict survival and distribution of adults and juveniles across the Hawaiian Islands. We will compare these predicted patterns to measured values of genetic and morphological traits to better understand the relative roles of natural selection, ocean dispersal, and chance in maintaining viable populations of this native Hawaiian fish.Our results will identify populations most likely to persist and those most critical to future reproductive success. Such results will aid the Hawai?i Division of Aquatic Resources in designing plans to protect this unique and culturally important Hawaiian fish. In addition, undergraduates at Clemson University and in-service public school teachers, through SC Life, will be trained in inquiry-based research and molecular and computational techniques.