Collaborative Research: RUI: Evaluating Form-Function-Fitness Relationships in Polyphenic Bluegill

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Locomotion and feeding are essential behaviors for the survival and reproductive fitness of most animals. However, little is understood about why some individuals within a population outperform others and are better suited to their habitat. Populations of bluegill sunfish often diverge into two different body forms based on their habitat: a deeper-bodied shallow water form or a streamlined deep water form. This variation creates an ideal system for investigating the relationships between form, function and adaptation to habitat. This project will integrate studies of behavior in the field, external and internal morphology and muscle physiology, energy metabolism, swimming performance, feeding mechanics and fitness measurements in order to quantify variation in swimming and feeding performance within a single population of bluegill from pelagic and littoral habitats. Results from this research will provide unprecedented insight into the complex interrelationships of body form, swimming and feeding performance and fitness in fish. Moreover, this research will provide an experimental and analytical framework that could be applied to any animal system. This proposal is a collaborative effort among three liberal arts institutions, therefore an important component of the project will be the mentoring of a postdoctoral researcher and the training of undergraduates, a high proportion of whom will continue their education in graduate or professional schools, increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in the sciences. The research will be implemented in an outreach program aimed to introduce basic concepts of biomechanics and physiology to underrepresented K-12 students at neighboring schools.